Daily Telegraph Mach 1 Club Open Day

The day started well - rising at a very reasonable 6:00am to a cool, dry but overcast day. Good driving conditions for the two hundred plus mile drive from Manchester to Farnborough. Let me see, three hours driving, aim to arrive a little early, add half an hour for contingency & hold ups etc. which gives a 7:15am setting-off time. After a problem-free journey my wife, daughter and I arrived at the Data Sciences car park where we awaited the arrival of the transfer coach. The now familiar registration and transfer to the hangar procedure ran as smoothly as usual and soon we were stood outside the home of Thrust SSC - P8 Shed.

I noticed that many of the assembled visitors were not yet sporting a Thrust SSC T-shirt - no problem, Sally Noble will soon correct that omission! Once inside the hangar I cast a covetous eye over the merchandise counter. The new 1/20th scale model of Thrust SSC ("the Boardroom model") was occupying pride of place and superb it looked too. I started to ponder over suitable display locations back home. The price had "yet to be decided" - I tell myself to have some self-control - so I picked up an order form and make a mental note to check the price at a later time.

After picking up some refreshments from the ever-cheerful Mach 1 Club ladies we took our seats for the day's presentations. These were varied and as always interesting and informative. Personally I'm a bit of a technical freak - the greater the detail and the more minute the explanation, the more I enjoy it! Chris Cowell's presentation on the Spey engines, with a graphical display of the engine parameters from a Jordan run, was right up my street! I understood every word but few of the sentences - absolutely brilliant, I could listen to this all day.

After a break for lunch, which gave us an opportunity to roam about the facilities and to gaze at the complexity of the rear suspension, we returned for more presentations and a number of briefings about the project status and plans for the future. Then it was time for the Auction. I had already viewed the assembled 'surplus' items and was particularly taken by the Machmeter - a most rare and unusual souvenir it would certainly be but I was sure it was also going to prove the most sought after item too and therefore sure to command the top price. So I set my sights a little lower and waited for my chance.

Eventually it was the turn of my chosen item - a (worn) front wheel bearing. The bidding up to now had gone calmly and slowly to achieve quite reasonable amounts. Suddenly it seemed that most of the people in the hall wanted to bid for 'my' wheel bearing! The bids mounted relentlessly but I was determined (some may say stubborn) - I wanted that (worn) bearing and I was prepared to go up to 100 GBP to get it! My final opposition was coming from someone seated well behind me and it did pass through my mind that the auctioneer might be accepting 'phantom' bids from imaginary people out of my sight! Eventually the bidding subsided and the bearing was mine. The credit card sighed sullenly as it was relieved of 175 GBP. Never-the-less I could now sit back contentedly and be a spectator of the mini-battles being fought over the remaining goodies.

Finally it was the turn of 'the' Machmeter. The bidding was fierce and it began to accelerate at a very Thrust SSC-like pace. The proceedings were now being eagerly whipped along by Richard Noble himself. As I listened to the ensuing struggle it dawned on me that I could recognise the voice of one of the protagonists - I looked round to see my wife, Joan, was heartily stuck into the foray! I looked at her face. The slightly mad expression, the whites of the eyes, the quickening of the breathing - too late I realised what had happened! Have you ever met one of life's really charismatic people? You know, the ones who just electrify a room when they enter it? Well, Richard Noble is one of those people. You just look him in the eye and all of a sudden your wallet leaps open into your hand and money starts to tumble out! (pity the sponsors!). I was aware of this and had managed to avoid direct eye contact with Richard but unfortunately Joan had not been so careful. Up and up went the bids, each increase was accompanied by a comment from daughter Michelle - "That's my new boots!", "There goes my trip to Belgium!", "Good-bye to my university education!" (Personally I don't like the boots anyway, I've already been to Belgium, and she exaggerates about her education!).

I was starting to panic now and I realised I would have to do something drastic. I decided that the only way to put a stop to this was a swift left-hook to the jaw! But in Public? I didn't have the nerve and so the struggle went on until, just one bid short of achieving a level that would have matched Andy Green's fastest speed achieved so far, the ordeal was brought to a close with a final 'going... going... GONE' from Richard. Joan was triumphant. My ears were filled with a mixture of loud applause and of alarm bells going off from my credit card. The rest of the auction passed in a blur and all too soon it was time to return to the coach to begin the journey home.

On the way out a heavy hand landed on my shoulder. "Excuse me sir but I'm from the RSPCC and would like a quick word before you go". I had been stopped by an under-cover operative from the Royal Society for the Protection of Credit Cards! "Well officer, it's like this... It all started very well this morning... Name?... Graham Pike... it was a cool, dry but overcast morning... "

At least I am now the very proud owner of a piece of Land Speed Record history and can be content that at least it was all for a Good Cause... Wait, that's not true! It is a lot more than that - it was damned well hard earned by all the dedicated men and women of the team who have worked so hard and long to bring the project successfully to its current position - they DESERVED my support, in fact I believe I have got a bargain!

My very best wishes to the whole team and lots of luck in the coming months. We are all behind you.

Graham Pike
Membership no.: G234

As always we are more than happy to publish articles by the Daily Telegraph Mach 1 Club members on or related to Thrust SSC. Please send your articles to mach.one.club@battlement.digital.co.uk

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