Donald Campbell's Bluebird 'will run again' on Coniston Water after 23-year restoration project - as crowds gather to watch hydroplane return to Lake District 57 years after ace pilot was killed while attempting record

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By Arthur Parashar

Published: 16:07 GMT, 10 March 2024 | Updated: 16:22 GMT, 10 March 2024

Donald Campbell's record-breaking Bluebird will run again on Coniston Water after a 23-year restoration project, the Ruskin Museum has announced as the boat was returned to the Lake District.

Mr Campbell's body and the K7 hydroplane sunk to the bottom of the lake in Cumbria after it crashed as the 45-year-old tried to break his own water speed record of 276mph, on January 4, 1967. 

The British racer's daughter Gina Campbell gave her blessing to engineer Bill Smith to salvage the wreck in 2001. 

He restored the hydroplane with a team of volunteers at the Bluebird Project in North Shields.

On Saturday, the boat was collected by Ruskin Museum staff and driven 147 miles to Coniston, which Gina, Campbell's daughter, described as his 'spiritual home'.

Footage showed the moment that the finishing touches were applied to Donald Campbell's record-breaking Bluebird

Separate video shows the moment that the Bluebird was welcomed home by crowds in Coniston

Donald Campbell's record-breaking hydroplane Bluebird K7 has returned home to the Lake District

Gina Campbell (pictured) daughter of Donald Campbell, holding Donald's teddy bear mascot Whoppit with restoration engineer Bill Smith (pictured)

On Sunday, David Barzilay, director of communications for the museum, said: 'This morning, we are happy to announce that the boat will run again on Coniston at a time to be agreed in the future.' 

Vice chairman of the Ruskin Museum Trustees Jeff 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.'

The Bluebird K7 was unveiled in its new home, the Bluebird wing of the Ruskin Museum, a short distance from where Campbell is buried in Coniston Churchyard.

An engineering team is in place for the next stage of the boat's journey and the museum said it is in talks with potential partners who wish to help them manage the vessel's ongoing legacy.

More than 1,000 people welcomed the boat as it arrived in Coniston on Saturday evening. 

A shire horse and a piper led the truck through the streets, and were joined by Ms Campbell and her partner, Brian Eastham.

Gina was 17 when her father died as Bluebird crashed then sank at Coniston Water in the Lake District on January 4, 1967 (pictured)

The restored hydroplane was loaded onto a lorry in North Shields yesterday, ready to return to Coniston Water in the Lake District

Crowds lined the street tow welcome Campbell's record-breaking jet engine back to its 'spiritual home' 

In August 2018, the reconstructed craft, fitted with a new jet engine, took to the water again where it hit speeds of around 150mph

The Bluebird K7 arrived at the Ruskin Museum on the back of a lorry and will be the centrepiece in the Bluebird wing as per the family's wishes

Mr Campbell (pictured) was killed after his hydroplane flipped into the air and disintegrated on January 4 1967 as he attempted a new water speed record on Coniston Water

The restored wreckage will be put on permanent display in the Ruskin Museum, a short distance from where Mr Campbell is buried in Coniston Churchyard

Mr Campbell's widow, Tonia Bern-Campbell (pictured) inspecting the wreckage of her late husband's hydroplane after it was recovered in 2001

The wreckage, along with Campbell's body with his race suit intact, was recovered in 2001 by engineer Bill Smith (pictured), who restored the hydroplane 

Locals gathered in the street to catch a glimpse of the world-famous hydroplane leaving Mr Smith's workshop and making it way back to the Lake District

The Campbell family gifted the hydroplane to Coniston's Ruskin Museum (pictured)

Ms Campbell said: 'At last, I shall be able to fulfil my promise made to Coniston way back in 2001 that Bluebird would return to the village and people that my father held so dear to him.'

Campbell broke eight world speed records on water and on land in the 1950s and 1960s.

In his fatal record attempt, the son of Sir Malcolm Campbell who himself held land and water speed records, was trying to reach 300mph on Coniston Water.

In August 2018, the reconstructed craft, fitted with a new jet engine, took to the water again on Loch Fad in Scotland where it hit speeds of around 150mph.

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