UKDRN

Anything Nostalgia Related.

Moderators: timetravel, ukdrn

 #39722  by Filby
 
The 1978 Pendine record attempt featured media coverage by BBC TV, most likely shot on film stock. The outcome of the attempt - success or failure - would be a part of their TV news bulletins. The date of the attempt preceded the approaching affordability of domestic VCRs, so I guess there is no video archive of this, unless you were very rich!

Equally frustrating, was discovering that the BBC put together a 50 minute documentary covering Barry’s record attempt. Screened on BBC 1 at 18.20, Friday 18th August 1978, I wonder if anyone remembers seeing this programme??

You can read details of the programme, which has come about by the BBC scanning the programme listings from past copies of the Radio Times and translating the text to web pages.

Follow this link and scroll dow to the appropriate screening time:
http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bb ... 1978-08-18
 #39723  by Filby
 
jaytee wrote: Wed Feb 11, 2009 8:34 am A few newspaper photos of the crash
Three additional online images showing the outcome of Barry’s Pendine record attempt which have yet to be reported on this thread. The linked website (below) claims that images cannot be hot linked, which sounds high handed considering that 5 out of their published 8 images bear the same file names as those posted by JayTee. And as this topic is almost 10 years old ….. hmmmm?

Here’s the link:
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk/cpdb/cras ... itid1=1639

The first, third and final images are from new sources. The third image with the SoxPhotos watermark appears to come from an American Ebay seller. The final image is a worthy contender for a caption competition!
 #39729  by Filby
 
Another couple, of images found online, both most likely taken on the weekend of 6th & 7th November 1976 in the same spot in the Santa Pod pits. The mono image comes courtesy of the alamy.com online picture library website - the photographer is uncredited. The origin of this image is credited to the Keystone Press, though was most likely was wired to Keystone by either a British newspaper group or the Press Association.

The caption for this image reads:
“Barry Bowles who had hoped to break the British Land speed record in his rocket car called ''The Blonde Bombshell, at the Santa Pod raceway in Bedfordshire, last weekend-but owning to heavy rain no speed runs were possible. Photo shows The Rocket car of Barry Bowles at the Santa Pod Raceway last Saturday.”

For a larger view of this photo, type either of these image codes in to the www.alamy.com website search field: FJY94X or E14D18

Please respect the fact that commercial image libraries are very hot on unauthorised image use, whether in print or website(s). Image ©alamy.com - image origin: Keystone Pictures USA / ZUMAPRESS.com / Alamy Live News

The colour image come courtesy of the Steve Bingham Vintage Services website. The Blonde Bombshell colour image image is only one of loads of drag racing nostalgia at:
http://sb-vintageservices.co.uk/drag-racing/

Many additional links can be found on this website - well worth a visit!
Attachments
apr-17-2012-barry-bowles-hopes-to-break-the-british-land-speed-record-e14d18.jpg
apr-17-2012-barry-bowles-hopes-to-break-the-british-land-speed-record-e14d18.jpg (66.99 KiB) Viewed 41816 times
cache_2415181101.jpg
cache_2415181101.jpg (102.72 KiB) Viewed 41816 times
 #39749  by Filby
 
Another photo library shot found online, this time on the Getty Images website. The photo was taken on Wednesday October 31st 1979, at the La Porte factory in Luton - see the Brian Sparrow photos BB0-4 t – BB-27 for comparison. The image was initially credited to a prolific (freelance) press photographer called Stringer - and sold to Fleet Street photo agency: The Central Press Photos Ltd. The image became part of the Hulton picture library, which in turn was sold to Getty Images.
Attachments
3263640-1.jpg
3263640-1.jpg (142.3 KiB) Viewed 41442 times
 #39750  by bob ensor
 
So I think this is the same car I remember back in the 70's, What a performance to fuel the car before a run/pass the guys in chem suits ? at the start line at the pod.

So here is a story I remember in the off season Tony Froome took the rail and the rocket car on a show car tour in Sweden and other Nordic places, at one customs c/k point they held Tony for quite some time looking for the engine number on the rocket car, the custom guys went through the paper work for the cars and asked Tony where the engine number was on the rocket, Tony's answer I don't know where you a put a engine number on a Phucking rocket :lol:
 #39759  by Filby
 
Another photo from a higher angle to the previous image, which appears to be part of the same session shot by the freelance photographer ’Stringer’. I downloaded this image about 7 years ago, but failed to record the source website where it existed. However, I acknowledge the owner and copyright of this image, so if anyone knows of ‘The Raceway Collection“, please add that info to this thread. The original image has been enlarged and sharpened for maximum clarity.
Attachments
BB_Mk2 copy.jpg
BB_Mk2 copy.jpg (46.32 KiB) Viewed 41339 times
 #39859  by Filby
 
Just for the record …..

I recently came across some errors in the Blonde Bombshell Backers Club bulletin sheets. Refer to page 2 of this topic at:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1348&start=10#p27197


Newsletter Number One - BB-5
1st paragraph states the the BB rocket car was taken to the Milton Keynes Racing Car Show, ending on November 1st 1979.

“Motor Sport” magazine publishes an online archive of all the news reports featured in their old magazines. From the following link:

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/arch ... ers-moment

it was reported that; British Motor Racing Marshals Club were to hold a Racing Car Show in the Middleton Hall - a large covered concourse within the Central Milton Keynes Shopping Area - on November 1st, 2nd and 3rd. This would have been Thursday, Friday and Saturday on the 1979 calendar.

Furthermore, the BB-5 bulletin sheet states the rocket car’s unveiling was broadcast by Anglia TV on Friday 31st October - whereas in actuality - it would have been Friday 2nd November 1979.


Newsletter Number Two - BB-7

2nd paragraph states
BB tests undertaken on Sunday November 22nd 1979.
Except the quoted date is in error - as a 1979 calendar reveals the 22nd was a Thursday - and Sunday the 25th!!

I can only think basic “human error” was the reason why these discrepancies occurred. Incidentally, calendars are perpetual and in this case the 1979 calendar was repeated in 2018 making it easy to cross check days and dates.

If you need to cross check days and dates, smart phone technology allows you can view the current calendar by year and scroll back or forward to view the calendar for any previous or future respective year.
 #40193  by MotorPsycho
 
Another very enlightening and interesting read from the UKDRN forums! Found the thread after reading the Drive It! Book for the first time in about 20 years after getting my own copy.
 #40214  by Peter Gazey
 
I was course controller for Barry's 1978 Pendine attempt and worked with Mike Schooley, the BBC producer. As said, documentary of the team was made over the preceding weeks and of the weekend of the attempt. It was made on film and transferred to video, them seemingly disappeared into the archives for a number of years, presumed wiped as the BBC was doing a lot of at that time. I managed to 'secure' a copy and transfer it to digital. Unfortunately the file got corrupted during an update. I still have it - fragmented - if anyone would like to have a go at reconstructing it.

The 1978 Pendine record attempt featured media coverage by BBC TV, most likely shot on film stock. The outcome of the attempt - success or failure - would be a part of their TV news bulletins. The date of the attempt preceded the approaching affordability of domestic VCRs, so I guess there is no video archive of this, unless you were very rich!

Equally frustrating, was discovering that the BBC put together a 50 minute documentary covering Barry’s record attempt. Screened on BBC 1 at 18.20, Friday 18th August 1978, I wonder if anyone remembers seeing this programme??

You can read details of the programme, which has come about by the BBC scanning the programme listings from past copies of the Radio Times and translating the text to web pages.

Follow this link and scroll dow to the appropriate screening time:
http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bb ... 1978-08-18
[/quote]
 #40215  by ukdrn
 
Hi Peter.
Thanks for the information.
I would like to have a go at repairing the file as I would love to see that film.

I don't remember the documentary either but would love to see that as well if it ever comes up
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