New land speed record set for steam powered vehicle.

http://www.newscientist.com/ar ... rss&nsref=online-news

Saw this story yesterday. I don't really see the point in trying to get the steam powered record these days, especially if you're going to use a hydrocarbon fuel (like LPG) to actually do it. The fact that the new record is only 140mph (a 13mph improvement over the previous record set in 1906) basically shows there's no real improvement. The other land speed records (e.g. diesel / outright / wheel driven) have improved very significantly in the last 100 years.

Still, you can tell your friends down the pub that you hold the Steam powered land speed record!

err...perhaps not

Judging by the lack of progress with this record, I suggested (in jest) to my Dad that we attempt it. I would have thought 200mph would be easy, with 300 not that far away either with a little though...

But 13 mph in 100 years is pretty crap, and the record breakers won't be able to brag down the pub as they should be ashamed of themselves.

also don't forget that malard got very close to the world steam record when it set a new steam train world record of 126 mph in 1938 which suggests that the problem with using a "car" for the steam record is that you cannot carry enough fuel and / or water, which is why they preheat the current "kettle".

i suspect that if diesel and electric trains hadn't come into use, the outright steam record would now be held by a train

just realised im posting a lot about trains with this and the opposed piston engine thread, i'd just like to re iterate i'm not a train spotter, i'm just interested in mechanical things in general (honest !! )

just a thought, i don;t suppose some of those poorly "chipped" evo's or cosworths would have qualified for the steam record when the headgasket lets go when they're flat out ?

Quote from tristancliffe :

Judging by the lack of progress with this record, I suggested (in jest) to my Dad that we attempt it.

I had thought you'd follow that with "He calmy lowered his newspaper, looked at you over the top of his spectacles, and said, Okay, lets do it"

Didn't Rover make a steam powered sports car back in the 60's ?

I'm sure with your contacts you could pick one up on the cheap. Just a few tweaks here and there, and Bobs yer uncle Fannies yer aunt etc.

I'm not suggesting you do it for the achievement and undoubted notoriety you'd gain But think of the publicity. A few years back, rather than spending millions and millions on a huge advertising campaign Bentley decided instead to enter a couple of cars at Le Mans, which worked out cheaper and brought more publicity. They didn't even build the cars themselves, it was essentially an Audi R8 with a roof. So there you go, buy that old Rover, peel the badges of it and put some of your own on. "The Cliffe Super-Compressor" or "The Tristan Thunderbolt" or, or "The Norfolk Turnip Farmers Turbine Traction Tractor" or, or i could just shut up now...

Suggest it to your father...or maybe not...

to save weight all we need is a lump of uranium out of a nuclear reactor, drop it in a preassure vessel full of water and bobs your uncle. to save weight we'll skip the lead shielding but i'm sure tris won't mind that as he's a real racing driver and the danger's part of the fun

oh and if you can pay enough we've got a couple of reactors down the road so i'm sure i can get some uranium in the local pub on the side

Quote from tinvek :

just a thought, i don;t suppose some of those poorly "chipped" evo's or cosworths would have qualified for the steam record when the headgasket lets go when they're flat out ?

I think the idea with a steam-powered vehicle is that the steam, you know, powers it, rather than is the result of some detrimental event from the other source of power

Quote from MAGGOT :

the other source of power

you mean the tuner's bullsh*t ?

Quote from MAGGOT :

I think the idea with a steam-powered vehicle is that the steam, you know, powers it, rather than is the result of some detrimental event from the other source of power

Well, how do you make steam without boiling water? In a steam engine powered by coal the combustion of the coal releases energy which boils water. In a nuclear fission powered steam engine (if such a thing exists!) the fission of atoms releases energy which boils water. A somewhat more sensible solution than nuclear (safer, cheaper etc) would be a either a liquid hydrogen powered steam engine or an engine which used rocket fuel with hydrogen peroxide as a propellant as they could provide more energy per litre than LPG and would probably be slightly better in terms of marketing / promoting the record attempt.

Quote from tinvek :

you mean the tuner's bullsh*t ?

You mean Johnny Fartpants ?

Ahhh memories.

Whatever happened to the Viz ?

Given the improvement in technology, simulation and aerodynamics in this timeframe, if anything their steam engine isn't as good as the previous WR holder.

This is a really cool story! 151 mph in a steam powered vehicle?!?! Crazy!

Quote from GrIp DrIvEr :

This is a really cool story! 151 mph in a steam powered vehicle?!?! Crazy!

somehow it just looks wrong, using the word cool to describe steam

Quote from tinvek :

somehow it just looks wrong, using the word cool to describe steam

oh. Ok then thats a really hot story!