Seat restoration sets up Concorde for the next 50 years
RESTORATION: Richard and Carolynne Hutchins of the Leather Repair Company with Concorde
By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor
A spectacular piece of supersonic aviation history has rolled back the years with completion of 50th birthday restoration by a family firm in Hull.
The Leather Repair Company has wrapped up the refurbishment of all the seats on G-BOAC Concorde, the centrepiece of the attractions at Runway Visitor Park in Manchester.
Richard and Carolynne Hutchins, owners and directors of the company, worked painstakingly on the jet, which made its first flight just over 50 years ago in July 1975 and now welcomes thousands of Concorde enthusiasts every year.
Paul Emblow, manager of Runway Visitor Park, said: “Concorde represents a defining chapter in aviation history. Restoring these seats is not just about preservation – it’s about keeping alive the spirit of innovation and excellence that Concorde stood for.
“Since 2003, we have proudly looked after this legendary aircraft, welcoming over 15,000 visitors per year to experience its unique story. The quality and attention to detail in this restoration, carried out by Richard and Carolynne, is truly outstanding and will play a large part in ensuring this legacy continues to inspire generations to come."
The couple didn’t even know about the Runway Visitor Park until they found themselves with time to kill while waiting for a delayed flight from Manchester to the United States.
They came across Concorde and, on hearing concerns about the condition of the leather which once supported the posteriors of some exceedingly posh passengers, decided to offer their services.
Richard and Carolynne had to take the utmost care in planning the project and in manufacturing a safe solution to apply to the seats.
BIG JOB: Richard and Carolynne working on the refurbishment of seats on Concorde
Richard said: “We started the job in October last year and took as long as it needed because we couldn’t risk damaging the leather. We had to develop a new product to do the job – a cream wash solution which would retain the patina.
“It’s no good making everything suddenly look brand new – the leather needed to be soft and supple, retaining the history of the 50 years it has been in place.”
Carolynne said: “It was also important that Paul and his team were able to keep Concorde open to visitors throughout the project so we did it in two phases.
“We took the back half first, and when they were done, we swapped them for the front half, which were a bit more worn because most people tend to sit near the front. There were 120 seats altogether.”
Richard added: “Everyone at Runway Visitor Park is very happy and recognises that we have restored something historic that future generations will enjoy.
“If we had not stepped in when we did the authenticity could have been lost forever because it’s likely the original leather would have had to be replaced with something else.
“We did the job free of charge because of the historical importance of the project. Everybody knows Concorde.
“People just remember it as being such a special thing and we wanted to be a part of that.”