70 years of Bluebird K7: How an icon was brought back from the depths

  • Border

With the return of Donald Campbell's iconic craft to Coniston, Bluebird K7 is now installed as an exhibit in the Ruskin museum.

This is the latest chapter in a story 70 years in the making for the famous hydroplane.

Donald Campbell first set a world water-speed record in the three-point boat in 1955 on Ullswater. With her unusual shape, K7 was often said to resemble a large blue lobster by onlookers.

She was capable of exerting 3500 pounds of force and would spend the coming decade cementing her place in records history.

Over the next twelve years, skipper and boat would go on to set a further six records. Four of these took place on Coniston Water. During this time, the water-speed record was pushed from 202mph to 276mph.

Donald Campbell's final record attempt on 4 January 1967 ended in tragedy. Travelling at well over 300mph, Bluebird left the surface of the lake, somersaulted and plunged into the water, killing Campbell instantly.

Following the fatal crash, the wreck of K7 would remain in the depths of Coniston Water for more than thirty years.

Engineer Bill Smith located her after years of searching and in 2001, he and his team raised the boat from the lake along with the remains of Donald Campbell. Mr Smith began The Bluebird Project, a restoration of the boat to return her to former glory.

In 2006, Donald's daughter Gina donated Bluebird K7 to Coniston's Ruskin Museum who built a new wing specifically to house the resurrected hydroplane.

Bill Smith raised the wreck of Bluebird from Coniston Water in 2001. Credit: ITV Border

However, in 2013, The Bluebird Project claimed ownership of the restored elements of the craft, having invested money and time into the restoration.

A dispute between the museum and The Bluebird Project would go on for ten years. During this time, the Tyneside engineers took K7 to the Isle of Bute in Scotland to run in front of a crowd.In 2023, the Ruskin Museum took legal action against Bill Smith and his team in an effort to gain possession of the boat.

On 9 February 2024, it was announced that she would soon be returning to the town to be conserved and displayed at the museum.

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