Brooklands Musem, Weybridge

A behind the scenes visit to the ‘Stratosphere Chamber’ designed by Barnes Wallis in 1946. Designed to test full size aircraft in conditions found at 70’000 feet. The chamber was capable of generating temperatures between -65°C and +60°C, and have the air pressure lowered to 1/20th sea-level, while experiments were conducted within. Used until 1980, the chamber had fallen into disrepair, was being used as storage space and hidden from public view.

Hall Conservation Ltd was asked to advise on restoration methods and plans to turn the amazing stratosphere chamber into a grand museum exhibit.

I outlined a project and developed a commercial rate budget that was larger than the museum could afford and learned a valuable lesson on scope and fully understanding the brief. The museum completed the restoration and the stratosphere chamber re-opened to the public in 2014.