One of the largest test facilities at the old Vickers plant at Weybridge is now part of the Brooklands Museum and that is the stratosphere chamber. This is a test facility that can simulate the altitudes and temperatures of all sorts of conditions. It was used for aviation programmes but also saw use in a range of other tests including of ships icing up.

One end of the chamber can be rolled aside to allow access to the test area so large test pieces can be added and then removed. There is a fuselage section in the test area on display. The other end also has a closure that can be rolled into place. The roller mechanisms are clearly seen on display. With both ends in place, the pressure can be reduced to simulate altitude.

Everything was controlled from a room just outside the chamber. The control panels are part of the display and have a real vintage feel about them. No computer-controlled machinery here! The access door not only shows the pressure design but also the insulation needed given the temperatures that could be created. The insulation was quite flammable so there is an extensive fire suppression system installed too.

I had heard about the chamber in the past but hadn’t really grasped what it was about. I had envisaged something more like a wind tunnel, but it is all about the conditions that items have to work in. It is on a grand scale and a most impressive piece of equipment.