Anyone who didn't make it to the "Tomorrow's World Live" show at National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, at the end of March missed a real treat. As a part of the Year of Engineering Success display, ThrustSSC appeared in public for the first time in her all-over coat of BASF Supersonic Black. Richard Noble was absolutely right when he said: "She looks a billion dollars!"
Perhaps it was unfortunate that the day after the new Web Camera on this Web Site went live - looking down over ThrustSSC in the workshop in the Defence Research Agency at Farnborough - ThrustSSC moved out for a week. By Monday night she was installed in the enormous hall and preparation of the stand around her could begin. If we could have moved the Web Camera to the NEC, we would have done, because the image of the car surrounded by crowds of people would have been superb! We couldn't however, and just had to offer apologies in response to the stream of emails asking where the car was.
Over the course of the 5 days from Wednesday 19th to Sunday 23rd of March, hundreds of thousands of people passed through the ThrustSSC stand. Many stopped to buy the merchandise on sale, to watch the continually playing videos, or to talk with the team-members on hand to answer their questions. Inevitably most questions were directed to Andy Green and Richard Noble, who each put in many tiring hours alongside the Mach 1 Club volunteers to ensure that no-one went away disappointed.
That the display was a success was beyond doubt. At times one could hardly get near the car, almost a shame as she was beautifully placed for photographs. The driving simulator was booked up in the first hour every day - indeed some team members only got a 'go' after the exhibition had closed for the night. Some of the visiting faces were well known to us - from Formula One World Champion Damon Hill and HRH Prince Charles, to the many staunch and loyal members of the Mach 1 Club who turn up wherever we go. The exhibition added another hundred or so members to their ranks as well - we look forward to seeing you again at our home in Farnborough.
Perhaps the most surprising question was the one that was asked again and again: "Is that the real car?" Maybe these days people expect to see mockups and replicas at shows? That is not the ThrustSSC way, however, and the simple reply of "Yes!" brought many a smile, and much renewed interest. Time and again the approachability of the team-members brought favourable comment - another happy reflection that the philosophy is right.
By Sunday everyone was exhausted, and once again the team loaded ThrustSSC onto her trailer and drove down through the night to put her to bed in the familiar surrounds of P8R Shed. The last chance for most people to see her before departure for Jordan at the start of May, it had been a worthwhile trip.
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