English Mechanic Builds the World’s Fastest Wheelbarrow

By Spooky on June 14th, 2024 Category: Auto

Dylan Phillips, a car mechanic from Pembrokeshire, England, recently set a new Guinness Record for the world’s fastest wheelbarrow with a contraption capable of speeds of up to 52 mph (84 km/h).

The idea of a super-fast motorized wheelbarrow came about in a pub, after a few drinks, but Dylan Phillips, being the tinkerer that he is, decided that it was just the kind of crazy project he wanted to work on. The 38-year-old mechanic started working on the wheelbarrow in his shed in Crymych, Pembrokeshire, and before long, he had a working trial version. He reached 37 mph during a test drive, and that’s when he started looking into the world record for the world’s fastest wheelbarrow. He learned that the Guinness record stood at 46 mph, and decided that it was worth a shot to challenge it.

“I ended up building the wheelbarrow for fun. In a little practice run, messing about, I got 37 mph and then the question got asked if there was a land speed record for it,” Phillips told the BBC. “So it was just a case of finding out that the record existed and then deciding to actually do something with this idiotic thing that I’d built.”

After tinkering with his crazy wheelbarrow a little more, Dylan Phillips was ready to challenge the Guinness Record at the Straightliners Speed Week 2024 event at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire. After completing two runs through a speed trap on the 100m course, the English mechanic smashed the old speed record (46 mph) by clocking in at a whopping 52 mph.

Photo: Dylan Phillips

Phillips’ speed may not sound very impressive for a car or a motorcycle, but it’s incredibly fast and dangerous for a wheelbarrow with no suspension and only front-wheel brakes.

“It’s uncomfortable and it’s terrifying,” Phillips said. “Slowing down is the issue – it only has brakes at the front. 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.”