PENDINE SANDS, WALES, UK (FILE - MARCH 3, 1927) (REUTERS)

RECORD ATTEMPT AND WRECKED CAR
Background: 'BABS', THE MONSTER 27-LITRE RACING CAR CONDEMNED TO A SANDY GRAVE 42 YEARS AGO AFTER KILLING ITS DRIVER DURING AN ATTEMPT ON THE WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD, WAS EXHUMED TODAY. THE HUGE WHITE CAR IS TO BE RESTORED AT A COST OF SEVERAL THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING AS A PERMANENT MEMORIAL TO ITS DRIVER, WELSHMAN PARRY THOMAS.
THE LUMBERING 12-CYLINDER RACING GIANT WAS PART OF A HORRIFIC DEATHSCENE IN MARCH 1927, WHICH LEFT A LASTING BURIED THE BURNT-OUT WRECK IN THE SANDS, AND FOR MANY YEARS REFUSED TO DISCLOSED ITS WHEREABOUTS. THE SITE WAS EVENTUALLY SEALED WITH CONCRETE WHEN THE AREA BECAME AN ARMY WEAPONS RESEARCH CENTRE.
PARRY THOMAS DIED WHILE TRAVELLING AT ALMOST 180 MILES AN HOUR (288 KPH) IN A BID TO REGAIN THE WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD OF 174 MILES AN HOUR (280 KPH). HE HAD TWICE HELD THE RECORD BUT HAD LOST IT TO SIR HENRY SEGRAVE AND SIR MALCOLM CAMPBELL. HIS FINAL ATTEMPT ON THE RECORD HAS MADE IN AN IMPROVED 'BABS', WITH 12 CYLINDERS AND DRIVEN BY CHAINS.
AFTER TWO FAILURES, THOMAS WAS HALFWAY ACROSS THE SANDS ON A THIRD RUN WHEN THE DRIVE-CHAIN BROKE, SMASHED THROUGH THE WINDSCREEN AND DECAPITATED HIM. THE CAR SUMERSAULTED SEVERAL TIMES, BURST INTO FLAMES AND FINALLY RIGHTED ITSELF TO CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS (METRES). HORRIFIED VILLAGERS WATCHED THE BURNING WRECK WITH ONE WHEEL MISSING SLOWLY CIRCLING THE BEACH, WITH PARRY THOMAS SLUMPED OVER THE SIDE.
DESPITE LOCAL OPPOSITION, WELSH MOTORING HISTORIANS EARLY THIS MONTH WON A TWO-YEAR CAMPAIGN TO EXHUME THE CAR FROM ITS IGNOMINIOUS GRAVE. VOLUNTEERS SMASHED THROUGH CONCRETE SLABS AND DUG A DEEP PIT TO REVEAL THE CAR LYING ON ITS SIDE.
IT WAS STILL IN EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD CONDITION; ONE TYRE WAS STILL AT FULL PRESSURE AND THE WHEEL COULD BE SPUN; SOME OF THE DASHBOARD DIALS WERE STILL COVERED WITH THEIR ORIGINAL GLASS, AND ON THE SIDE OF THE CAR THE CAPITAL 'B' OF 'BABS' WAS JUST VISIBLE ON THE ALUMINIUM.
THE CAR WILL NOW BE REBUILT, BE GIVEN A NEW CHASSIS AND RETURNED TO A MOTOR MUSEUM AT PENDINE, WHERE THE 41-YEAR-OLD PARRY THOMAS IS BURIED.