Donald Campbell’s boat Bluebird K7 will run again, Coniston’s Ruskin Museum announced in a press conference to mark its homecoming at the weekend.
The boat travelled 147 miles from North Shields to Coniston to take up residence at the Lake District museum following a 20-year legal battle over the future of the boat in which world land and water speed record-breaker Campbell died in pursuit of a new record on Coniston Water in 1967.
The wreckage of the boat was recovered in 2001, with the debris later becoming the centre of a dispute between Campbell’s family, who wanted to hand the Bluebird to the museum, and Bill Smith, the engineer behind its restoration, who wanted to restore it and use it around the world.
Along the route home, thousands of people watched the boat’s journey. At one point, as the boat came off M6 on the final part of its journey, police stepped in to stop traffic as well wishers swarmed onto the carriageway.
A shire horse and a piper led the truck with the boat through the streets of Coniston, which were crowded with more than a thousand people who clapped and cheered the boat. Walking in front of it were Gina Campbell, Donald Campbell’s daughter and Brian Eastham, Gina’s partner.
At the press conference, museum director Tracy Hodgson and VC of the trustee board Jeff Carroll, revealed that Bluebird K7 will run again on Coniston.
Carroll said: “K7 only returned home last night; people need to see her in the museum wing that was built for her, and there is lots of work to do, but we have plans to run K7 now that we have her back.
“We have an engineering team in place to take the boat to the next stage on its journey and are talking to potential partners who wish to help the Museum create an ongoing legacy for Bluebird K7 and ensure that its progress is shared with the public worldwide.”
Hodgson added: “She added: “We are now able to show this iconic hydroplane to the world, and the younger generation will be able to learn of the achievements of her Skipper, Donald Campbell CBE, and pay tribute to him. Now she is home we can start making arrangements to run her on Coniston Water, where she can be seen in her glory by all.”
