Aaaah Day at Gaydon Test Track
A Report by John Brennand
It does not seem to matter how late in the evening it is or how many vitally important jobs and tasks are scheduled for the following day, the response is always the same when asked ‘Are you free tomorrow to go to the Test Track at Gaydon for 11.45 am, and drive all the latest models of supercharged Jaguars?’
In fact, the question is not a question at all; it is an instruction ‘Tomorrow. Be at the Main Gate of the Gaydon Test Track at 11.45!’
The words of Robert Burns epitomise the situation completely,
The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley,
An'lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy !For this ‘promised joy’ it required an early night …… alas only to sleep, ready for an early start when battle could commence with traffic congestion and the elements to make the journey from the Northwest down the M6, M6 Toll, M42 and M40.
The journey to Gaydon was, as expected, eventful; torrential rain, a long delay over the Thelwall viaduct, exit 15 on the M6 had its mandatory lorry to lose its load and the inevitable road works on the approach to the Toll Road.
The plan was to meet up with Tony Ridge of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club in Sutton Coldfield and to travel the remainder of the journey together. This turned out to be a good arrangement as Tony insisted on us taking his car, a magnificent black XJ8 3.5 Jaguar with all the bells and whistles you could imagine.
For me this was a nostalgic visit to Gaydon as the test track is actually part of the old RAF V-bomber base where I was posted to in 1957. I thought the site security at that time was strict ensuring that no one saw or tampered with the hi-tech nuclear bombers; it seems that what goes on there now, in the spooky grey buildings where they say they build Aston Martins, requires even more protection from intruder’s eyes than it did from Russian spies.
The Jaguar ‘R’ day at Gaydon was for the benefit of motoring magazine editors and motoring journalists. Tony and I, not being either of these, were there through the good offices of Tony O’Keeffe of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, to whom we both offer our thanks and gratitude for this wonderful opportunity to drive the entire range of Jaguar supercharged cars at ‘full chat’ on what must be the fastest non-banked test track in Europe.
The day was organised around three cars, an XJR, an ‘S’ type ‘R’ and finally the very latest XKR coupe. Each car had a professional free-lance driver who was to demonstrate the features that Jaguar thought editors and reporters should know, such as:
After a splendid no-nonsense lunch the visiting party was ‘paired off’ and thankfully Tony and I were put together and started to proceed through the various tests in each of the cars. The tests comprised:
- Slalom manoeuvre.
The first slalom at a constant 30 mph, and another at 40 mph.
- Standing ¼ mile.
From a standing start, accelerate hard to achieve about 110 mph.
- Test track.
Flat-out at 150 mph down the main runway straight of about 1 mile, break for the 80 mph curve, accelerate hard down a shorter straight to an 60 mph bend, then a quick burst on the throttle to the hairpin 40 mph turn and back on to the main straight for a second and final lap.
Each of these test elements dramatically highlighted the excellence of the features that Jaguar wanted to draw attention to in all three cars. If the editors and journalists can do as good a job as the Jaguar engineers then sales of Jaguar cars will, without a doubt, exceed all their expectations.
Thanks to all those involved in making it possible for me to attend this wonderful experience, namely Ken McComomy, Jaguar Cars, and Tony O’Keeffe, JDHT. In addition, thanks to my co-driver Tony Ridge of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club to whom I promise not to tell anyone about him getting lost through the slalom, provided he keeps his promise not tell how many traffic cones I collected in the same test!
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The 3 R's .. Reading, 'riting, and Jaguar!
The test track in action in the background!
Leaving the standing 1/4 mile test and heading with pounding
heart for the high-speed test track.
Tony Ridge and Ken McComomy chat whilst Wendy looks on!
Just look at that! Wow!
Inside the fabulous XKR
Black on black on black and aluminum!
oh, yes please!*****************************************
Footnote
It is worth mentioning that Jaguars have been tested at Gaydon long before the existing facilities were established. In the 1950’s and 60’s, the Gaydon RAF V-bomber base was an Operational Conversion Unit, O.C.U., converting existing Canberra bomber pilots and navigators to the new ‘Victor’ and ‘Valiant’ V-bomber’s and, incidentally, is where I honed my astronavigation skills, though latterly, when lost, I have relied more on asking the way from passing ladies walking their dogs. During my stay at Gaydon a young Flt Lt by the name of ‘Dickie’ Protheroe somehow managed to obtain permission from the Station Commander to test his racing Jaguar ‘C’ Type or an XK 120 on the airfield perimeter. 'Dickie' went on to set up a very successful modification and tuning business serving private owners of Jaguar cars most notable being a 3.8 fixed head competition coupe, CUT 7, the 4th E-Type to be built and offered for sale at auction in 2005 with a guide price of in excess of £300,000