http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/releases/richardhammond.pdf
Visit by Ben Collins (BC) to PTLE 37. The preliminary arrangements for the event had been made at arm’s length, with the result that, as the date of the Elvington shoot approached, no-one from Top Gear had actually met PTLE’s principals or seen their jet cars. The jet car feature was considered to be sufficiently unusual and hazardous for GW to ask BC, who worked closely with Top Gear as a high performance driver and consultant, to go and see PTLE and Vampire, and to prepare a briefing for RH. It was felt that, with his extensive motor sport experience, he would be able to confirm PTLE’s competence and the quality of their equipment, and be able to see through them if they were not genuine. (This was a significant step because Top Gear had not used BC in this way before.) 38. BC visited PTLE’s premises near Northampton on Monday 18th June. He seems to have been convinced of their bona fides. He telephoned PD to confirm his conclusions and prepared a briefing paper that he e-mailed to GW. This described Vampire’s controls and tried to prepare RH for the experience of driving the jet car.
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