A STEAM-POWERED car and its drivers from a Daventry company will be motoring the length of Britain to raise money for charity.
Dean Rogers and Steve Baldock, directors of Steam Traction World based on Daventry's Royal Oak industrial estate, will be taking one of their Lykamobile cars along the 991-mile route from John O'Groats to Lands End in August to raise money for the He
aring Dogs charity.
Their trip is likely to be the first time in around 100 years that a similar design of car has made the journey.
Mr Rogers said: "The thing is we've never done more than 50 miles with this car, and for this trip we'll be doing nearly 1,000.
"A big issue will be the water – it does about one mile per gallon, and although we're going to take a container of water with us, it won't be enough.
"We think it's going to take us about two weeks, but if there's any problems and we have to rebuild the engine then it might take us three weeks.
"I know more modern steam cars – from the 1920s – have done the trip, but they can reach speeds of 60mph."
The team are hoping to raise a total of £100,000 for Hearing Dogs, and the charity is hoping to organise a whole series of events at various stops along the way.
Steam Traction World specialises in large-scale models of various machines, sold in kit form. The car being used for the trip is a modern replica of a 1900s Stanley steam car and has a top speed of 30 or 35mph, but the pair are expecting to average just 10mph.
Although built to a classic design, the Lykamobile has a number of modern features.
Firstly the rather dangerous original kerosene burner has been replaced with a diesel heater for the water and the car also has modern brakes.
It must stop once an hour for water, and at least twice a day for diesel.
Mr Rogers said: "When we first took one out on the road we only had the original brake on the diff. We were going along and there was a lorry coming towards us and we couldn't get it to stop so we put modern disc brakes on it."
The company is looking for local businesses to sponsor the trip, and all money given will go directly to the charity as the pair are covering their own costs.
Anyone interested should go to
www.steamtractionworld.co.uk, or
www.justgiving.com/steam-car.
