Donald Campbell's Bluebird to return to Coniston in 'coming weeks'

2302 Bluebird
Bluebird is set to return to Coniston to be displayed in the Ruskin Museum. Credit: PA

The iconic Bluebird is set to return to Coniston 57 years after Donald Campbell was killed trying to break his own speed record.

The museum say the craft is due to come back to the Ruskin Museum in the "coming weeks."

The Museum made the announcement on Friday 9 February stating that Bluebird K7 will return to Coniston.

Bluebird K7 is set to arrive in Coniston in the coming weeks to be conserved and displayed in the Bluebird wing of the Ruskin Museum, alongside the original engine.

Bluebird was discovered by Bill Smith in 2001. Credit: PA

On their website the Ruskin Museum said: "We will issue further details of this exciting development when we have established a timetable for moving the boat to Coniston and installing her for display."

Bluebird had set several world water-speed records before it crashed on Coniston water in 1967.

The family of Donald Campbell gifted Bluebird to the John Ruskin museum at Coniston, which built an £800,000 wing to house the craft.

Donald Campbell was killed when his hydroplane flipped as as he tried to break his own world water speed record in 1967. 

Bluebird lay hidden on the bottom of the Cumbrian lake for 34 years, until it was discovered by Bill Smith in 2001.


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