CELEBRATING THE COMMUTER DRAGSTER LAND SPEED RECORD ANNIVERSARY
The achievements of three British Drag Racing Hall of Fame (BDRHoF) members are being celebrated this winter and into next year. 
They are Peter Billinton, the Phelps family and the late Tony Densham.
Peter Billinton gives Tony Densham the OK for a record breaking run driving Commuter at Elvington. (photo; Roger Phillips from the Densham-Billinton Archives)
October 3rd 2013 marked the 43rd anniversary of Tony Densham successfully taking the Official Wheel Driven British Land Speed Record on October 3rd 1970 at Elvington York, driving the Densham/Billinton/Phelps Commuter dragster, which was specially adapted for this attempt. This record had stood for 43 years, being held previously by Sir Malcolm Campbell in the Napier-Campbell Blue Bird II on Pendine sands in 1927.
Today Tony’s record of 207.6 mph (the average speed measured over a kilometer) remains unbroken. To achieve this average the terminal speed required would have been well in excess of the record figure and was also required to be repeated within 1 hour in the opposite direction to become an official record.
In light of this milestone, Commuter’s owner Antony Billinton has been busy over the last couple of months returning the car to exactly how it looked on those famous record runs on 3rd Oct 1970. So it does not look quite the same as many people would have seen it when last displayed at Santa Pod’s Dragstalgia event in 2013. There are some obvious additions and changes to the car. Fortunately Antony’s photographic archive has many reference pictures to work from for fine details and he also has a very good memory when it comes to this car. Of course his father, Peter’s memory could be tapped into now and again. Peter was a key member of the original team. Now, finally, Antony thinks that it is looking just about right.
To further commemorate Tony’s achievement in early 2014 the car will be the center of attraction at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall London. They have kindly invited Antony to put it on display in their Rotunda area for a period of time to commemorate Tony Densham’s achievement of holding the official Wheel Driven British Land Speed Record for longer than Sir Malcolm Campbell and in fact longer than anybody else. They have even taken the time and expense to restore and reunite the original base to the Sir Malcolm Campbell Memorial Trophy which had Tony’s name engraved on it in 1970. There is a bust of Sir Malcolm there too which they have suggested would certainly make an apt backdrop for the car.
After that at around Easter time the car continues it’s travels and goes on to the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu to form a part of a Special Land Speed Record display lasting the whole year. Final arrangements for all of this are currently taking place and when the exact dates have been finalized they will be published for any interested parties who would like to see the car just as it looked when it became really famous.
www.britishdragracinghof.co.uk/members/tony-densham
The picture credit to Roger Phillips from the Densham-Billinton archives.
