The second fastest car in the world!

Thirty years ago yesterday in the Black Rock Desert in Navada USA a plucky band of brits led by Richard Noble broke the World Land Speed Record of 633.468 mph in the jet powered car Thrust 2. To celebrate this record Richard and some of the other team members gathered at the Transport Museum in Coventry today where Thrust 2 for a day of celebrations.

I can just about remember seeing reports about this on the news and probably Blue Peter and Tomorrows World when I was a child and thought it was an amazing feat.

Here is a picture of Thrust 2 and inset a picture of Richard (l) who drove the car and John Ackroyd (r) who designed Thrust 2. It was an enjoyable day and Richard was very enthusiastic and inspiring and talked to everybody and posed for photos.

Richard then went on to mastermind the Thrust SSC project which designed a car to successfully break the sound barrier, this time driven by Andy Green, which has made Thrust 2 the second fastest car in the world. Thrust SSC is also displayed here at Coventry.

Richard is now busy masterminding and fund raising for the Bloodhound SSC project which aims to building car which drives at over 1000mph. More details on this project and how it is inspiring a new generation of engineers and involving schools can be found here!