A British man has set a speed record for the world's fastest item of furniture by driving a dinner table at 182km/h. The table comfortably beat the previous record of 147km/h set by a sofa in 2007. At its peak on one run the table hit 208km/h along the 500m drag strip although the vehicle's driver and builder said he felt he was travelling somewhat faster. Named Fast Food by its 47 year old builder, the Queen Anne styled table features the running gear of a 1994 Reliant Scimitar sports car, with a nitrous oxide kit added to boost its acceleration. The man expects to be listed as the current world record holder for fast furniture in the next edition of the Guinness book of records, assuming that no one will find the time to top his speed using an adapted sofa, bed or wardrobe. The man's previous records include building the world's smallest drivable car and the world's lowest car.
Meanwhile an American has set a new world land speed record for a lawnmower. The man managed to persuade his specially adapted mower to reach 153.6km/h during his record attempt. He set this average speed during two timed runs made within one hour of each other at the world famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, which has been the scene of many speed record attempts over the years. The American, Bobby Cleveland, beat the previous record of 139.2km/h set by a British man, Don Wales who is also a nephew of Donald Campbell and grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, both of whom held many land speed records. Wales set his record at Pendine Sands in Wales, which has also been the site of several speed record attempts and where Parry Thomas lost his life in the 1920s during one such attempt. Cleveland had hoped to set a record of over 160km/h on his lawnmower, which complies with the official landspeed record requirements of being made primarily from standard lawnmower components. It is not clear however whether the mowers belonging to either Wales or Cleveland can actually be used for cutting grass.
Two key British speed records were set in the US last year. A steam powered vehicle hit an average of 223.75km/h at Edwards Air Force base in California, breaking a world record of 203km/h held since 1906 by a Stanley Steamer. And a British engineer broke the wind power speed record by clocking an average of 201.6km/h in his specially-built, missile-like vehicle on a dry lake bed bordering California and Nevada.
And in Germany a modified Trabant hit a speed of 235km/h at Rothenburger Airport, topping the previous record of 201km. The standard two-stroke Trabant had an engine design dating from the 1930s and offered an acceleration of 0-100km/h in 21 seconds. Production of the East German Trabant ceased in 1991, following German reunification.
Meanwhile an American has set a new world land speed record for a lawnmower. The man managed to persuade his specially adapted mower to reach 153.6km/h during his record attempt. He set this average speed during two timed runs made within one hour of each other at the world famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, which has been the scene of many speed record attempts over the years. The American, Bobby Cleveland, beat the previous record of 139.2km/h set by a British man, Don Wales who is also a nephew of Donald Campbell and grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, both of whom held many land speed records. Wales set his record at Pendine Sands in Wales, which has also been the site of several speed record attempts and where Parry Thomas lost his life in the 1920s during one such attempt. Cleveland had hoped to set a record of over 160km/h on his lawnmower, which complies with the official landspeed record requirements of being made primarily from standard lawnmower components. It is not clear however whether the mowers belonging to either Wales or Cleveland can actually be used for cutting grass.
Two key British speed records were set in the US last year. A steam powered vehicle hit an average of 223.75km/h at Edwards Air Force base in California, breaking a world record of 203km/h held since 1906 by a Stanley Steamer. And a British engineer broke the wind power speed record by clocking an average of 201.6km/h in his specially-built, missile-like vehicle on a dry lake bed bordering California and Nevada.
And in Germany a modified Trabant hit a speed of 235km/h at Rothenburger Airport, topping the previous record of 201km. The standard two-stroke Trabant had an engine design dating from the 1930s and offered an acceleration of 0-100km/h in 21 seconds. Production of the East German Trabant ceased in 1991, following German reunification.
