'Bizarre and wonderful': Guinness World Record vehicles on display including 100mph world's fastest Postman Pat van

The vehicles include UK, Europe and Guinness World Records holders including the roadworthy coin-operated 'Postman Pat Van', a steam powered motorbike, a rocket car and the new custom built high powered motorbike of the world's fastest woman.

Organised by Straightliners, these events are not only for professionals and serious hobbyists, but they are also open to the public.

Speaking to the YEP, member Trevor Duckworth spoke of the need for speed.

"People come along to our top speed events with their own car or bike just to see how fast it will go but then they get bitten by the speed bug and they will go away, change a few things and then come back with something that little bit quicker." he said.

One hundred of some of the most unusual vehicles will be on display at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire on the weekend of February 12 and 13.

Attendees will be given the chance to see the vehicles up close and meet the drivers and teams behind them.

Vehicles present will include:

A steam powered '"rocket" motorcycle 'Force of Nature' designed, built and ridden by Graham Sykes, who runs Performance Engineering Ltd. In tests it did 121mph in 2.5 seconds and it has been a nine year labour of love by Graham to perfect this rare technology involving over £70,000.00 investment.

The World's fastest Postman Pat van based on the shell of a real coin operated ride for children. It was transformed into the roadworthy vehicle and set the Guinness World Records for the Fastest coin-operated ride after reaching an incredible 101.36 mph.

The new custom built high powered motorbike of the world's fastest woman on two wheels Becci 'Angelpaws' Ellis, who will attempt to break her records in 2022. Her team, BDR Performance Engineering, have been working on the new bike named 'Odyssey' since early 2020 and in the last year they were track testing and tuning whenever Covid restrictions allowed.

The super sleek super fast seven metre long 'Time Machine' land speed vehicle driven by a 500+bhp engine. It is aiming for the long-standing British wheel driven record which is currently 211.26mph two-way average. It has been in development for four years by Dave Taylor and Tom Armitage both form Yorkshire.

Trevor Duckworth and his self designed and built record breaking trike 'Time Bandit'. Trevor is the driving force behind Straightliners and holder of over 30 speed records accumulated over 50 years involved in motorsport around the UK and Europe.

Kevin Nicks from Oxford with his world's Fastest Shed and wheel barrow the 'Barrow of Speed'

"It's just one big, big family once people get into the sport and have attended an event." Trevor said. "Everybody helps one another and if you don't know what is wrong with your car or your bike there is always someone there who will help you."

While Yorkshire is the main base of activity for Straightliners there will be events in Devon, East Sussex, Isle of Man, Northamptonshire, Somerset and Wales.

To participate riders and drivers must have the right gear and licences and pass scrutineering.

"We run a staged system on the top speed stuff." Trevor explained. "When you start we issue you with a bronze license and then you move up to silver as you gain experience and get a little bit quicker, then when you hit 200mph you get a gold license which enables to go forward for a platinum license which all the top guys have."

As well as unusual vehicles the events will have many conventional bikes and cars taking part.

These events are tightly marshalled and all are professionally timed for submission to Guinness World Records or other record awarding bodies.

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