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Tank Driving in Hampshire

Matterly Estate, Winchester
REF: TKD1HD
Rated Based On 60 Reviews

  • Drive FV432, Abbott SPG, Alvis SML & 55 Chieftain!
  • On a private estate near Winchester
  • Half-day AM & PM sessions available
  • Receive a souvenir tank driving certificate
 
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What's Included

  • Experience driving a range of tanks and ex-military vehicles
  • Welcome, introduction and safety briefing
  • Drive four vehicles on a purpose built track for one circuit in each
  • Each circuit takes between 5-10 minutes to drive depending on the participant
  • Drivers will be divided into small groups to rotate around the activities
  • Tuition and guidance from experienced instructors
  • Opportunity to ride as a passenger on the specially built viewing platforms on the tanks
  • Complimentary refreshments throughout the session
  • Receive a driving certificate as a memento of your day
  • Experiences lasts for around three and a half hours
  • Complimentary premium gift packaging from Into The Blue

Drive each of the following vehicles:

  • Chieftain Tank
  • Abbott SPG
  • FV432 APC
  • Alvis Stormer Missile Launcher

What Can I Expect

Tank driving in Hampshire - full tracked fun near Winchester! This half day experience includes lots of tanks and other classic military hardware for you to get to grips with, as you spend several hours at the venue test driving some of the best war zone paraphernalia there is.

You will have the run of this huge private estate in Temple Valley just outside Winchester, so there's plenty of room to go rumbling around in a variety of military machines, mashing up the mud as you go.

Many of the instructors at this centre are former serving soldiers. That means they have first hand experience of these tanks and military vehicles in combat and conflict settings - and will show how to get the best out of these special pieces of kit.

Your tank experience in the heart of Hampshire starts with registration and a full safety briefing. Drivers are divided into groups to rotate around the four activities on the programme. 

Chieftain Tank: The seminal British Army Main Battle Tank (MBT) that weighs in at a hefty 55tons and boasts high performance and firing power, with 750bhp and a 195mm front turret gun.

Abbott SPG: This Self Propelled Gun is a fully tracked field artillery tank with a fully rotating 105mm turret and a crew of four (commander, gunner, loader and driver).

FV432 APC: The Armoured Personnel Carrier is essential for safely moving troops and gear around. A crew of two can transport up to 10 infantry and all their equipment at speeds of up to 32mp - and it’s amphibious too!

Alvis Stormer Missile Launcher: It might look like a tank, but this is actually a mobile platform for the Star Streak High Velocity Missile (HVM) system. You won't be firing any today, but you will be driving this 13.5 tonne hulk - and it's got seven gears!

When you're not driving, you will most often be a passenger on the specially built viewing platforms on the tanks - so there's plenty of time to take video footage and photos of these impressive machines. Your experience ends with a presentation of certificates and a look back on the day you went tank driving at this fab Hampshire centre!

Availability

  • Sessions run on Saturdays from March through to September and selected Sundays in October
  • Morning (09:00-12:30) and afternoon sessions (13:00-16:30) are usually available
  • All dates are subject to availability

Location

  • Near to Winchester, Hampshire
  • Matterley Estate, a private estate a few minutes from Junction 9 of the M3

Suitable For

  • Minimum age 16
  • Minimum height is 5ft
  • Participants who are taller than 6ft and/or with a chest size larger than 52" may have difficulty being accommodated in the vehicle
  • o previous tank driving is required

Spectators

  • Spectators aged 10+ are welcome for a fee of £15 per person, payable on the day (under 10's enter free)
  • The fee includes a passenger ride on or in a tank and complimentary tea and coffee

Anything Else

  • The ratio of drivers to instructors will generally be 5:1
  • Warm, comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear should be worn

Reviews

5 out of 5 stars

Average Rating: 5
Total Reviews: 60

Find out what other customers think of the experience

Reviews

  based on 60 reviews

Rating: 5 stars
Thomas LJ
Great day, really enjoyable and friendly knowledgeable staff. Group sizes were a good size. You g...
Rating: 5 stars
Gill Jellett
Absolutely brilliant day! Thoroughly recommend! Don’t wear favourite clothes, it is what it is, du...
Rating: 5 stars
Neil Symons
This was well worth the money! Had a half day tanking driving experience and thoroughly enjoyed eve...
Rating: 5 stars
Gerry
Excellent experience. If you don't know what a Stormmer or an Abbot is you will after this. Along w...
Rating: 5 stars
Geoff marks
Fantastic day. Staff very friendly and understanding.
Rating: 5 stars
Jenny
This was well managed and a really good activity. All the instructors were friendly and informative...
Rating: 5 stars
Julie
My husband, really enjoyed this experience, it got the adrenalin going. It was very well organised ...
Rating: 5 stars
Paul
Excellent day out. Fun, safe and very different!
Rating: 5 stars
Chris Elmes
A very good experience where you get to drive four tracked vehicles. The group are very professiona...
Rating: 5 stars
Lee Knowles
Absolutely amazing, the best experience ever! The tanks were superb and getting to drive them was a...
Rating: 5 stars
David Surgett
A great time for me and my family who joined me in Hampshire. I would recommend this experience to ...
Rating: 5 stars
richard sharpe
it was a wonderful afternoon. the staff and all the instructors were realy good and helpful. I ...
Rating: 5 stars
Peter Jeffs
Great experience - the tank driving was bought as a present for me & I really enjoyed my time, driv...
Rating: 5 stars
Martin Fryer
Great day out,very well run.Staff looked as if they were having as much fun as us,Which added to th...
Rating: 5 stars
Bonny Moore
Absolutely brilliant. Wonderful professional staff who made it all so enjoyable and fun. Have never...
Rating: 5 stars
Bonny Moore
Brilliant time. Very professionally run and a good day for guests too with rides and copious mugs o...
Rating: 5 stars
Steve Gregory
Excellent day had by all including the spectators. Staff were helpful, friendly and ensured everyon...
Rating: 5 stars
Andrew Webb
Well organised, Friendly staff, Muddy, Noisy, Tanks - just what any man with inner child, could wis...
Rating: 5 stars
Chris Churcher
Amazing day especially the mud wind and rain you organised .very realistic The people could no...
Rating: 5 stars
Nick Branch
ghood day out. Boys toys
Rating: 5 stars
caroline hayes
I was apprehensive before going but loved the experience. The staff are fantastic and put you at ea...
Rating: 5 stars
Chris
Really great experience, and a lot of fun. Would recommend it to anyone.
Rating: 5 stars
Maria Padley
A fantastic half day, either driving tanks, riding on the back of them, or watching others doing th...
Rating: 5 stars
Peter neale
Fantastic experience my brother and I had a good day. Very friendly people running the organisati...
Rating: 5 stars
Chris
Unreal! great day and staff made it a pleasurable experience
Rating: 5 stars
Karen
Excellent half day experience. Whole set-up very well organised with friendly, informative instruct...
Rating: 5 stars
andy lyne
Totally enjoyable! I was looking forward to the quad bikes but understand why these have been cance...
Rating: 5 stars
Vernon Dayman
A great afternoon enjoyed by both myself and all my family. Really friendly staff who provided usef...
Rating: 5 stars
Christine
An amazing experience. The staff have thought of everything. They even supplied sunscreen as it was...
Rating: 5 stars
Susan Foulger
Amazing experience. Really helpful, patient instructors. Very well organised. Thoroughly enjoyed ev...
Rating: 5 stars
James
Really well set up, smooth running, everyone really friendly and knowledgeable. Took my 7 yr olds ...
Rating: 5 stars
Simon Phillips
A great day out! Although you will have to like mud!! Plenty of friendly help from the instructors ...
Rating: 5 stars
M.Connolly
My nephew really enjoyed the tank driving experience for his 18th Birthday present.
Rating: 5 stars
Janey
Amazing afternoon, even though it was for my son, everyone was included. Staff made the day, so kn...
Rating: 5 stars
Kyla
Everyone at the centre was friendly, personable and made sure it was fun. It was a brilliant day o...
Rating: 5 stars
Mrs Pam Crow
This was for my husbands 70th birthday he had the time of his life, the staff were friendly and hel...
Rating: 5 stars
Michelle
Absolutley amazing experience 1/2 day tank driving. Staff were friendly approachable and informativ...
Rating: 5 stars
Claire Ricketts
I absolutely loved it! Would definitely recommend this to anybody! There wasn’t much time waiting...
Rating: 5 stars
Ethan
Thoroughly enjoyed the day, the instructors and organisation were excellent the bacon butties were ...
Rating: 5 stars
paul johnson
A good day however the main tank drive in the chieftain was very disappointing, as you only get to ...
Rating: 5 stars
Keith
A first class welcome from everyone on site for me and my guests, who were able to take several rid...
Rating: 5 stars
Jo Morrish
Amazing and a first class welcome from the staff and instructors on site. I loved every minute and...
Rating: 5 stars
Cathy Timson
I'm a 66-year old female & I absolutely loved it. I chickened out of the quad bikes but my daughter...
Rating: 5 stars
mark ashworth
first class treatment from start to finish, basic but very functional facilities with decent bacon ...
Rating: 5 stars
Chris Jewell
A really good day, weather was kind so bright sunshine and not too much mud as the chalky surface d...
Rating: 5 stars
Brian Stables
Really good day - well planned, good range of vehicles and excellent instructors plus plenty to do ...
Rating: 5 stars
Steve Bird
Great day out. Well organised and good facilities. Instructors were very good and explained things ...
Rating: 5 stars
Tania Hillier
Well, what can i say.... It was a 16th birthday gift for my 'Tank Crazy' son. We all had the best t...
Rating: 5 stars
carol nicholas
my son thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would willingly do it again many thanks Kieran nicholas
Rating: 5 stars
Roger
Friendly staff, lots of mud, plenty of tea, but the sign on the A31 needs to be a lot further back ...
Rating: 5 stars
Mark Breton
Hi - the tank driving was an ok experience. The Chieftain was only allowed to go forwards and backw...
Rating: 5 stars
Bernard
A really good outside-of-the-normal experience and a great birthday present. Recognising the limit...
Rating: 5 stars
Ray
Really enjoyed driving the abbot and the APC, the chieftain was a real disappointment ! It only las...
Rating: 5 stars
Sharon Yates, by emai
I purchased the half day tank experience in Winchester for my boyfriend. My boyfriend and I thoroug...
Rating: 5 stars
Carole Robertson
At the start of the experience my husband got dressed in the army gear and this thin bloke suddenly...
Rating: 5 stars
Steve
Well organised, plenty to eat and drink, Dot and her team of instructors are very approachable and ...
Rating: 5 stars
Robert Howard
Excellent all round Very good value for money. It was a pity that the Tank could only be driven in ...
Rating: 5 stars
d compton-lowe
good fun day . staff good humoured and safety concious
Rating: 5 stars
Tim Edwards
Fantastic experience. Friendly, knowledgeable staff.
Rating: 5 stars
Brad burrows
It was a great experience, really enjoyed ourselves !