The Land Speed Pioneers - Trailblazing Speed Record Breakers

The story of how the World Land Speed Record began with a rivalry between two men in the late 19th century. This video covers the period from 1898 to the start of the First World War in 1914.

FURTHER READING
I buy a lot of books! Here are a selection of books that have inspired me or have been useful in my research.
Disclaimer: I get a commission every time you purchase a product through my affiliate links below.

Thrust: The Remarkable Story of One Man's Quest for Speed by Richard Noble

Railton: Man Of Speed by Karl Ludvigsen

Goldenrod: The Resurrection of America's Speed King by John Baechtel

Speed Duel by Samuel Hawley

The History Of Speed by Martin Roach

Donald Campbell: The Man Behind The Mask by David Tremayne

Bluebird and the Dead Lake: The Classic Account of how Donald Campbell broke the World Land Speed Record by John Pearson

Leap into Legend: Donald Campbell and the Complete Story of the World Speed Records by Steve Holter

Bluebird CN7: The Inside Story of Donald Campbell's Last Land Speed Record Car by Donald Stevens

Parry Thomas: The First Driver to be Killed in Pursuit of the Land Speed Record by Hugh Tours

Quest For Speed: The Epic Saga of Record-Breaking On Land by Barry John

The Fast Set: Three Extraordinary Men and Their Race for the Land Speed Record by Charles Jennings

Man Against the Salt by Harvey Shapiro

Ultimate Speed: The Fast Life and Extreme Cars of Racing Legend Craig Breedlove by Samuel Hawley

Infinity Over Zero: Meditations on Maximum Velocity by Cole Coonce

Speedquest: Inside the Blue Flame by Richard Keller

Crusader: John Cobb's ill-fated quest for speed on water by Steve Holter

Stills / archive used under Fair Deal / Fair Use from unknown sources.

[dfz]

This channel deserves love. Share it with people. Who doesn't like fast cars and a spot of history.

[cliford]

I'm watching this on the 118th anniversary of Henry Ford's race in 999
Thanks for the great video

[WeeShoeyDugless]

Such a clear and consise video, not spoiled by loud, unnecessary background music👍🏻👍🏻

[ttkiwis]

Criminally low view count. Bravo Sir for such great content.

[carlcushmanhybels]

Thanks for recognizing the big leap made by the streamlined (and mid-engined!) Stanley Rocket. 127mph in 1906! And that's American. And for showing Fred Marriot's 1907 attempt when at 150mph (tales vary), Fred drove the first Flying Car (no one understood downforce yet). The boiler rolled spewing down Ormond Beach. Fred and car parts were slowed, and reduced injuries by luckily splooshing into the Ocean.

[zebop]

It seems funny that people realised that streamlined bodies might be a good idea but still had the driver perched right out of the top. And it’s amazing that you can still see that 200hp Darracq not just still running but getting absolutely thrashed around Goodwood in the S.F. Edge Trophy race.

[underengineered_]

I can’t believe I’ve only learned about this channel 2 days ago. This is my favorite topic, and the way you present the information is very clear and very interesting. I am not exaggerating when I say this is my new favorite channel on the Internet, hands-down.

[nigelcarren]

Two years ago here in rural Bretagne, I was sifting through a wallet of hat-pins found in the bottom of an antique sewing-machine gifted to my girlfriend as part of a house clearance.
As I turned the Pin-wallet over I couldn't believe it, pinned in the seam was an original 1905 Enamel Gordon Bennett Cup, Michelin Bibendum lapel-pin!
Perhaps this badge had witnessed Charles Rolls or Nazzaro themselves in their prime.. pushing both life and machine to their limits on that July day? 🇬🇧⚒️🏆

[jeffallinson]

Absolutely loved this tale of the pioneers and their incredible cars. Thanks so much for this.

[StefanMarjoram]

Great film! Having tried to draw all the LSR record cars, recorded the rebuild of the Beast of Turin and tried to work out the history of 999/Arrow I know just how difficult it is to disentangle the stories and photos from these early days. Any article about the early days should probably have a disclaimer. Journalists of the day would exaggerate wildly - reading the newspapers it seems Barney Oldfield set a new record every weekend! Then there's the rivalry between nations, manufacturers and timing organisations muddying the waters too. A few decades pass and the odd respected writer gets his facts wrong in a book - add another few decades and his error passes as fact. It's a minefield :) One thing that is definitely true is that these pioneers were insanely clever and brave - and created some of the most exciting stories in motoring history.
There's a couple of my photos of the Darracq in the film. If you ever want to replace them with some clearer ones just let me know. Getting to sit in the mechanics seat, sometimes on the very roads that the records were set is such an enormous privilege and I'm very happy to share a small bit of it :)

[a.j.carter]

❤ superb video. 1000psi of superheated steam just behind your head. No thanks.
Thank you so much. Keep posting please.

[johnhrichak]

Thank you sir! Your content is above reproach.

[yanito]

Really enjoying your videos, I have always been fascinated with land speed record attempts. Thanks for your hard work. 👌🏼

[markspoor]

Thank you for the tastefully soft background music.

[bobcatly]

I'm fascinated by the way they went to the trouble of streamlining the bodies of the cars but left the drivers sitting tall, almost outside the body.

[EricBarbman]

13:27 trying to burn his rival's canvas car with the flames from his exhaust, that's some serious Dick Dastardly sh*t, here !

[shadowraith]

Thank you for a fascinating look at the birth of land speed record breaking. The photography is eye catching to say the least.👍🏎🏎🏎👍

[candrewgreen]

Excellent program with excellent narration, why can't all YouTube videos be like this!

[MrDriftspirit]

Thank you very much for this entertaining and short time travel. So many pictures with a lot of exhausted researched informations. Very well done in all videos i have watched till yet.

[ianmacfarlane]

Another wonderfully narrated and highly informative video.
These videos are an absolute pleasure to watch - simply done, nothing extraneous, and full of fascinating photographs of extremely interesting, and often quite beautiful cars - the 1902 Mors Z being a particular favourite, as it seems to have the balance spot on between the bare, skeletal cars and the naively, (as much as I hate to call anything naive in this video, it's the best description I can think of) streamlined cars.
An excellent channel, deserving of many more views.