The Whittle Estate Traditional Cache
La Lunatica: As the owner has not responded to my previous log requesting that they check this cache I am archiving it.
Regards
Suzanne
La Lunatica - Volunteer UK Reviewer www.geocaching.com
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In 1941 the rapidly developing Power Jets Company, formed to exploit Frank Whittle's gas turbine patents moved to a site at Whetstone in Leicestershire. This article outlines the history and development of the company and describes the form and function of those buildings built during the War years which still remain on site
The Power Jets Factory at Whetstone may well have been the first factory in the world built specifically for jet engine development and initial production. It was sanctioned by the Government in 1940. Most of the original buildings are still standing, and indeed the brick built cooling water pond has recently been re-commissioned as part of a large new turbine test facility.
One has to be mindful of the fact that when the factory was conceived, only 34 years had elapsed since the Wright Brothers flight in North Columbia in 1907, and neither technical or production processes had altered significantly in that period. They were entering an era which would lead to incredible increase in knowledge on the metallurgical front, and influence world travel for ever.
The driving force behind the Whetstone project was Frank Whittle, later and now Sir Frank Whittle, KCB, CB, FRS. He was born on June 1st 1907 at Earlsdon in Coventry, moving to Leamington in 1916 where his father ran a small engineering company. After local council primary and a
Leamington secondary education, he joined the RAF as a Cranwell apprentice, followed by a three years RAF cadetship. He was an avid reader of technical books and always interested in engines. During his apprenticeship he wrote papers on jet propulsion for aircraft, based on a conventional piston driven engine driving a fan to produce compressed air into which fuel was injected and burnt to produce a jet thrust.
This idea had been patented long before in 1917 and the Italians had used it in a practical, but unspectacular way in 1940. However, in place of the piston driven engine Whittle favoured a fan compressor, driving a turbine on the same shaft, the extra power being obtained by burning fuel in the air stream between the two. A crucial component of the design was the combustion chamber. Existing compressor and turbine technology were only part way towards the art required since no one had ever tried to burn so much fuel per volume of combustion chamber before. Whittle recognised that the thermal efficiency of the gas turbine increases with altitude compared with a reduction in the efficiency of a reciprocating internal combustion engine.Repeated pressure by Whittle had to have some effect, and eventually the, a new factory site at Whetstone near Leicester was sanctioned by the Air Ministry in October 1941 and by May 1942 manufacture at Whetstone had commenced. This may well have been the world's first green-field site where jet engines were designed, researched, developed and then produced on a production basis. Although the Germans were ahead of the British at this time and
may have built research facilities, in the main the work there was being undertaken by well established aircraft companies with existing production facilities.
The site chosen was then a rural area bordering the west side of the road between Cosby and Whetstone, adjacent to the Park Farm at NGR SP 556967. There was adequate road access and the 57.5 acre site allowed plenty of room for subsequent expansion. The western site boundary was the embankment of the then operative former Great Central Railway's line from Leicester to London. The site was also closeto the existing Ladywood works and offices at Lutterworth and the design offices at Brownsover Hall in Rugby. It was isolated from areas of high population and other industrial concentrations which might have attracted enemy bombing raid attention. In addition the proposed test area would be protected against trespass by the existing railway embankment which itself would also act as a noise barrier. On account of the noise local inhabitants eventually managed to have testing limited to no later than 8.00 pm. For safety reasons the 'overspeed' test buildings could be constructed near the embankment and be sufficiently isolated to protect both people and other buildings from potential damage. The jet exhaust frequently set fire to the railway embankment. Engine drivers sometimes refused to take their trains past the test bays if they could see that the jets were running.
Additional Hints
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