Vanguard engine runs

Yes, and if we get enough speed up then maybe a short flight along the runway. No, what I meant is if we get permission from the landowners we may do a taxi, if we don’t, we may only do an engine run.

Joe, and any others, I will try to find out nearer the end of the week what is suppost to be happening and post it on here, but I guess nothing will be absolutely certain until all the engines are running.

Steve

Sorry about the no engine run, but the museum didn’t bother to sort out fire cover for us. If we get fire cover for next week we will try to do an engine run, or if we get permission from the new landowners we may do a taxi instead, or both.

Steve

….ah, so the aircraft can taxi without running the engines…hmm interesting?
Perhaps it’s hauled up the old race-track ramp and allowed to ‘free-wheel’ down? 😎

Steve

Would there be anyway of finding out in advance, say the day before if you are going to be running / taxing as I would like to see and hear the old girl once more.

Its a bit of a trek from where I am so I would not want to make the journey un-necessarily.

Sorry about the no engine run, but the museum didn’t bother to sort out fire cover for us. If we get fire cover for next week we will try to do an engine run, or if we get permission from the new landowners we may do a taxi instead, or both.

Steve

Vanguard nostalgia

Vanguard cockpit mock-ups are not the same as the real thing and this is how I like to remember Vanguards, when my father took me to Heathrow once or twice each year during the 1960s…..ahhh, those droning Tynes! 😎

I too was unable to get to Brooklands today as I was working. I keep hoping to be able to come down for an engine run but each time I have still not yet been able to make it.

There are two other Vanguard cockpit sections in museums as well as G-APEJ at Brooklands and G-APES at East Midlands. Although not built as complete aircraft they were used as simulators/mock ups. There is a simulator at the Bournemouth Aviation Museum which has been restored and repainted in BEA colours although the BEA titles don’t look quite right and the other is at the Museum of Flight, East Fortune painted in Trans Canada Airlines colours. I received an E Mail from an ex Vanguard captain who had done some training on the Bournemouth simulator some years ago.

I visited East Midlands airport on 25th August 1995 to get some pictures of the remaining Vanguards/Merchantmen. Driving northbound on the M1 I saw the Brooklands nose section on the back of a lorry going southbound on it’s delivery to Brooklands. This day there were still five Vanguards at East Midlands. Such a shame that all that could be saved was one nose section. There was a story/rumour that G-APES was scrapped by accident by some over zealous scrap men who got carried away before realising it was to be saved. There was G-APEG and G-APET on the fire dump, G-APEM stored in Elan Air Cargo colours, G-APES stored and G-APEJ in the process of being broken up with the nose having been removed the day before I visited. I do have pictures of the others if anybody wants to see more.

went today to have a look. engine runs cancelled due to lack of fire cover, they will try again next Saturday. For a sunny Saturday, I was dissappointed at how few people were there today. I do hope that Concorde brings in more punters.

Thanks, you’ve made me feel better, as I mourned the fact that I couldn’t get to Brooklands today. As the engine runs were cancelled today, does that mean they will try engine runs ONLY next Saturday without any taxying as well?

went today to have a look. engine runs cancelled due to lack of fire cover, they will try again next Saturday. For a sunny Saturday, I was dissappointed at how few people were there today. I do hope that Concorde brings in more punters.

The nose section at East Midlands is from G-APES ‘Swiftsure’. It was really sad that this aircraft was broken up. Hunting engineers at the time worked really hard (unoficially) to keep her complete in the hope she would be preserved, (it was rumoured to be going to Cosford). One engineer even rebuilt a Tyne and fitted it to the aircraft on the q/t in the hope of her being flown out.

Sadly this was not the case and the aircraft was broken for scrap, a very sad sight at the time.

Yes, G-APEP (Superb) is the last complete Vanguard surviving out of 44 built. To my knowledge the are 2 nose sections about, G-APEJ (Ajax) at Brooklands, and another at East Midlands.

Steve

How many Vanguard’s are their left and could any others have their engines run again ?

G-APEP – ‘Superb’ at Brooklands is the last complete Vanguard left, although there were a few hulks in store at Perpignan a few years ago (which have probably been scrapped by now).

EP was the last Vanguard in commercial service being operated by Hunting Cargo Airlines at East Midlands Airport. It was donated to Brooklands by the Company and flown into the site in October 1996. I remember seeing them practice short field landings at EMA in preparation for the delivery flight, very impressive. 😮

I must dig out the video!

How many Vanguard’s are their left and could any others have their engines run again ?

Close proximity to other aircraft,

What it going to be behind the Vanguard,

Surface that the Vanguard is on (crushed concrete).

Any of the above may be reasons it cannot be run once it has been moved. I have not seen a final plan of where all the airliners are going, or what type of surface it is on (at the moment it is just crushed concrete). There will certainly not be room to taxi it again, but we are keeping our fingers crossed we may still be able to run the engines.

Steve

Hi Steve

Thanks for the info.

I am quite familiar with the old Vanguard and it has always been a favorite of mine, those Tynes sound great!

Why will you not be able to run them again when she moves to the new site?