"Der Strand: Die Geschichte von Tommy und Babs"

Name of traveller

Hauke Schrieber (b. 1970)

Reason for travel

• car enthusiast researching stories for his book

Date of travel

October 2009

Der Sand von Pendine ist extrem fein und der Strand ungewöhnlich eben. Wenn sich das Wasser zurückgezogen hat, bildet sich eine Piste, die in den 1920er-Jahren geeigneter war für Geschwindigkeitsrekorde als jede Straße und jeder Rennkurs. (Schrieber 20)

Content

• art: contains two photographs of the race car 'Babs' in its damaged and restored state
• history:
  • relates significance of the racecar 'Babs' for in setting historical speed records on land in Britain and the fatal accident during one attempt
  • description of the rediscovery of the damaged race car 'Babs' buried in the sand, its restoration and eventual display in the Museum of Speed
• people:
  • chronicles the life and fatal accident of the car engineer and race car driver John Godfrey Parry-Thomas (1884-1927)
  • portrait of Owen Wyn Owen (1925-2012), who restored 'Babs', and his son, Geraint Owen, who runs the Museum of Speed
• recreation:
  • lack of tourist attractions and entertainment in Pendine
  • description of a bleak caravan park near the beach
  • stays in a run-down hotel that offers little comfort
• terrain:
  • bleakness of Pendine in autumn
  • extraordinary quality of the beach during low tide once made Pendine Sands ideal for setting speed records with race cars

Nationality of traveller

German

Language of publication

German

Gender of traveller

Male

Type of publication

essay

Citation

Schrieber, Hauke. "Der Strand: Die Geschichte von Tommy und Babs." Bis aufs Blech: Geschichten von Autos und ihren Menschen. Bielefeld: Delius Klasing Verlag, 2013. 17-30. Print.