ROLEX Cosmograph Daytona 2006 JCB Dieselmax Team No3 of 10

Kindly donated by Richard Noble in memory of Ron Ayres.

The watch was received by Richard with a white face but this was changed to black by Rolex at the request of Richard during overhaul in 2010.  The watch has only ever been owned by Richard and is in used condition. George Bamford has kindly confirmed that the 10 JCB Dieselmax Daytona’s were customised by Rolex.

We specialise in setting World Land Speed Records - we first broke the LSR in 1983 with my Thrust 2 car at 633mph and followed it with the ThrustSSC supersonic record at 763mph in 1997, which has now stood for nearly 30 years.

In August 2004 I had a call from Lord Bamford chairman of JCB who explained that JCB had developed a new industrial engine and wanted a land speed record in 2006. We discussed it and nothing happened – so I called him two months later and explained that if we were to achieve this, we had better get a wiggle on as Bonneville is only dry in September. 

I saw no point in following the original JCB concept of a re-engined kit car.  So, by using two unconnected JCB engines based on Reid Railton’s famous Railton Mobil Special challenger, we could probably achieve a Diesel World Record; which, with success could be promotable for at least 10 years.

The car would be a long thin four-wheel drive vehicle with the engines towards the front and back and the driver in the midpoint.  On 24th December 2004, we received the agreement to proceed and the engine programme began, with Ricardo raising the power output from 140bhp to 750bhp.

From ThrustSSC came Andy Green as driver and Ron Ayers as the aerodynamics and performance engineer. Once again Ron’s input was unique – we could never have broken the sound barrier without Ron’s supersonic aero work and for JCB, he created an extraordinary contribution which focused on the substantial reduction of aero drag from the underside of the car and the spray drag from the wheels.

The JCB Dieselmax record of 350.092mph still stands today (June 2026), 19 years on.  It could have gone faster but there were concerns about the tyres.

Lord Bamford was so pleased with his record that he held a special party in a London nightclub; some 200 guests were sipping cocktails when Bamford took to the stage and called out my name.  I didn’t want the exposure, so I stayed in the crowd and waved, but Bamford was insistent so I had to go.  He gave me a JCB carrier bag with a box in it.  I knew immediately what I was – a nice glass ornamental Dieselmax - weight and size corresponded.

I returned to my friends and dumped the bag on a nearby couch.  A nearby JCB director was horrified, ‘Richard, you wouldn’t do that if you knew what was inside’! - It was my special commemorative JCB Rolex Daytona.

I have a rule in life that when something extraordinary happens to you, you must pass on the goodwill.  So, I am passing on my personal Rolex Daytona for The Buying Time Foundation charity auction in the hope that the funds raised will benefit others less fortunate.

I am glad to do this in memory of my old friend Ron Ayers, who passed away in May 2024. Without his sheer brilliance and determination, we would never have broken the sound barrier; he contributed so much to the success of Dieselmax.

And Dieselmax?  Well, Lord Bamford and Andrew Green are at it again – the JCB Hydromax looks very similar to the Dieselmax. It is certainly lighter and has more power from the JCB hydrogen engines; so we all hope for a new record the far side of 400mph.

Richard Noble OBE

• brand Rolex
• case material Oystersteel
• conditon Used
• dial colour black
• material Oystersteel
• movement Rolex Calibre 4130 automatic chronograph
• origin Switzerland
• rotor Perpetual
• strap colour Stainless Steel
• strap material Oyster, three-piece solid links

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