by Graham Lockwood - BLOODHOUND SSC Product Sponsor

I get asked many times, how did I get involved in the Bloodhound Project? “Be careful whom you have dinner with” is my reply. Let me explain.

I had been invited by one of my drivers, Damian Halliwell, to a dinner event held at the RAC headquarters on Pall Mall in a small village down south called London. The event was being organised by the Youth UK group. So I find myself, a northern lad who is used to pie and chips, sat at a dinner table in a very posh dinning hall, having enjoyed a delicious meal fit for a king and enjoying a rather tasty red wine. Nigel Mansell has just been telling us about the adrenaline rush you get from driving a Formula 1 car at over 195mph, when up stands this guy and starts telling us about this team of engineers based in Bristol who are designing a car capable of over 1000 mph and how he is looking forward to driving it. This guy has obviously either had one too many sherbets or has had his common sense gland removed. I remember sitting there thinking, “This guy’s nuts”.

The thing is, I’m a bit of a petrol head and whilst I’m enjoying my first bottle of red wine, I’m now thinking that this isn’t such a crazy idea, it’s going to happen. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that this same “Nutter” drove a car through the sound barrier. Maybe he’s not quite a Nutter after all. In fact, this Bloodhound thing is awesome; I think I’ll join the 1K supporters club when I get home.

By the time this guy has finished his presentation, he’s got a name - Andy Green - and he is now moving around the room shaking hands with all the VIP’s. His wife, Emma is now sat next to me and a second bottle of red wine has been opened. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, I ask all the usual questions like, what does Andy do to relax? What car does Andy drive to work and have you got him insured? A third bottle of wine has been opened and I’m now thinking that not only do I want to become a member of the 1K supporters club but I really want to get involved in this. Suddenly Emma asks, “So, what do you do for a living?” This completely catches me off guard “I own a small National & International Haulage Company up North in Wigan.” Was my reply followed by, “It’s nowhere near as interesting as your lives.”

Out of the blue, Emma is giving me a large hug and saying that the BLOODHOUND Project is in need of a haulage contractor who can help with the delivery of the parts used in the construction of BLOODHOUND SSC and also with the transportation of the whole project, including the car and support equipment to the final destination for the record attempt. “What’s your corporate colours?” she asks. “Blue with yellow trim on a white background” is my reply. “The same as BLOODHOUND,” Emma threw back, “This is meant to be,” and runs off to find her husband.

So, there it is, by the end of the night, I’ve had a marvellous time. Been wined and dined at the RAC Headquarters, Listened to an ex Formula 1 World Champion and now shared a bottle of red wine with the World's Fastest Man and his wife. Oh… and Andy Green has welcomed me to the BLOODHOUND Team as a Product Sponsor.

Since that day, Tuesday 14th February 2009, things have just got better. The excitement of being involved in such an iconic project is massive. The fun, the friends, the opportunities on both a personal level as well as for my haulage company, which incidentally is called G & J Lockwood Limited, has been even greater than I could have imagined. Our customers have become very interested in our involvement in the World Land Speed Record Attempt and are keen to get involved themselves. The trucks and trailers have already been liveried up to promote the BLOODHOUND Project. We have attended some brilliant events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed and have even taken The BLOODHOUND Project to this year’s Truckfest at Peterborough, a perfect opportunity to promote G & J Lockwood Limited.

If you’re interested in cars, speed, maths, science engineering or technology, whether you’re young or old, male or female, it doesn’t matter. Get involved, become a 1k Supporters club member or roll your sleeves up, join the team and get your hands dirty. The BLOODHOUND Project is like a disease, it’s infectious, you can’t help yourself, and it runs through your body. If there is one piece of advice that I would offer, it’s this:

“If you want a quiet, peaceful life with no problems and no excitement, be careful whom you have dinner with!”