timwilky
23-10-13, 08:28 AM
So just coming down the M5 towards Bristol and stuck in traffic. What comes past me on the back of a trailer? Babs.
For those who do not know this special car, it was a Leyland Straight Eight, Probably means more to me as when I was an apprentice all those years ago, we had a Straight Eight in the training centre, and all were told the story of Babs.
It was Leylands attempt to get in to the luxury car market. Remember, Leyland was a truck company. So this Car was designed by Parry Thomas, a in line 8 cylinder chain drive beast.
Parry Thomas left Leyland and set up at Brooklands, and used Babs for his attempt on the landspeed record. where he was decapitated by a snapping chain. Babs being buried in the Pendine Sands.
Some years ago, it was dug up, this is the car I saw this morning. A fantastic piece of British motor history. But on an open trailer? Still after all those years in the sand what is a bit more salt and water.
Edit, a library picture of Babs
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Babs.jpg
For those who do not know this special car, it was a Leyland Straight Eight, Probably means more to me as when I was an apprentice all those years ago, we had a Straight Eight in the training centre, and all were told the story of Babs.
It was Leylands attempt to get in to the luxury car market. Remember, Leyland was a truck company. So this Car was designed by Parry Thomas, a in line 8 cylinder chain drive beast.
Parry Thomas left Leyland and set up at Brooklands, and used Babs for his attempt on the landspeed record. where he was decapitated by a snapping chain. Babs being buried in the Pendine Sands.
Some years ago, it was dug up, this is the car I saw this morning. A fantastic piece of British motor history. But on an open trailer? Still after all those years in the sand what is a bit more salt and water.
Edit, a library picture of Babs
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Babs.jpg