Steam car stokes up

Will this be the world's fastest steamer?

Steam and speed. It's a combination that may have worked for 19th century artists, but it hardly seems relevant today. Perhaps that's why the British Steam Car Challenge is so peculiarly British. The group has built and tested a high-powered steam engine vehicle that is preparing to smash the world record for steam speeds.

This weekend saw the car unloaded from a purpose-built container at Edwards Air Force base in California, the only place with a flat long enough for the 3-tonne car to make its run-up.

The 103-year-old steam power record stands at an impressive 127mph. This was recorded by an American man, Fred Marriot, who accomplished the feat in 1906 at Daytona Beach. The team hopes to reach a top speed of 170mph, but afternoon winds and searing temperatures in the Mojave desert mean a very small window of opportunity, in the early mornings. Just a 15mph gust could spell disaster for the car.

Team manager Matt Candy says: "We then have a window until the 24th July in which to make the record attempts. Potentially, each run could be an attempt on the record but to qualify as an official record we have to turn the car around and make a run in the opposite direction within 60 minutes. Obviously, if a first run is not at the required speed we won't attempt to go for the record. Instead, we'll wait and make another attempt to get a fast first run."