Wheelbarrow holds a new land speed record
- A mechanic has set a new land speed record with his motorized wheelbarrow
- He said the idea came to him after a few drinks in the pub
- And he managed to hit speeds of 84 km/h (52 mph)
Published on Jun 11, 2024 at 4:41 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Jun 14, 2024 at 1:50 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Need your garden spruced up quickly? Well, one clever mechanic who recently set a new land speed record with a motorized wheelbarrow could help.
Dylan Phillips from Wales managed to hit speeds of 84 km/h (52 mph).
And the people responsible for measuring these things have since made it official – he’s a record holder.
READ MORE! 5 of the weirdest motorcycles you’ve ever seen
Breaking the land speed record

The speeds were reached on the track during Straightliners Speed Week 2024 at Elvington Airfield, Yorkshire, UK.
He was driving amongst superbikes, Aston Martins, Ferraris, and McLarens.
He told the BBC that the idea to break a land speed record came from tinkering around with the wheelbarrow until he hit 60 km/h (37 mph), followed by a few drinks in the pub.
He then set to work in his garden shed in Crymych, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
The previous land speed record stood at 74 km/h (46 mph).
While it’s not a patch on the speed of the world’s fastest electric cars.
He described his three-wheeled achievement as ‘fun and surreal’ with his ‘proud but also slightly bemused’ partner, Emilie, by his side.
The fastest wheelbarrow in the world

Part wheelbarrow, part scooter made from scrap, Dylan completed two runs through a speed trap on the 100m course.
If you think that’s the weirdest thing you’ll see on the road, this bed turned into a car might change your mind.
So what’s the driver experience like?
“It’s uncomfortable and it’s terrifying. Slowing down is the issue – it’s only got brakes at the front,” he said.
“Touch wood I’ve not come off it or had any mishaps with it, it’s just uncomfortable.

“It does leave you aching after a couple of runs because it’s got no suspension and it just rattles you to bits.”
So, you might wonder why he decided to drive it in the first place.
“I’ve always just sort of built mad stuff,” Dylan said.
“I feel on top of the world. I mean it’s absolute nonsense really but it’s quite a nice feeling,” he shared.
What’s next?
When asked whether he was worried about someone else smashing his record, he admitted he was on ‘barrowed’ time.
“I’d be over the moon to be honest, because it just encourages innovation and it would probably motivate me to go and try again and go faster,” he enthused.
Looking for a bike hybrid? The Engler V12 Superquad is half supercar, half quad bike with 1200hp.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie

All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”