Today marks the 30th anniversary of Richard Noble OBE driving Thrust 2 to a then world record speed of 633.468 mph (1,019.47 kmh).

When asked why he had done it, Noble at the time replied: “For Britain and for the hell of it.”

It was the realisation of a childhood ambition sparked when six-year old Noble saw ‘Crusader’, the boat built for land speed legend John Cobb, moored on a Loch Ness quayside.

Despite numerous technical and financial setbacks, freak floods, and a very public 180 mph (290 kmh) crash during the six years of the Thrust Project, Sir Richard and a small team of engineers and volunteers, ultimately overcame them all to set a record that would remain unbeaten for fourteen years.

The 67-year-old now leads The BLOODHOUND SSC Project, a global education initiative which is focused on a 1,000 mph (1,609 kmh) land speed record planned for 2015.

In the video below, Richard recounts what it felt like to drive into the history books on an incredible day, three decades ago.

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