Lots of social media coverage and people very happy that Bluebird has returned to Coniston.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-cumbria-68527144
The back story however is quite sad
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-68434707
The parties involved had different ideas. Smith making comments like wanting to offer a piece to the family or cutting the tail fin off as a souvenir aren’t great. I don’t know how much the museum or the family have contributed to the recovery and/or rebuild but it reads like they just felt it was their right to have it back at the museum as opposed to Smiths plan to tour it as a running exhibition.
Reads to me like they are a bunch of unreasonable people fighting to own a money making opportunity.
Interesting story, sounds like everyone involved has been unreasonable at some stage. Glad that Donald Campbell's body was recovered and properly put to rest as well as Bluebird being restored and being put on display. So it all turned out ok in the end.
Its not really restored is it? How much original is actually used. Its a replica
I thought the normal convention was that if you started with the original and used some of it then its restoration. Based on watching a program about spitfires
For reference there is now apparently no piece of wood or rope in the HMS victory that was in the original.
I have to say I shall enjoy popping in too see Bluebird in the summer
Mixed feelings - I think if I was the family I'd have preferred if he and has boat had not been recovered in the first few weeks/months after the crash, to stay where it was.
Its not really restored is it? How much original is actually used. Its a replica
Tally hoed
if you started with the original and used some of it then its restoration.
That's my understanding also. By all accounts Donald was a bit of an arse, and his dad Malcolm dabbled a bit in Fascism, so this bitter legacy sounds suitably on point for the family as a whole.
I've been watching the restoration on and off for years and my eldest has been a big fan since very young (land and water speed record vehicles in general, in speechless awe as a youngster meeting Richard Noble and Andy Green, staying up "late" on a Sunday to watch Bill Smith on Scrapheap Challenge etc).
It is good that the thing has finally ended up in Coniston, but very difficult and complicated circumstances that have led to this point.
Anyone who argues that it isn't "original" have clearly not been watching the restoration. They have somehow saved and repaired many pieces that have literally been tattered fragments of mangled scrap. Any bits made from new have been because nothing usable was left, and they used authentic techniques, materials plus advice and skills from people involved with the original project.
We did the Coniston boat trip on Thursday and got all the Bluebird details from the commentary. If you start the boat trip from the Coniston pier the boat stops on the other side of the lake where you can take a short walk to the Ruskin museum to see Bluebird from March 19th.
Its not really restored is it? How much original is actually used
Trigger's broom?
For reference there is now apparently no piece of wood or rope in the HMS victory that was in the original.
Not according to the Navy museum website. About 20% of her structure is from launch, more from 1805. She was extensively modified before Trafalgar
they've been milking this for years
Who has?
My cousin is one of the original dive team, originally a wreck diver he then got fascinated by the engineering of it all. >20 years of work to get it back to where it is now, using as much of the original as they could, is some feat whether you believe it should have been done or not.
Its not really restored is it? How much original is actually used. Its a replica
No. It isn’t. Looking at the photos of K7 as she was lifted out of the water, there’s over half of the main fuselage/hull, and I think a fair amount of the cockpit was found, because Cambell’s shoe and his teddy bear mascot were found, and I think some of the sponsons were found as well.
In historic car and aircraft restoration, as long as the original VIN or other identification plate is there, plus other frame or mechanical components are available, what is finished is officially classed as a restoration.
Don’t try arguing about it, that is the official position when any wrecked vehicle, aircraft, boat or whatever is re-built. Irrespective of who was involved in the recovery and rebuilding of K7, the boat is the property of Campbell’s family, no argument.
Also comments about any sympathies for the Nazi Party before the war are being disingenuous - a very large part of the British people and government were sympathetic towards them; up until they started invading Poland, closely followed by much of the rest of Europe.
Just because someone drags something off the bottom of a lake doesn’t make them the owner, especially when the actual family of the person who built it are still alive. I’ll just point in the direction of metal detectorists who go out on someone else’s property, find something valuable, and then try to claim ownership and sell it…
I have a 1960 bsa twin that is having an engine rebuild right now. All 1960 parts bar con rods oil pump and generator and i would never claim it to be original or restored. Because it is not. Its a rebuild. Its a bitsa. It didnt come out of the factory with the crankcase crank head barrels pistons etc so it is not original despite everything being period correct
What the count says is very much disputed in the old vehicle world
A vehicle is only orginal once.
Also comments about any sympathies for the Nazi Party
Who mentioned the Nazis? Malcolm was linked to the British Union of Fascists.
Mark E Smith, and latterly David Gedge have definitely answered this.
snip...and i would never claim it to be original or restored
Service, change filters. Change 65 year old tyres, it's not original but it's definitely on the spectrum.
It's a matter of opinion where it falls and you have high standards 🙂
EDIT "DVLA can only recognise your vehicle as a reconstructed classic vehicle if it meets certain criteria. It must be:
- built from genuine period components from more than one vehicle, all over 25 years old and of the same specification as the original vehicle
- a true reflection of the marque"
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/reconstructed-classic-vehicles
Given that the average life span of a human cells is about 7 years, does that make you a restoration or a rebuild @tjagain? If you consider yourself to be the same person, I think we can probably allow a bit of leeway for boats.
A vehicle is only orginal once.
Your the first person to say original, the boat is restored
A vehicle is only orginal once.
Your the first person to say original, the boat is restored
Is your motorbike now a replica? No it’s restored
I'm not sure I'm restored as my body is definitely not in the same working order as it was when I was born...I think it would be closer to 'inferior replacement'...I'm glad to say the restoration stuff I've seen, all appear to not be like that but are either manufactured new bits of the original stuff or replaced with parts from a same-aged model.
Live feed from Coniston. Bluebird is in the water (rewind to 1420ish)
Im there tomorrow to hopefully see it run in person 😃
https://www.youtube.com/live/kzRLkiFOyKY?si=0ddAZ_FNRcTfHkns
Live feed from coniston. Bluebird might run today
My Dad (a Lake District obsessive) booked some accomodation and waterfront parking months and months ago, he is camped up further down the lake with a large selection of cameras and lense all week. I'll share if he sends me anything good!
Just clicked on the live stream at about 1630. Big blue thing was moving through water. Seems to have been powered down now though, not clear if intentional as seems to have drifted to random bit of shore.
Weather not looking great for rest of week but will keep an eye on what conditions give a go / no go in the next day or two - presumably it is mostly wind dependent?
I guess people of an MTB persuasion could watch it from Monk Coniston or Lawson park? Shame it isn't going Parkamoor end.
The pilot has done some familiarisation loops today. Hopefully some runs from tomorrow. Last time I checked Friday was looking the best for low winds
I’m currently sat on the shoreline, I don’t think it’ll happen today unfortunately. I can’t help feel that the whole thing has been oversold and led people to have unrealistic expectations.
We might, get a run out of K3 this afternoon, but K7 is looking unlikely IMO, the wind is only picking up.
Thanks for all the updates - we've still got half a plan to zip up and pedal in from Grizedale if the weather looks promising.
I think May was maybe a little ambitious as it really doesn't feel like summer has arrived yet, and the head of Coniston Water almost always feels windy at the best of times. Very tough call with UK weather I guess.
What the count says is very much disputed in the old vehicle world
Really? I actually know people who are involved with the vehicle restoration process - vintage cars especially competition vehicles, came out of the factory as a rolling chassis, everything else was added afterwards, and modifications and rebuilds were carried out constantly, the chassis, engine and running gear are what constitutes the original car, providing it still has the factory chassis number plate. Coach builders put the bodywork onto a rolling chassis, to the specifications of the customer who bought the car from Rolls Royce, Bentley or whoever, someone like Mulliner might be involved, but a chassis could have a number of different bodies fitted through its lifetime. Racing cars would be rebuilt constantly, due to accidents.
I wonder is Saturday might be the best day for it? The lake seems susceptible to Northerly winds which are going to last all week but lighten as they go.
Campbell's final run was in January 1967 BTW!
I've got to say, I find the whole thing leaves a sour taste. A man died doing this, he was decapitated for goodness sake, his grave site is raked over, then there's rows and public arguments including everyone from the man rebuilding it, (a bit weird) to the museum set up to commemorate the event, to the family And now it's chugging up and down the lake like a enthusiast's steam locomotive club out for a Sunday run.
They did send K7 down the lake, but very very slowly
Reminds me of the Grand Tour episode...
In case anyone didn't know, it planed yesterday briefly. About 100mph apparently. Looks absolutely terrifying before it gets on the plane, then amazing (and fast!).
https://www.youtube.com/live/ZU3NXXCyqWY?t=22859&si=DRbFVb0Y0gG86zOR
I was wondering what speed it got onto the planes at.
that does not look very safe!
It's OK up to nearly 300mph.
Are they shutting the lake?
That thing could turn a couple of paddleboarders in mincemeat pretty effectively
Lake not shut, but a number of support boats out on the water making sure it’s clear. There was a delay yesterday as some kayakers decided to cross the lake at the wrong time 🫣.
I was there yesterday, they only managed one run and it wasn’t fast, certainly not on plane.
I do wonder sometimes what the end objective is, here - it's been restored, you can see that it's run again, please put it away now...
