Monday, October 14th. 0600hrs - almost a lie-in! The clock-radio blares into life, shattering your sleep: you didn’t get to bed until 1am, so you’ve turned the volume up to make sure it wakes you. News 97.3FM has some good news for once - Damon Hill has won the Formula 1 World Championship. "That’ll please Suzie!" you think as you head for the shower - Robbie Kraike’s wife is one of Damon’s keenest fans.
You have to be at Q Shed by 0700 - this is Press Day, and ThrustSSC is about to be launched to an expectant world. Over 500 people will be there - the media, sponsors, Gold Members of the Mach 1 Club. The pressure is on to get it right today.
It had been a long weekend: the vehicles were all cleaned inside and out (thanks for doing the truck, Anthony!); the satellite dish moved to its display area at the front of the hangar - which meant lining it up with the satellite as well; the Sponsors’ Exhibition stands set up; and a thousand and one other jobs completed. Most importantly of all, ThrustSSC had been prepared for her demonstration run - the tailplane had been fitted for the first time during a run, and both sides had had cardboard covers added over the logo of a new sponsor to be announced during the day.
At lot of work had been done since ThrustSSC last ran - it was essential that she be tested one more time before the crowds arrive. The team had planned to do this over the weekend, but a problem in the hydraulic system had got in the way. Finally, on Sunday evening, the familiar roar of the Speys was heard once again as they were run up outside Q Shed to check for system leaks. Everything was set for a test run, and by 0730 on Monday, ThrustSSC was outside Q Shed being prepared: half-an-hour later she was in place at ‘Alpha-link’. Jayne Millington controlling operations from the Air Traffic Control tower gave permission to proceed onto the runway, and ThrustSSC rolled gently forward under her own power to take up the familiar position at the end of ‘Two-Five’.
One of the powerful airfield fire tenders took up its station at the jetcar’s rear quarter, and after obtaining clearance from Jayne, Andy Green took the engines up the power band and released the brakes. With a deafening roar, Thrust accelerated down the runway as Andy fed in more and more throttle. The car’s speed approached a hundred miles an hour, and all the firemen in the chasing tender saw was the twin orange circles of reheat through the Speys’ exhaust in the distance - after all, there was no way 850 horsepower could keep up with 110,000.
It was a perfect run - the car had once again performed magnificently, reaching a peak of 190mph. The team were confident of putting on quite a display for the cameras!
Back at Q Shed preparations continued. Exhibition stands were being finished, Digital’s demonstrations of this Web Site were being connected by ‘wireless LAN’ to the computer network in the Operations Trailer, and thence to the server via the satellite link, team vehicles were being set out for sponsors to get their publicity photographs, and the DRA conference hall was being prepared for the Press Briefing.
Finally at 1100hrs the media were ready, the Sponsors were ready, the Mach 1 Club Gold Members were ready - and the team were ready. Richard Noble kicked off the briefing by bringing the press up to date on the project, the record history, and the competition. He was followed by Ron Ayers talking about the aerodynamics, Glynne Bowsher on the mechanical design, Jeremy Bliss with his systems, and Al Harkness describing the Speys. Andy Green talked about driving the car, then Jeremy Davey took the press through the Internet and the online Press Pack. Bringing up the rear, Adrian Hardy from ICL Sorbus explained how the Help Line worked.
Next it was down to Q Shed for the photocalls. The team were gathered together for a group shot - it didn’t take them long before they were giving the photographers ‘grief’ - after a prolonged burst from one camera: "Why can’t you just take one photo and give everyone a copy instead taking one for each of us?". "Stand still, please, this is a slow exposure." - "Why don’t you get a better camera, then?" There was a buzz of excitement in the air, and the ThrustSSC Team were enjoying themselves.
The exhibitions were well attended - the Web Site’s access logs showed that the demonstration kiosks were getting plenty of use. Raymond Baxter, of "Tomorrow’s World" fame, was interviewing the team members on the public address system.
Now it was time to roll out ThrustSSC! The cardboard had been taken off and replaced by a large red sheet and, holding it tightly in place, the team propelled ThrustSSC out into the sunlight and positioned her for the ceremony to unveil the new sponsor’s logos. More photos were taken - this time of Richard Noble with representatives of the new sponsor - then as the crowd gathered in a large circle around the car, a helicopter landed on the adjacent runway. Richard Noble greeted the two new arrivals and introduced them to the team members before the red cloth was finally pulled away by the sponsor’s Chairman and CEO, Frank Moss, to reveal the name "Tivoli"! Frank and his Vice-President of Marketing, Scott Harmon, had flown straight in from London where they had been making a global product launch and announcing the purchase of the company by IBM. A keen reader of this Web Site, Frank was very excited by the association with ThrustSSC: "We’re all together in this incredible international venture!" he told Raymond Baxter.
One last item remained before taking the car to the ‘Alpha link’: photos of Andy Green with ThrustSSC. Andy was posed standing on ThrustSSC, sitting on it, kneeling in front, standing in front, leaning casually on one intake while Richard leaned on the other… The number of photographers was incredible!
At last it was the moment everyone had been waiting for - the demonstration run of ThrustSSC. Coaches took the visitors to the viewing area while a Supacat towed ThrustSSC towards the tower. The explosive charges for the parachutes were fitted and the car ‘armed’. First the ‘Palouste’ air starter, and then the engines were started. ThrustSSC held her station on the link while a business jet landed in the strong cross-wind. Another plane took off, and finally the instruction was given to proceed onto the runway. Andy released the brakes and ThrustSSC rolled forward with the fire tender once again close by. The car stopped, and paused. The twin Rolls-Royce Spey jet engines spooled up and ThrustSSC surged forward down the runway. Again twin flames appeared at the rear and as he approached a peak of 160mph Andy Green eased the throttle and fired the parachute. Once again, ThrustSSC had put in a scintillating performance - she couldn’t have chosen a better time for it.
When everyone was gathered back at Q Shed to hear what Andy Green and the design team thought of the run, there was no doubt that those who had not seen the car run before were stunned by the spectacle! The only complaint was that it was all over so quickly! Richard, Ron, Glynne, Jeremy and Andy all declared themselves very happy with the car’s fourteenth run. As Glynne Bowsher put it: "The thing about Andy is that he does exactly what we ask him to do. It was like every other run!"
A long and exciting day finally drew to a close for the Gold Members and the press corps. But for the sponsors and team, it was now time to relax and enjoy the evening. The Sponsors’ Dinner was waiting at a nearby hotel, and the ThrustSSC Team entertained their guests with some of the more personal stories of how they had been ‘captured’ by the project. The celebration went on late into the night…
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