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Brooklands was a centre for British aircraft manufacturing for much
of the twentieth century, but in addition some very special
research and development work was carried on there after 1945.
 One
remarkable structure which started operation in 1948 and
still exists today is the Stratosphere Chamber. Its purpose was
to simulate at ground level the extreme conditions that
fast and high-flying aircraft might meet. It could be operated
at air pressure only 5% of that on the ground, which is equivalent
to flying at 70,000 feet, or over 21,000 metres. It could also
test a temperature range from -65°C to + 45°. In its 33-year working
life, the Chamber was used for many trials, some of which had
nothing to do with aircraft. For example, one test programme reproduced
icing conditions on a trawler in the Arctic.
 Today
Brooklands is a museum, and one of its priorities is to
maintain its aviation traditions. It takes pride in restoring
aircraft, particularly if they were built in the nearby factory.
The biggest single task of that sort is still continuing
- the painstaking restoration of a Wellington bomber that
was recovered in 1985 from the bottom of Loch Ness in Scotland.
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