By: Archer - 18th February 2011 at 15:40
Actually the Vanguard last ran on 31 October 2009 as far as I know, at which point she was in the same place that she is in now. Her spot in the Aircraft park has hard surfacing below the engines placed there specifically to discourage stones and such to be thrown up. So she is parked in a place where she can still be live.
Video from that run is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2Nnf6IVmN8 and here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWquHGw83oo
Unfortunately the team that looks after her has had some problems with the starters on the Tyne engines. So depending on whether the starters can be fixed or replaced, G-APEP may run in the future!
Other ‘live’ aircraft at Brooklands are (or should be):
And if you’re after more aero-engine noise after that, go visit on a day when the Napier Railton is exercised. The Napier Lion in that doesn’t spin a prop but is well worth listening to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwDSBxxfigo
By: Amarok - 17th February 2011 at 23:58
Does anyone know the last time the vanguard was run up and if this is still done,
Thanks, Matt
Matt, I doubt if they will run the engines again, the last time I was at Brooklands (Nov 2010) aboard the Merchantman the chaps said the last time they were run was about 6 years ago before the Mercedes World was built on the hardstanding and there was lots of clear space behind and had a fire engine in attendance.
Since relocation to the aircraft Park the aircraft is surrounded by Gravel also insurance, Fire, health & safety issues they felt it was highly unlikely the engines would run again.
By: Amarok - 17th February 2011 at 20:53
its a Merchantman
The Vanguard was converted to a Merchantman, I was working for Monarch Airline Engineering and we had the contract to look after the Merchantman. I used to service them at Luton when they were with ABC Carriers later they became Air Bridge.
They did the Newspaper run at night, News international would truck The Sun from Wapping and the Merchantman would fly it up north, returning at 2am.
During the day ABC had two Merchantmen at Luton G-APEG and G-APES (affectionately known as PEST) they would do the Race Horse runs to Ireland and back with the Aer Turas Britannia (Air Tortoise) later they got a CL44.
I remember on one occasion waiting to depart a Monarch BAC 1-11 I called the ramp tramp on the radio
‘Where are the punters were waiting ?‘
RAMP TRAMP
‘We sent them out 10 minutes ago!’
A quick scan I spotted a queue of people across the other side of the ramp at the Merchantman, so I jumped in the van and drove over, the horse ramp was fitted to the Open Cargo door and was covered in Horse sh1t, I quickly ran up the ramp and spoke to the confused passenger at the head of the queue who was standing in the cargo bay looking at the horse stall’s and pile’s of horse sh1t and said
‘This one hasn’t been cleaned Sir, please follow me to a clean one !!’
😀
I will try and dig out some photos
Kind regards
Mike
By: Augsburgeagle - 17th February 2011 at 18:15
Does anyone know the last time the vanguard was run up and if this is still done,
Thanks, Matt
By: Peter - 8th October 2008 at 14:20
Good to hear they still run the vanguard!
By: low'n'slow - 8th October 2008 at 13:03
There could be things stirring on Saturday 15th November! 😉
By: Archer - 8th October 2008 at 10:58
The Vanguard is run up on occasion, as far as possible it is a live aircraft still. There are other aircraft at Brooklands capable of running but I’m not sure which are run these days. Back when I was a more frequent visitor it would be the Sopwith Camel, but that has had some engine trouble since, the Demoiselle and the Bleriot. There may be others.
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October 4, 2008 at 9:40 pm