Appleby firm Taylor and Braithwaite will be taking great interest in Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ next challenge as he attempts to cross Antarctica during winter, one of the last remaining polar challenges to be attempted.

The Appleby based firm, who supply, service and maintain agricultural and construction equipment throughout the North will supply a Hyundai 4.5kw electric start petrol generator as a back up to the expedition team’s main generators.

The mid range portable petrol generator, worth around £1,200 is a popular choice in the construction and agricultural industries, as well as proving popular with motorsport teams amongst others and will be perfect for the sub-zero temperatures the team and their equipment will be up against during their quest. 

Paul Taylor of Taylor and Braithwaite explained: "After talking to Martn Bell, who once worked with us here, I discovered that he was involved in Sir Ranulph’s latest challenge and was looking for equipment that would compliment the team’s specialised technology for their trip. We’d already dealt with Martin previously after he took two Taylor and Braithwaite tractors out to Antarctica for another project."

Martin left Taylor and Braithwaite to join the  British Antarctic Survey as a vehicle operator, and went on to become deputy project manager looking after vehicle logistics. He has now returned to live in Cumbria and runs his own business in Brough.

The six month challenge called the Coldest Journey on Earth will see veteran explorer Sir Ranulph lead a team of six explorers, including Brian Newham, who lives at Uldale, near Caldbeck, Ian Prickett and Spencer Smirl across terrain, mostly in complete darkness; where temperatures can be as low as -90C and they will have to be entirely self sufficient.

A research ship will drop the expedition team off on the Pacific coast of Antarctica, where they will set off on the first ever trans-Antarctic winter expedition when the equinox arrives on 21 March, 2013. After covering around 2,000 miles in total, across one of the most inhospitable terrains in the world, their journey will end at the Ross Sea.

While Sir Ranulph and a skiing partner will lead the challenge on foot, they will be followed by two bulldozers dragging industrial sledges. Inside three containers on the sledges will be the team’s living quarters, supplies, and a science laboratory.

Sir Ranulph said of the Antarctic traverse: "This will be my greatest challenge to date. We will stretch the limits of human endurance. Britain and the Commonwealth has a strong heritage of exploration, from Captain Cook 300 years ago to the present day. As such, it is fitting that a Commonwealth team should be the first to fulfil this last great polar expedition.

“It is a unique opportunity to carry out a number of scientific tasks in the extreme polar environment, which will make a significant contribution to our understanding of the true effects of global warming on the Antarctic continent.”

During the expedition it is hoped that more than $10 million can be raised for Seeing Is Believing, a global charitable initiative to fight avoidable blindness.
Sir Ranulph explained: "I have been on some amazing expeditions and seen many of the beautiful and unique sights the world has to offer. When I discovered Seeing is Believing, what it stood for, and understood how easily avoidable blindness could be prevented, it inspired me and my colleagues to undertake this challenge. It is a fantastic cause and I would urge everyone who follows our progress to donate to it via www.thecoldestjourney.org.”

Sir Ranulph’s attempt to complete The Coldest Journey is the latest in the long line of record-breaking achievements that have seen him become the first man to reach both Poles by surface travel. It also follows his hike to the summit of Everest, where he became the oldest Briton ever to do so. The Coldest Journey represents what may be Sir Ranulph’s final expedition, and one which despite being aged 68, he could not have undertaken any earlier in life.