John Parry Thomas & Babs - Land Speed Triumph and Tragedy

[@jimkerr9921]

I have seen that car in the old museum at Pandine when I was on holiday their many years ago.

[@swanseamale47]

I remember seeing it there too. Even driven on the beach. Not sure if they still allow it now though.

[@philippaanne9555]

He was my 4 times great uncle and an inspiration to me my whole life as he was a fellow dyslexic who left school at 14 and still did so much. I'm Philippa Anne Parry Clements. My grandmothers madain name was Thomas. I'm always looking for more information on babs as I desperately want to meet her one day, like my mum did.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Wow! Thanks for getting in touch - he was a great man! I hope you enjoyed the video and you get the chance to see Babs for real one day.

[@differentname8051]

She on occasion can be seen blasting up and down Pendine sands.

[@philiptownsend4026]

That's a great family connection Lady. Be proud.

[@vincemosley4239]

I saw Babs a few times when it was on display at Pendine museum of speed.

[@johnburridge4926]

He was a great man. I am/was related to Malcolm Campbell and Donald. So sad that P-T and Donald were killed, along with Cobb, Seagrave and so many others.

[@ronaldroberts9556]

An excellent video of an excellent engineer. I worked on BABS nearly every weekend for just over twelve years. The rear fairings were steel, not alloy.( if alloy, the buried location was tidal thus salt water probably would have eaten it! Just as gearbox casing, water pump, clutch housing were corroded. This sacrificial corrosion protected the steel parts) When I first cleaned off the packed sand and started to straighten it, there were no fractures, nothing that could be attributed by a high speed chain. On close inspection I did find one indentation on the rear rh sprocket. Its size perfectly matched that of a wheel spoke! It was decided that the crash occurred due to a patch of soft sand, which is common at Pendine and seen during our several visits there. A front wheel dug in, the car slewed to the left, the rhr wheel became overloaded , spokes began to break and one went between chain and sprocket. The car dug in, upended and the rhf end of the engine dived into the sand. Damage on bonnet at this point was indicative of this, as was damage to the engine crankcase on the front rh corner, the cylinder assembly was driven into it. A hole and cracks were left, a metal patch was made secured by screws! The car, as you say, is with Owen Wyn’s son, Geraint. A qualified engineer and a fearsome racing driver. He has fitted a starter motor, which is a great idea. Bump starting BABS was quite a performance and was first started by tow on the A5, a hundred yards from Owen’s house. Flames were everywhere, the carbs all had shoots of flame coming out of the float chamber breathers. Fuel pump pressure was reduced from 2.5psi to about 1.25. 2.5 psi was too much and overcoming the float valve, thus flooding the carbs! One shoot of flame burnt a caneraman’s leg! Happy Days or what?

[@billythekid3234]

TY FOR THIS GRAND STORY!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Wow! Thanks so much for your comments and your insight. I wish I'd been able to talk to you whilst I was researching the video! What a privilege it must have been to have helped with the restoration of Babs. Fantastic to read first-hand experiences of working on the car.

[@ronaldroberts9556]

@@ScarfAndGoggles It was a privilege. I was only one of three that “stayed the course”. We worked bloody hard both days on weekends. Owen Wyn I were very close mates and we had a great time. Escapades a plenty! My first love from a very young age was always cars and engineering, and was fortunate to have such an opportunity only 22miles from home! And I learnt an awful lot. I think I brought a certain doggedness and another direction of thinking to solve probs. The original steering box was alloy and had corroded very badly. The remains was stripped, cleaned, Reprofiled with cheap body filler, smoothed and used as a pattern for a new casting. Casting was done one lunchtime at a local company. For free, It was one solid lump of alloy. I machined it all up on an old three phase Colchester Student lathe at the workshop, but on single phase as three was not available! A bit slow perhaps? A core plug was needed to blank a hole as per original. I made a core plug but Owen Wyn asked if I had any old pennies on me. I had several and he picked one and said use that instead? It was dated 1927! One of many secrets within BABS!

[@geraintowen35]

@@ronaldroberts9556 the rebuild couldnt have been done without your help. Hope you and the family are keeping well

[@ronaldroberts9556]

@@geraintowen35 Hi Geraint, good to hear from you. Yes we are all well and covid free. Am retired ( from paid work, that is!) very busy with motorsport and all the “jobsys”/projects etc AND have for the first time become a TAID!!! Am so chuffed! Pob hwyl i ti â’r teulu!👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏁

[@d.b.1858]

A very good history presentation. I really enjoyed it. Thank You.

[@terra2805]

I am truly addicted to this channel! I love going back in time to these early speed record attempts with enormous aero engined cars! You also narrate these stories wonderfully! I can't get enough!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks for your kind comments!

[@shmooautomotiveltd5212]

Fully agree. I recommend it to all my customers and friends. Fascinating stuff and something every car enthusiast, young and old should watch.

[@TheMouseAvenger]

I didn't know the "James Bond" guy wrote "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"! :D That's cool! ^_^

[@dunxy]

So great that the car still runs, machines like this that are important pieces of history should not merely sit idle, they need to move to continue to live!

[@curtisducati]

I was sat in her a few years ago , massive bloody thing , sad how he died , his whole life was BABS ....

[@wildcolonialman]

Truly remarkable Welshman. Fabulous effort in speed and life. Fascinating....

[@drmarkintexas-400]

🏆🏆🏆👍🇺🇲🙏 Thank you for sharing

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

You bet

[@aussiesam01]

Thanks, I really enjoyed this video. I'm originally from Wales and have spent many a weekend fishing and riding my Norton motorcycle along Pendine sands in the 1970s. I used to call into the hotel to look at the old photos of Babs on the wall there. Your video taught me more about Parry Thomas and also brought back some great memories.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@johndoyle4723]

Thanks, I knew a bit of the history, but now know a fuller version. He was a very brave and talented engineer.

[@Oimbubi]

High quality, as always!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Much appreciated!

[@LynGriffiths70]

I've seen Babs tun a number of times at Goodwood. This channel is amazing. Thank you !

[@PurityVendetta]

What a fascinating film. I have always found this period of Land Speed Record attempts filled with romance, mystery and tragedy. Given my own limited but tantalising experiences of relatively high speed I understand what possibly drove these brave men on. I can still remember sitting on an 1100cc motorcycle, a tuned version of, which was at the time, the fastest production machine capable of speeds over 200 mph on a bridge over an empty stretch of autobahn at 4.00am. You trickle down the slip road, warming the engine up and feeding in the power. At around 160mph the edges of your vision start to close in becoming a tunnel with your eyes focused into the far distance. Things passed through my mind pondering the imponderables like 'I hope the man who made the wheel spindles wasn't in a hurry on Friday afternoon.' Flashing through the German countryside the road is moving at more than three miles a minute under the wheels. In the far distance a truck pulls out to overtake another. You hit the brakes trying not to panic and gently squeeze scrubbing off the speed as quickly as you can. Bringing things down to a more human rate almost as you reach the rear of the truck and preparing to go evasive if need be by crossing the white line and using the thin strip of concrete to the left to pass. Luck has it that the 260mm discs convert the speed to heat efficiency enough to not have to use plan b. I have to wonder if any of these are akin to the thoughts that passed through the minds of the greats sitting in their gargantuan machines. Apologies for the ramble but I was only asking my partner what they thought the maximum speed a spoked wheel would be good for. I don't ride or drive quickly these days. I calculate the odds must narrow the longer we keep doing it. I spend my time in my own workshop with my lathes, milling machine and tiny collection of motorcycles.

[@JR1300r]

Great responce i understand where you are coming from man Cheers from Australia

[@theprior46]

I was riveted to this as I'd not heard about this hero before - since so much historic stuff focuses on Seagrave and Campbell but I must say how well the narrator did the voice over. Clear unfaltering speech and no peculiar pronunciation errors - easy to listen to and above all that, a very nicely constructed narrative throughout. Thank you for a super documentary. Why can't they make TV programmes like that any more.

[@ToreDL87]

Thanks for this! On top of being an inventor, engineer and driver of high repute, he was also a truly humble humanist at heart. If you ask me these roll-overs that "knocked off" (as it were) our greats were just too much of the same. In Thomas's case we know his engine suffered from continual misfire, and that pretty much narrows it down to a T as far as I'm concerned. I think a hastily mended misfire unexpectedly re-surfaced on the high speed return. There's a difference between constant loss of spark on one cylinder and suddenly have it occur at 170mph. Drivetrain, and thus the rear wheels, locks up for a split second, in turn causing the skid. From there it's the same story, driver counter steers but runs out of steering lock or over-corrects > Tire sidewalls are now exposed to the direction of travel, grips the soft sand > Roll > Brutal and fatal carnage.

[@meirionevans5137]

Owen Wyn Owen brought Babs to the village carnival mid-80's, Geraint towing it with a Range Rover which looked tiny in front of that great machine. Great vid, thank you.

[@kencarlile1212]

What a wonderful video. Thank you for sharing these with us!

[@derekstocker6661]

What a fabulous story of this great man's life and his inventions and his wonderful car Babs. John Parry-Thomas was a very determined and foreseeing man with his engineering ideas. Thank you for this, it is wonderful to see the cars and racers and hear the story.

[@dandel351]

Great work .👍 Love this sort of stuff. I'm amazed there was anything useful left after Babs was buried in beach sand for years.🏁🏎

[@TalesFromTheBlahSide]

He is remembered for much more. He's remembered for all the things you describe in your video.

[@lewisb85]

I met Owen Wyn Owen who restored Babs quite a few times because my grandad knew him he worked with him at the technical college in Bangor.

[@Frank-Thoresen]

A really nice documentary. Thank you

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Gois83]

Great vídeo as always. Indeed John Parry-Thomas was a man ahead of his time and deserves to be remembered. Also, I remember seing Babs role at Goodwood and think "so glad someone had the passion to take it from under the sand and restore it. It's wonderful!"

[@tonyduncan9852]

Thanks for clearing up a myriad of misapprehensions.

[@YearsOfLeadPoisoning]

Fantastic video. Quickly becoming my favourite channel, having been fascinated by Malcolm Campbell etc as a kid

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Wow, thank you!

[@neibiasetto3478]

Outstanding video! Thank you very much.

[@michaelevans205]

I say this every time you upload; cars are not my thing, aircraft are. But these videos are brilliantly produced, informative and so well narrated. As always, another triumph!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thank you! I'm contemplating making a couple of aircraft-themed videos at some point...

[@michaelevans205]

@@ScarfAndGoggles You interest me strangely!👍👍

[@butziporsche8646]

Sally Ann Howes! Truly and I mean TRULY Scrumptious!

[@TheGinger1]

I do enjoy your videos. Thank you for taking such time over them.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

My pleasure!

[@MarkInArizona]

Another great video -- thank you!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

My pleasure!

[@Robutube1]

06:20 The condition of the Brooklands surface astonished me - I'd always imagined it to be billiard table smooth.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Brave souls at Brooklands!

[@Robutube1]

@@ScarfAndGoggles For sure!

[@philiptownsend4026]

I knew a bit about this man and his car but learned a lot more just now. Thank you Sir! Excellent production.

[@davejaguar6532]

This is the best thing I've ever seen on youtube. An important man, an important car and an important piece of history, thanks for making it come alive.

[@aaronjohn6586]

Just brilliant in your description and insights. The quality of your words matching the pictures is first class.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Many thanks!

[@michaelwalters8029]

What a great video, thanks very much. I thought I knew a fair amount about Babs but the surrounding story is fascinating.

[@HarveyJohnWillmott]

Another great video. So glad I found this channel. It was thanks to this channel that I took a trip to The National Motor Museum.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks for your comment - hope you enjoyed your time at Beaulieu!

[@beany1987]

Love this channel ❤ , keep the videos coming 👍👍and about a fellow Welsh man 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@atgordon1948]

Just came across your channel via a YT recommendation: so glad I did, a really well produced and researched story. Well done! I look forward to viewing your other efforts!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@philiptownsend4026]

Yes KZbin has many super what I call "Citizen Broadcasters". This channel is one and is just great.

[@lelievre12]

Really great video with so much material about this amazing time in history. Thank you!

[@raywest3834]

Wonderful video story of the third man in the contest, working on a shoestring, yet able to match his wealthy competitors. "World's Fastest Indian" comes to mind . . .

[@tonymilne481]

Another excellent video

[@jamesjoyce5611]

cracking video, taa

[@alantaylor353]

I'm actually surprised that he was the first person to die breaking the record.... Though I bet there were plenty people killed trying to reach unofficial high speeds.! Digging Babs up, restoring & displaying her was absolutely the right thing to do in my opinion.! Awesome video.! Thanks.

[@zXPeterz14]

Great video! Would you consider doing one on the german streamliners of the 1930s?

[@Graham-ce2yk]

I've also suggested that as there is an interesting history there of a regime trying to get into the record books whatever the cost.

[@terra2805]

Great idea! 👌

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks for your comment! I've started researching the Mercedes T80, so that should hopefully feature in a few months time.

[@zXPeterz14]

@@ScarfAndGoggles excellent, looking forward to it!

[@bluetumblr]

Beautifully done as usual , thank you for all the great content good sir .

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thank you kindly

[@jepolch]

Love your videos. Thanks for the great story telling.

[@louiemartin6881]

love your channel :) keep up the good work!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks very much!

[@shedbythetracks]

Just stumbled on to this, great video!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thank you!

[@StefanMarjoram]

Marvellous! (Just one little point. The 28.3 litre FIAT S76 raced at Brooklands - though it was too bumpy for a record and they went to Saltburn instead :) The chain thing was I think invented by excitable journalists. Apparently when chains break they just go limp and drop to the floor - no flailing around wildly.

[@peterherrington3300]

"Apparently" they go limp & fall to the floor" . I've had several chains let go on high speed bikes . Totally pot luck , might slide out the back harmlessly or get wrapped round the sprockets locking the wheel , or coming up towards the casing destroying everything in it's path at enormous velocity. Lots of variables

[@alanleemaxwell831]

What a marvelous man, may he rest in peace 🙏🇬🇧❤️

[@buffaloj0e]

I read the book about his life quite recently and it worth the time. It was written quite a while ago and gets a bit bogged down in documenting all his race results but otherwise a good book. I can’t remember if it is in that book or Reid Railton’s but I’m sure I read somewhere Reid inspected the wreckage and also didn’t believe a broken chain caused the crash or death. The history of the Worlds Speed Record from between the two World War’s is filled with inspiration, amazing achievement and heartbreak, thanks for continuing to tell their stories.

[@WellingtonIronman]

Awesome video

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sixtyshippee]

Love the details you find out on these videos inspite of the fact many of these guys were national heroes at the time when the media really was just Newspapers and early radio .Would love to see what you could find out about early Motor cycle record breakers there must be many virtually untold tales .

[@driftergarage4898]

Great presentation and great channel…!!!👍

[@MrJoeltrain]

He is remembered for much more. To the right kind of people it may be but he is.

[@Grummash]

Excellent video 👏👏👏👏

[@nzsaltflatsracer8054]

Shared to Landracing Forum where fast ol farts hang out.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks for sharing!

[@deancamsell1985]

Great film as always S&G. I'd very much like to see you tackle the Darracq 200hp in a full video like this one at some point. (:

[@lesleysmith8071]

Great video, great channel. At 14.35 what is the little car on the right ? did I miss it in the video?

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Tha nks for your comments! I believe the car you’re asking about is one of Parry-Thomas’ “flatirons” - another series of very effective racing cars he built. I didn’t have time to cover them in the video, and so I left them largely unresearched (for now...!) and can’t pretend to know a great deal about them.

[@geraintowen35]

@ Lesley Smith The little car on the right is indeed the Thomas Flatiron Grand Prix car. Entered for the 1926 and 1927 Britsih Grand Prix. Thomas broke the world 1hr 1500cc class record at 115mph in this car just before his death. The car has survived in very original condition but hasnt really been seen in public since it was dismantled in 1953. It is currently being restored

[@lesleysmith8071]

@@geraintowen35 Thanks for finding out about it, glad it is being restored

[@geraintowen35]

@@lesleysmith8071 didnt take much finding out about, it is my car and I am doing the restoration!

[@Timberwulf2]

Back in the day I rode a 750 Norton Interstate Tank..the bigger one...I have ridden many bikes in my Legal ages years of riding 52yrs riding...It had to be one of the Best Handling Bikes I have EVER ridden...Sure my 1976 CB 750 Honda was smooth assilk..and my Kwaka 900 was fast but myNorton took the prize for handling and stability in corners and just pure enjoyment .

[@Slikx666]

What a guy. 👍

[@ldnwholesale8552]

What amazes me the most is that it was buried for around 40 years on a stormswept beach and that the car largely survived that burial. And was revived to a running driving car. As for chain drive,, from all accounts the chain simply breaks and falls on the ground. It may tear a fragile fairing off but that is about it The chain drive stuff that races at Goodwood, The Frazer Nash cars, GNs the 100+ year old cars, Pittaways Fiat and Mark Walkers Darraq plus Ben Collings Blitzen Benz. All of which were built for landspeed, not circuit racing but do seem to adapt. Far better than a dragster on a road race track

[@NBSV1]

The chain is being pulled from the top side. So if it breaks it tends to just snatch the chain forward and spit it down. Still can fly up some, but doesn’t normally whip around like it seems it would. It’d still be pretty exciting if one broke at high speed under load like that though.

[@asciimation]

Excellent, thank you. I have some interest in Parry-Thomas as he was one of the engineers who built the Riley 9 Brooklands, a car I am building a replica of.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks for your comment - glad you enjoyed the video and good luck with your project!

[@neildelaney5199]

Another super film ,thank you,, A guy in Bristol has rebuilt a huge 29 litre Fiat, one of a pair built for an attempt on the land speed record, So I believe?

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Yes, that's the Beast Of Turin (the car, not the guy in Bristol). I've seen it at Goodwood - it's LOUD!

[@stevepeters4043]

@@ScarfAndGoggles the Bristol car is a replica

[@neildelaney5199]

@@stevepeters4043 The Chassis is original, found in some far off country, and the Engine is also original (from the other car) it is in fact disputed by the Italian museum that they i have a replica engine, that was returned to them instead of the original engine that was loaned to some organisation,, Duncan did have to remake the Gearbox

[@stevepeters4043]

@@neildelaney5199 dont believe the hype! The chassis that came from down under was Fiat, but not S76. There is plenty on the net about it if you do some reading.

[@leeryan1969]

What a man!

[@alpiekaar]

excellent video

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thank you very much!

[@geraintowen35]

A great video. Only one major correction needed.....he was Mr J.G.P Thomas, not Mr Parry-Thomas

[@45rpmSINGLES]

Correction not required . 99.9% of people know him as J.G.Parry-Thomas as do his own family’s descendants .

[@Aengus42]

I bet Walt Disney Corp. would like to keep the REAL reason for the name of Ian Flemming's magical car very quiet indeed! 🤣

[@jetbike81]

Great film ,can anybody tell me what is the car behind Babs at 13.30 please.

[@edgarbeat2851]

That is a replica of the 1935 Hotchkiss AM80 raced at Montlhery. I spy the kiss lettering and typed 1930s Hotchkiss racer. I've never heard of it and I'm glad I spotted your Comment.

[@RoyCousins]

Lou Zborowski was not a Polish count. In fact the Zabriskie/Zborowski family is one of the oldest in America, his ancestor Albrecht Zaborowskij having emigrated to New Amsterdam (later New York) in 1662.

[@stratcat3216]

Bang, Bang, Chitty chitty Bang-Bang XD lol too funny.

[@iwaswrongabouteveryhthing]

top fella

[@93Beefcake]

one shot for every "JOHN PARRY THOMAS"

[@DetroitMicroSound]

Chains nearly always, simply fall to the ground.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Digging up the death car is sacrilege.

[@peterherrington3300]

Great story , well told . Add 1 sub

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks and welcome!

[@markdawber4666]

The chassis were Mercedes, Mercedes-Benz didn't exist until 1926.

[@anthonycurr3161]

It was allleged that the drive chain had broken and decapitated poor Mr Thomas; however, Owen Wyn Owen''s resurrection revealed thhat the very light fairing over the chain ws intact It is far more likely that the long-wheelbase Babs with a heavy engine up front started fishtailing leading to a rollover The abrasion of the sand most likely caused Thomas' injuries A very similar accident had left Giulio Foresti with a permanent bald patch a year or so earlier.

[@chesspiece81]

At only 125 pounds that is equal to a little over $15k today. Certainly alot of money back then but no doubt a bargain.

[@danielroth8738]

26.9 leaders? 400 horsepower? Any noob could make the power with 15 leaders. Somebuddy who new what he was doing could probably do it with 10

[@andyharman3022]

Go back 105 years and design your own engine. You're not worthy of sharpening the pencils of the men that originally designed the Liberty aero engine. And by the way, the word is "liters", not "leaders". Your knowledge of engines of the current era is suspect if you think making 400 hp with 10 liters displacement is a challenge.

[@jerrynorton1080]

Keeping in mind, of course, the c/r was half or a third todays norms, because they dident have teyra-ethyl leaded fuel, tho some were experimenting with such near-explosives as benzine and heptane, but at 2 gallons a minute a bit pricey...

[@BongoBaggins]

*named after her. I'm surprised to see Americanisms in this of all videos.

[@keytesofessex]

Ads halfway through. Just gave up on it