Fun laughter. mud and dirt – what more could you want when you go tank driving near Newcastle? A great bunch of people is behind this friendly firm. They love anything military (and preferably turbocharged) and seem to actually enjoy taking engines out of tanks in their workshop almost as much as they do taking guests out to drive them!
We are offering a taster and an extended tank drive for you hosted by this Newcastle team. Locations are rotated (as trundling around in tanks does take it’s toll on the ground) but all are within 30-minutes of Newcastle city centre and very easy to get to. The tank you’ll be driving is a FV432 AFV (that’s Armoured Fighting Vehicle don’t you know) and it is relatively speaking a light tank weighing in at…15 tonnes!
Unique to this Newcastle tank experience is the fact that your pre-drive briefing is done in another FV432. So whilst one tank is engaged in operations on the terrain a second is parked up so you can explore all the controls in a static setting. This is also the perfect moment for you to ask all those tank questions you have before it’s time to go live at the controls.
You’ll need your wits about you when it comes to driving the FV432. Just getting in the driver’s hatch is a bit of an obstacle course as you climb over the roof of the tank from the crew cabin and down into the driving position. And don’t forget it’s all levers and brakes here – and there’s no power assistance either. So it’s a combination of brute strength and control needed to guide your fully-tracked tank across the Northumbrian terrain.
Your instructor will be taking up the vehicle commander position overseeing you lot the infantry as you take it turns to drive. On the drive you will share the hot seat with two others over 60 minutes whilst those on the extended drive get extra time to tackle a very steep bank with a 40ft drop on the other side culminating in a ford crossing. It’s subject to weather conditions and the instructor giving you the go-ahead but if you do it it’s amazing. On both experiences there’s time for you to ride as passenger in the FV432’s crew compartment.
Back at base those both tank driving experiences here in Newcastle will be invited for a little look around the workshop which houses an eclectic collection of military vehicles. There are some rarities in there too including an M2 Bridging Ferry capable of carrying your FV432 on its back – and it’s the only one of its kind in the North East. Then there’s a handy RAF 6×6 fire and rescue truck an crazy amphibious combat engineer tractor and even a five-man Hovercraft that starred in a James Bond! Now there’s a story…
