Digger Engines Drive JCB’s Attempt On Hydrogen-Powered Land Speed Record
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
The Hydromax is expected to exceed 350mph on Bonneville Salt Flats in August in a vehicle driven by the fastest man on earth — Wing Commander Andy Green
These three paragraphs introduce the story.
The British construction firm JCB will attempt to break the world hydrogen-powered land speed record this summer, using engines from the company’s latest diggers.
The record attempt will take place at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, where Sir Malcolm Campbell broke the 300mph barrier in 1935 with Blue Bird.
The vehicle, driven by the fastest man on earth — Wing Commander Andy Green OBE — is a bespoke streamliner dubbed the JCB Hydromax.
My first job on leaving Liverpool University with a degree in Control Engineering, was in ICI’s hydrogen plant at Runcorn.
In those days, ICI had little use for the gas and except for use as a feedstock for some niche and unusual products, and research all over the country, most of the gas produced was mixed with coal gas and sent down the power station to raise steam.
But talk around the Research Department on Runcorn Heath and some older employees had memories from World War II of hydrogen being used in transport experiments.
I asked Google AI,”Was Research In World War II In The UK Done Into Hydrogen Powered Vehicles?” and received this answer.
Yes, research and development into hydrogen-powered systems were conducted in the UK during World War II, primarily focused on fuel cells for submarines rather than hydrogen-powered road vehicles, which were more commonly powered by “coal gas” or “producer gas”.
So I suspect Runcorn provided the hydrogen for the research.
In Sutton Station To Gatwick Airport By Hydrogen-Powered Bus, I describe how I made the trip to the airport in a hydrogen-powered bus. And all for free because I have a Freedom Pass and in a mouse-quiet vehicle!
These buses from Wrightbus in Northern Ireland are superb influences for the use of hydrogen as a zero-carbon fuel.
Hopefully, the JCB Hydromax will persuade more people to think positively of hydrogen.
I wish Lord Bamford and his team, the best of luck.
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