Such is the age of early automobiles that ‘100th anniversary’ years have become quite common. To celebrate the setting of a new Land Speed Record on the very anniversary of the day that an official average speed of 150.766mph was achieved, however, felt quite unique. Particularly because the record was set on British soil (well sand, actually) on Pendine Beach in South Wales, on July 21, 1925.
The car was the Sunbeam 350hp that was built by the Sunbeam Company in 1920 for racing at both Brooklands and in European hillclimbs. Sir Malcolm Campbell bought the vehicle in late 1922 after testing it at Saltburn Speed Trials. He named it Blue Bird, like all his other boats and cars, and in June 1923 he took it to the island of Fanø in Denmark where he set a new Land Speed Record of 146.40mph (234.24km/h). During the winter of 1923-24 the car was tested in the Boulton Paul wind tunnel in Norwich, where a longer tail and a narrow front radiator cowl were developed.
In September 1924 Campbell set a new record of 146.16mph (235.23km/h) at Pendine Sands. The following July he returned to South Wales and raised the Land Speed Record to 150.766mph – although he hit an optimum speed of 152.833mph (245.961km/h) on one of the runs. In doing so, Blue Bird became the first car ever to exceed 150mph.
While subsequently passing through the hands of various owners the Sunbeam 350hp gradually deteriorated, until it was bought by the Beaulieu collection in 1958. In more recent years, the National Motor Museum has, through various fund-raising initiatives, amassed enough money to rebuild the damaged engine and build a new gearbox. The work was completed in time for the Heveningham Hall Concours in late June 2025.
It would be an understatement to say that the Sunbeam looked magnificent. A late-evening engine fire-up produced fabulous pale blue, purple and yellow flames from the 12-stub exhaust of the 18.3-litre V12 aero engine, enchanting even the most hardened supercar owners at the Friday night concours dinner. Blue Bird deservedly won Best in Show, which I thought was a tribute to both the current Lord Montagu and his team, as well as to all those who’d contributed to the rebuild.
Arriving on the beach at Pendine several weeks later, the car was immediately surrounded by almost 300 spectators – both local people and a large group from the Sunbeam Owners’ Club – with more than a dozen early pre-war machines also in attendance. The setting looked no different from how it would have done in 1925, and in Blue Bird’s cockpit sat Malcom Campbell’s grandson Donald Wales, who was greeted by Lord Montagu. The dramatic Pendine headland, the retreating sea and the bad-tempered clouds made a great backdrop for a brief run around the beach by this historic car.
The very modern Pendine Land Speed Record Museum then hosted a speech by Ralph Montagu, which emphasised the importance of preserving our automotive history for future generations. He also talked about progress on the restoration of the Sunbeam 1000hp record car: this will be seen running next year. Then there was lunch, which included Welsh cakes.
“Well, it would, wouldn’t it!” as the locals would say.
