A student from Montgomery has been working on a project to build a bike which will be used in a bid to set a new cycling land speed record next year.

Emily Jones, 23, is part of a team of engineering students at Harper Adams University in Shropshire which is working on a "real-world" project to build the extraordinary bike, which could be used to cycle at an astonishing 200mph.

British cyclist Neil Campbell reached a top speed of 174.3mph at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire in August 2019, setting a new men’s cycling land speed world record – but he now has his sights firmly set on the outright world record, attempting a top speed of 200mph.

And Emily is one of four students at the Newport, Shropshire university aiming to help him achieve his goal.

Harper Adams University lecturer and aerodynamics engineer James Croxford, who supported the 2019 record, has enlisted the help of MEng Automotive Engineering student Emily, plus her coursemates James Seymour, 22, from Bridgnorth, Martin Campbell, 22, from Uttoxeter, and Will Mosley, 22.

They are working on an aerodynamic ‘slipstreaming’ shelter to protect Neil for their group research project.

Neil’s custom-built bike will be tethered via bungee to a car which, due to the high gearing on the bike, will pull him off the line before he is disconnected and begins to pedal. The design of the slipstream shelter will be integral to the project, offering a stable air pocket to Neil while he attempts the world record.

“For the project, the students have to work with their client and negotiate their deliverables,” said James.

“A significant percentage of their final mark comes directly from their client, so they gain real experience of what it is like to work in industry. The students will have to look at a number of different components, and go through a rigorous testing process, using both key software simulations and physical testing to ensure the safety and efficiency of the end design.

“Projects such as these allow our students to put their theoretical knowledge to the test and gives them an edge when it comes to finding employment. Their real-world applied engineering is a fantastic case study to take to potential employers."

The date for the new land speed world record has not yet been set, but it is anticipated that it will be late summer 2021.