Linde is the driving force behind the Bloodhound project

Linde Material Handling has delivered specialist forklift truck training to members of the Bloodhound team ahead of their attempt to beat the World Land Speed Record this year in South Africa. Developed over the last six and half years, the 13.5 metre long, three metre tall, supersonic Bloodhound car is powered by a Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine and a hybrid rocket. The car will be capable of accelerating from naught to 1,000 mph and back again in 120 seconds, covering 12 miles during that time.Two members of the Bloodhound team - Michael Fawler, Stores Manager and Paul Nibblets, Event Logistics were given three days of intensive training from Linde Severnside in Bristol, and now have all the formal training needed for the logistical operations of the project. The three day session has enabled the Bloodhound team members to be officially recognised with a certificate of training. These are the latest of several of the team that have been trained by Linde.

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Linde is playing a crucial part in the development of the Bloodhound vehicle. From the warehouse to the starting line in South Africa, transportation of the vehicle will be a complex logistical challenge. Linde has supplied a H50 T, H25 D counterbalance and Citi One truck to support the car to be transported to various locations and assist with the operations in the Bloodhound Technical Center in the run up to the record attempt.

Paul Figueras, Forklift Trainer at Linde, said: “The Bloodhound project is an incredibly exciting venture and is such a fantastic way to push the boundaries of science and technology.

“As a market leader in forklift trucks industry, we are pleased to have secured a partnership with such a high-profile project and be given the opportunity to train the behind-the-scenes operation.”

Michael Fawler, Stores Manager at Bloodhound, said: “Working with Linde has been of such a huge benefit for the team here at Bloodhound. I have had some formal training on forklifts before but I am now fully confident in operating the trucks having gained a practical and theoretical insight into Linde’s range.”

The production team at BLOODHOUND has never been busier working 70 plus hours a week over six days, this will soon be seven days a week, but this is what is required to get the car fully operational. To give you an idea how busy it is at the BLOODHOUND Technical Centre, they released as many parts into manufacture in the last 9 weeks as they did in the whole of 2013.

Over the last couple of weeks the BLOODHOUND Build Team have trial installed the EJ200 jet engine into the upper chassis and in turn, dropped the upper chassis onto the rest of the car.

This is a crucial stage in the trial assembly of the car, it allows the Team to check the 3,500 + parts in this 3D jigsaw all fit together perfectly. The wiring team can now see how much space they have to fit the kilometers of cabling and numerous system control boxes.

Bloodhound is due to complete the build of its supersonic car in late July of this year. With testing set to start in early August in Newquay, the World Land Speed Record is on course to be broken later this year.