Bristol Siddeley Olympus 201

1950, Stratosphere Chamber, On long term display

First test run at Bristol in 1950, this highly successful jet engine entered production in 1955 as the Olympus Mk.101 for the Avro Vulcan B.1 bomber. Continually developed over two decades and ultimately capable of 40,000lb static thrust, this example is an Olympus Mk.201 produced by Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd for the Avro Vulcan in the early 1960s. Following a company takeover in 1966, Olympus engines were built under the Rolls-Royce name.

Olympus engines also powered the supersonic BAC TSR2 (first flown 27th September 1964 with two Olympus Mk.320s) and the BAC/Aerospatiale Concorde supersonic airliner was first flown on 2nd March 1969 with four Rolls-Royce/SNECMA Olympus Mk.602s.

This example, serial no. 600029, was fitted to an RAF Avro Vulcan before later being sectioned as a training aid at Manchester University.

Loaned by Mr Andrew Hodge

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Type: Turbojet

Thrust: 17,000 lbf (76 kN)

Compressor: Axial 6-stage low pressure, 8-stage high pressure

Turbine: Axial Single-stage low pressure, single-stage high pressure