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BBC NEWS | UK | 3,500 due at UK Concorde auction

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Last Updated: Sunday, 30 November, 2003, 10:22 GMT
3,500 due at UK Concorde auction
Concorde Machmeter
A machmeter which measured Concorde's speed could be yours for £3,000-£5,000
About 3,500 Concorde fans are expected to attend a London auction on Monday of spare parts and decommissioned items.

Following a hugely successful French Concorde auction earlier this month, the British Airways auction is likely to raise at least £500,000 for charity.

The plane made its final commercial flight last month, bringing 30 years of supersonic travel to an end.

Items up for grabs at the Bonhams auction on 1 December include a nose cone, wine, seats and cutlery.

Bonhams displayed the items in London on Friday, ahead of the auction at the Olympia exhibition centre.

It said there had been interest from enthusiasts all around the world, including people living in Japan, Australia and the Pacific islands.

The biggest item, and the one likely to raise the most amount of money is a radome - the nose cone of Concorde - which Bonhams expects to fetch £35,000.

However, it may go for very much more, as a similar item in the Air France sale in Paris was sold for more than £300,000.

Case of wine as served on Concorde
A machmeter which measured the plane's 1,350mph speeds has an estimate price of £3,000-5,000, while a mach visual display unit, which showed passengers the speed, is expected to go for £800-1,200.

Among souvenirs with more moderate estimates, are a Wedgwood ashtray (£75-100); a Smythson stationery set (£60-90), and a lambswool passenger blanket (£40-60).

Pilot's aims

Concorde chief pilot Mike Bannister said he may bid for some items himself.

He highlighted a metal cutlery set that was only ever used on one Concorde journey - a test flight completed just before 11 September 2001.

"Following the attack we had to withdraw metal cutlery," he said.

"This set had only just been commissioned and was never used again.

"It's going for £200-300 and I'm certainly interested in it."

Captain Bannister said he might also bid for an air intake control panel which slowed the air down before it went into the Concorde engines.

He said: "This was a very revolutionary piece of equipment and, at around £200, I would be tempted to go for it."

However, he said he would definitely not bid for a Concorde captain's seat, which is priced at between £1,000 and £1,500.

Captain Bannister said: "I think I'll give that one a miss, after spending around 8,000 hours in seats like that."

The last commercial Concorde flight took place on 24 October, and the very last Concorde flight was from Heathrow to the future home of one model at Filton, Bristol, on Wednesday.

Case of wine as served on Concorde
Or maybe a case of wine, as served on board, for £120-£180
Five of the seven BA Concordes have already been sent to museums in Britain and worldwide.

Of the two remaining Concordes, one will stay at Heathrow while the other will be taken some time next year by either road or barge to the Scotland Museum of Flight at Edinburgh.

Charity pledge

Air France, the only other airline which had Concordes, has put its fleet of five on display in museums in France, Germany and the US.

An auction of Concorde memorabilia in France on 17 November raised about £2.3m.

There, a pilot's seat went for £29,500 and a machmeter sold for nearly £65,500.

BA has promised that the first £500,000 raised from the London auction will go to national charity Get Kids Going! which gives disabled children and young people the chance to participate in sport.




SEE ALSO:
Last Concorde lands
27 Nov 03  |  Bristol/Somerset


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