Been to Bruntingthorpe this week for our company driver of the year competition. As well as the normal activities like driving assesment, reversing, defect spotting, coupling/uncoupling we go the chance to stick a unit down the skid pan
It was fantastic and something you dont get chance to do every day doing 30mph with the wheels fully locked and trying to avoid several rows of cones (unless your going through roadworks on the m1 of course)
We also had a go at a ārolloverā excercise which was basically a petrol tanker filled with water that had Large outrigger stabilizers on and the name of the game was to tip it on its side after guessing at what speed the rollover would occur,
All in all it was a great day and Bruntingthorpe is a strange old place with all sorts going off!
We even finished the event off with a bit of Go karting in the DARK and rain!! intersting!!!
And the resultā¦ Well failed to make it and finsihed fourth missing a prize by 6 points! (there was only 10 points between the top 4)
Iām amazed, though quite thankful, that Bruntingthorpe isnāt better known - I live a couple of miles away from it - itās a major testing track for auto manufacturers (has the longest straight runway in the UK or something like that); has a wierd selection of old planes on display; is home to the last (about to be) airworthy Vulcan bomber. If you want to thrash your pet kit-car & see what it can do, itās the ideal place. Well worth a visit on a Sunday afternoon.
tallyman:
is home to the last (about to be) airworthy Vulcan bomberā¦
Youāve heard the rumour too.
Iāve not long finished reading the book on the Vulcan that first bombed the Falklands. A fantastic effort by our lads, and not without a dedication that could have resulted in personal sacrifice.
Rumour has it that the crew due to fly the Bruntingthorpe plane have been practising with the one based at Wellesbourne, which, although not certified as airworthy, has had some taxiing trials where the wheels left the ground.
Apparently, if my information is correct, the actual date is not to be announced, as it would attract too many spectators.
I can remember, many years ago, driving down the A49 somewhere near Ludlow, and looking down into a valley, seeing a Vulcan below me.
I am of a generation that can remember the āVā bombers and the reliance that we depended upon them.
Whilst it will never be disclosed in my lifetime, or the lifetime of any members here, I am convinced that once the Brits had proved that they could ābloody the nose of Galtieriā, then the Americans stepped in with with their own Tanker support and and patrol vessels providing logistical support co-ordinating rendezvous points.
Cheers Denis, A bit gutted at not making the top three as i was confident all day long and scored well in every event. But it wasnt to be, Still fourth out of the final 20 aint too bad i suppose to say ive only been driving three years.
Bones:
Cheers Denis, A bit gutted at not making the top three as i was confident all day long and scored well in every event. But it wasnt to be, Still fourth out of the final 20 aint too bad i suppose to say ive only been driving three years.
So what speed did you roll the tanker at?
And what did you guess beforehand?
Bones
Thats the one āthe big 18ā , went on a BP run course āABS, Rollover and skid trainingā when in the RAF, Took our six legger Daf unitās down but they ripped up the skid pad, so had to then take the 4 wheel Iveco (Seddon Atkinsonās) unitās, they really did bounce when the unit flew off the skid pad.
As for the tanker with the stablizers what an insight that was, i too on the figure of 8 guessed it was rolling about 20/25 clicks .
Nice to know that Bruntingthorpe is still in use today.
The place holds many happy memories from the days when we used to organise the Street Rod Nationals annually there.
Although the Street Rod Nationals is still runnning - and bigger than ever - everyone still speaks with nostalgia about Bruntingthorpe. Maybe it is because we were all younger back then and able to pary harder without fallng asleep!
Had some happy times at Bruntingthorpe air base, good dances held there and the PX had some great goodies, Rock and Roll was just coming into the UK and the american bands etc were fantastic. Oh the good old days
(unless your going through roadworks on the m1 of course)
, went on a BP run course āABS, Rollover and skid trainingā when in the RAF, Took our six legger Daf unitās down but they ripped up the skid pad, so had to then take the 4 wheel Iveco (Seddon Atkinsonās) unitās, they really did bounce when the unit flew off the skid pad. 
.