Sunday 29th September dawned cold and wet at Farnborough. Not heavy rain, but the miserable sort that finds its way through every gap in your clothing. One thing it couldn’t do, though, was dampen the spirits of the team in Q Shed - on Saturday they had finished the runway tests of ThrustSSC with a stunning 200mph run on full reheat!

Friday had been a successful day in its own right - 5 runs had seen the jet-car progress from 70mph to 160mph, culminating in the final run with the twin Rolls-Royce Spey jet-engines on ‘Max Mil’ (full power without reheat). The aim on Saturday was to finish the runway testing of the car by reaching full afterburner.

(Nick, Jason and Brian at the briefing. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

After a morning preparing the car, the team gathered for a briefing on the day’s plan. Three runs were called for - the first to help Andy Green get a feel for the car and to find out the minimum speed required before "maximum military" (full power without reheat) could be engaged, the second to take the car up to minimum afterburner, and a final run to bring in full afterburner for the first time. Successfully achieving all three runs would mean the team could tick off the runway test as complete - a major milestone for the project!

(Leigh Remfry tows ThrustSSC out of Q Shed. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

The ITN crew were back to continue their filming, as well as representatives from some of ThrustSSC’s ever-supportive sponsors, Castrol and Supacat. Everyone’s roles were assigned - Start Team, Recovery Team, Chase, Press Escorts, Q Shed. As on previous runs Sqn Ldr Jayne Millington would be controlling all operations from the Air Traffic Control Tower - as a trained fighter controller she is superbly qualified for the role. Jayne detailed the expected windows of runway availability - one would begin shortly: the team went quickly into action.

(Andy Green inspects the car prior to running. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

ThrustSSC was towed to the ‘Alpha link’ at one end of the main runway by one of the Supacat support vehicles while the recovery team took the second Palouste air-starter and the other Supacat to the other end. The Palouste is always required at the finish in case of a jet-pipe fire which can be easily extinguished by starting the engine. As the media, sponsors and team members watched, ThrustSSC was inspected and final preparations made. The car would be ready for the upcoming window, and with a few minutes to go everyone retreated to their assigned positions.

(Business jet departs Farnborough. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

After a short delay a business jet departed as planned. The delay meant that the fuel tanks had to be re-pressurised, which was quickly done: the engines could now be started.

"Tower, SSC. Car is armed": reported driver Andy Green as he armed the parachute firing system.

"Tower. Copied - car is armed."

"Recovery, Tower."

"Tower, Recovery. Go."

"Recovery, Tower. Confirm ready to receive SSC."

"Recovery is ready."

"Copied."

The start team - careful now not to pass in the potentially-deadly firing line of the parachutes - wound up their Palouste and started ThrustSSC’s engines. Andy Green obtained clearance and drove the car into position on the runway.

"SSC ready to roll."

"SSC. Clear roll."

(ThrustSSC with brake parachute trailing. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

The noise from the Spey jet-engines rose as they spooled up to 80% of maximum revs. The brakes were released and ThrustSSC leaped forward down the tarmac. At 70mph Andy Green pressed the throttle down to the "Max Mil" position and the car accelerated comfortably to 165mph before he fired the parachutes and braked the car to a stand opposite the recovery team.

"SSC is stopped."

A pause while the engines were shut down. "SSC safe."

(ThrustSSC is returned to Alpha. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

The waiting crew quickly checked the car, made the second parachute safe, and jacked up the rear end on the towing "dolly". In no time ThrustSSC was returning to point Alpha towed by a Supacat.

Now began a long wait for another window to run. After what seemed an interminable hold, a helicopter landed on the intersecting Runway One-One and taxied to a business jet that had been waiting with its engines running for some half-an-hour. The helicopter departed, quickly followed by the business jet, but now a second ‘plane was ready to go. It too taxied to Two-Five and took-off - the ThrustSSC team could now try their afterburners in the car for the first time!

Once again the procedures were followed to the letter, and the car accelerated for the eleventh time down the runway. A lick of flame appeared at the rear as the afterburners engaged perfectly, driving the car to 180mph before Andy Green re-selected ‘idle’, fired the squibs and applied the brakes.

One more run to go, but time was short. It was 1615hrs and the airfield closed at 1700hrs. What was more, there was another business jet wanting to leave. The recovery team made another quick turnaround to get the car back to the Alpha link while the chase collected the bullet, bag and parachutes and took them to Q Shed for re-packing. Working quickly, but carefully, the team had the car ready in good time - but the jet had not yet left and 1700hrs was rapidly approaching.

(ThrustSSC accelerates on full reheat. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

Airfields are legally required to stay open for 15 minutes after the last departure - although it would be after the expected closing time, the car would still be able to run. At 1710hrs Andy Green commenced his run. Full military power was engaged by some 80mph, quickly followed by ‘Full AB’! The left nozzle opened a fraction of a second before the right, and within three seconds both ‘burners’ were alight and stable, accelerating ThrustSSC from 160 to a peak speed of 200mph in just one second! As Andy slowed for the last time that day at ‘Point Golf’ the team were elated - their car had proved effective, reliable… and fast!

(ThrustSSC is returned to Q Shed. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

Internet Coordinator Jeremy Davey had been in action as always with the Canon digital camera. Weary with annoying everyone by continually taking their photographs, he had a new gadget - a tape recorder for taking notes and quotes. Asked for his reaction, Nick Dove could only utter: "Marvelous" and an unprintable expletive. Engine expert Chris Cowell thought it was: "Time for a beer!", while Paul Remfry on the Recovery Team talked of a little dot that "grew very big, very fast!".

Pressed for a quote, Ron Ayers first pointed out that he needed notice of such a question: "It has gone extremely well. Every objective has been met. We’ve only the tie-down tests to do and we’re ready for the desert."

Mechanical Designer, Glynne Bowsher has seen it all before with Thrust2, but he was no less elated: "What a wonderful day! Full reheat - not bad, eh? Absolutely superb! Car operated well, driver operated superbly - everything was good. 200mph? Watch out, Breedlove!"

As current holder of the World Land Speed Record, Richard Noble, pointed out at the debrief: "We’ve put our first foot on the ladder to success!"

(Grayston, White and Sparrow crane ThrustSSC onto its trailer. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

What next for the ThrustSSC Team? The tie-down tests must be completed at Boscombe Down before the OK can be give to fly to Jordan, and that night Grayston, White and Sparrow's waiting crane lifted the car onto its trailer in preparation for its journey. More immediately, everyone headed to the ‘local’ for a little celebrating - Andy was buying the first round...

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