BRITAIN RECLAIMS THE RECORD

On 4 October 1983, British driver Richard Noble reclaimed the World Land Speed Record for Britain, driving the jet-powered Thrust 2 to an official two-way average of 633.468 mph (1,019.47 km/h) across the measured mile at Black Rock Desert, Nevada.
Britain had last held the record in July 1964, when Donald Campbell drove Bluebird CN7 to 403.10 mph at Lake Eyre, Australia. His reign was short-lived as American jet and rocket-powered challengers pushed the record dramatically higher later that year and beyond. Gary Gabelich eventually established 622.407 mph in Blue Flame in 1970. Thirteen years later, Noble’s achievement returned the title to Britain — nearly two decades after Campbell’s record.
Thrust 2, designed by John Ackroyd, was powered by a Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet derived from military aviation. Its streamlined form and four-wheel configuration were engineered to maintain stability at extraordinary speeds.
Noble’s achievement also revived Britain’s formidable land-speed tradition, associated with record-breakers including Malcolm Campbell, Henry Segrave and John Cobb.
Thrust 2 held the outright record for almost 14 years. In 1997, Noble returned as project director of ThrustSSC, driven by Andy Green, which achieved 763.035 mph and became the first car officially to break the sound barrier on land.