September to October 2005
2nd September 2005 - 16:00
Just a small update to let you all know that we haven’t gone away.
I had the chance to read Dave Tremayne’s article in Octane magazine today and it’s a spot-on piece of work. One of the most accurate accounts of what happened leading up to Bluebird’s recovery that I’ve read and there have been some truly dreadful attempts.
It’s true enough that I always harboured a secret desire to find Donald. Locating the wreck was challenging but it’d been done before and for that reason wasn’t all that exciting – but finding Donald – now that was different.
One thing I never considered however, never even allowed into my head at the time, was the possibility of raising the wreck. That came as a total shock and the news was actually given to me by Mike Rossiter in the lounge at Robbie’s place in Coniston.
You know how you can always remember where you were when incredible things happen?
He came through the door wearing a dazed expression and I knew he’d just been on the phone for a while but I’d imagined it was just another of his TV producer type calls. He seemed stunned and I was too when he told me that the decision had been taken to raise the wreck.
The basis at the time as I recall was that with or without my efforts someone would come looking for the boat and if that were to happen later rather than sooner there would inevitably be fewer people left alive to make the important decisions.
I’ve made no secret of my belief that the boat should not have been left in that cold, dark lake and I dived it a few times then watched people in the Bluebird Café showing black and white pictures to their kids.
I thought it such a shame that I was the only one who could go and have a real look and wouldn’t it be great if everyone could do likewise, but I was still gobsmacked when it all came true.
*
Back to the present and we’re making some progress with the old versus new paint thing. I’ve been in contact with an American supplier of theatrical paints who make a UV fluorescent lacquer and other enquiries are being made in the UK so we’ll turn up some pics shortly of what this stuff can do and post them up here for you all to have a look.
Of course this approach to the problem is probably anathema to most museumologists so they’ll no doubt huff and puff about it but sometimes it takes new thoughts and ideas to move things along.
I also spoke this week with Peter Baukham of Argos Inspection. His company has pledged since day-one to support us with any non destructive testing we might need and he has already X-rayed part of K7’s forward structure to make sure it’s good enough to go back.
Loss of original fabric… not from the forward spaceframe, I can assure you.
So when I get some digital images from that process they’ll be posted too.
And finally, as already mentioned, I’m off to make a presentation for Bae later in the month but in the meantime they’ve had an idea that may revolutionise the way in which experts assess what’s to be done – they’re going to come and have a look.
Yes, they’re going to send real people to actually look at the job and make decisions based on what they see. Incredible isn’t it.
I’ll let you all know how it goes.
26th September 2005 - 16:30
Well, I promised to let you know how it went with Bae so here I am. It went wonderfully.
I did a presentation for the heritage division and explained to a group of retired British Aerospace employees about our project and where we find ourselves today.
They’re essentially blokes who’ve given their working lives to Bae and now get together to help out the enthusiasts groups, archive material from bygone programmes and do a bit of engineering here and there. They’re also familiar with some of the older aircraft manufacturing processes, which is very handy from our point of view.
“These new things are made of plastic,” one of them told me, “and I know bugger all about plastic.”
He did, however, know all about aluminium.
Somewhere down the line, the guys had gained the impression that we wanted them to tackle the entire job of putting Bluebird back together and this was causing concern because, like I said, they’re all retired and only do a bit of dabbling.
But after I’d detailed all the other help that, even after four years, is still on offer we then discussed the possibility of them clearing a bit of bench space and knocking out a pair of sponsons to the original drawings. Oh, and if it was OK, could we have some new double-curvature panelling for the front end please?
At the end of the evening I was presented with a beautifully detailed desktop model of the Typhoon Eurofighter and a collection of ties from past fighter plane programmes. Cheers, guys. I was thrilled to bits.
So back to Bluebird, what we now have is the spaceframe repairs going to PDS, the tail assembly to Airframes, the middle we’ll have to do ourselves – anyone know an engineer?
We have a good engine, both spars are in excellent order and if Bae make our replacement sponsons and re-clothe the pointy end we almost have a complete boat. One of the younger and highly dynamic project managers at Bae has also offered to help on a voluntary basis too so yet another skilled volunteer joins the fray. And while we’re speaking of volunteers – remember the fluorescent paint question?
I’m yet to discover whether the HLF is still on board but if you recall, one of their desires (for our project) is that the old and new parts of the boat be clearly distinguishable… I’m not sure they weren’t expecting me to suggest a means that allowed for painting Bluebird blue all over but Dominic Owen we kind enough to pick up the idea and run with it. He’s also been good enough to write a diary piece with all the info so read on.
*
By way of an introduction, I’m the one in the photo - stood next to Thrust SSC and grinning like an idiot.
When the tragic events of 1967 unfolded it would be another eight and a half years before I was born. In fact, I don’t think that my parents had even met for the first time by then so I couldn’t even have been a ‘twinkle in my father’s eye’. So why am I so passionate about past speed records and, more specifically, a certain two and a half tons of steel and Birmabright??
Looking back, in a roundabout way I think that my father was principally to blame.
Towards the end of September ’83 he was taken seriously ill and wound up in hospital. On the 4th October (you can probably guess where this is heading) I was ushered into the day room during a visit and found it packed with every male patient and visitor, all glued to the TV in the corner. My interest didn’t go un-noticed and several spiffing chaps of all age groups started to explain to me what Richard Noble had just done. The seed was well and truly planted.
A few years later we all took a family trip to the Lake District and had a day out at Coniston. The stunning scenery was completely lost on me (it just seemed similar to what I was used to seeing in Wales) and I was rapidly becoming bored beyond belief. Until, that is, someone mentioned DMC and K7;
“Donald who?.... Bluebird what?... He did what???!!... Here???!... When?... What happened??!!... Incredible!!!!... Must know more!!!... Must find out!!!!!!”.
I had found my new boyhood hero.
I should probably add at this point that three passions of mine, right from a very early age, have always been horsepower, engineering and speed, so an interest in speed records was probably inevitable.
What really caught my attention, however, was the attitude of those involved in the earlier records. Everything was done for ‘Queen (or King) and country’ and executed with the ‘best of British’ to ensure that the whole world had a polite reminder that Britain was Great.
Something about it all really struck a chord and it quickly became clear to me that Donald was probably the last true exponent of this, now virtually bygone, mentality.
It also struck me that perhaps there should be more of a tribute to this great man, the national pride he once evoked, and the brand of heroism he embodied. When I later saw ‘Across The Lake’ I couldn’t help but think that the most fitting tribute of all would be an exact working replica of K7 - reading about history in books or seeing it on TV is one thing but to actually see it, to hear it, to feel the vibration in the air and to even smell the exhaust fumes… It is almost indescribable!
If anyone is wondering what I mean, go to an airshow and try to get the chance to stand behind a Spitfire when it is being fired up.
It is also something proven by Owen Wyn-Owen every time he runs BABS.
I probably don’t need to say how I feel, therefore, about the restoration of K7.
When it was first announced that she was to be restored I e-mailed Bill to say that if he wanted volunteers then I would happily donate my time, even if it was only to make the tea and sweep the floor (Bill, it’s an offer that still stands by the way).
When Bill made the diary entry suggesting the use UV light to meet one of the HLF criteria I knew the solution and was compelled to e-mail him again to say “It’s a doddle mate”. Words I almost came to regret when what felt like the hundredth call to a paint manufacturer ended with “Well, thanks anyway for your help. I guess I’ll have to keep searching”.
On paper the solution really is ‘a doddle’ - add one part fluorescing agent to nineteen parts clear lacquer.
In reality, however, finding someone willing to make it and put their name on the tin was proving much more difficult.
Finally (and very much ‘thankfully’) two ‘heroes of the hour’ emerged - Mike from ‘Glowtec’ and Linda from ‘Selectamark’.
Without them both going out of their way to help I would probably still be no closer to a solution.
Instead, I have been able to provide Bill with details of products, prices, coverage, lighting, etc…
A huge ‘Thankyou’ to Mike and Linda.
The proposition is a quite simple one - paint the restored K7 in ONE uniform shade of ONE colour then mask around the new panels and apply a coat of the clear UV reactive lacquer. Once in situ at the Ruskin Museum, part of the display would involve a light switch which visitors could press to turn off the display lights and turn on the UV.
Et Voila!
The original appearance of K7 is retained, ‘old & new’ can be distinguished and ‘old & new’ are brought together with an innovative ‘visitor interactive’ display.
Who could possibly ask for more? (hopefully not anyone from the HLF! ;-D )
Looking into this one small thing for Bill has really given me an appreciation of the gargantuan task ahead of him. There is one thing I now feel qualified to say to the ‘nay sayers’, ‘Bill bashers’ and critics of the project - Don’t just sit back pointing a finger, get in touch and offer to actually do something. I’m sure he’d appreciate anything to lighten his load, even if for a few minutes.
Bill, ‘Best of British’ to you and the team!
Dominic Owen
*
A tremendous piece of work, and thanks for that, Dom, very much appreciated.
My next task is to try and discover whether anyone within the HLF is prepared to tell us if they’re still on board.
Doubtless I’ll be told that no one can say until a new application arrives but as it seems doubtful that Cumbria Council will throw good money after bad there probably won’t be another application – unless we sit down and do it ourselves that is.
And besides, any new application will say all the same things, apart from the fluorescent paint thing, as the last one.
Surely we’ve demonstrated the fact that there’s no shortage of volunteers, I’ve offered to pay for bits of the job myself to make them shut up about value for money and if Bae make our sponsons, voluntarily of course, what else can there be to moan about?
Naturally, if someone is brave enough to tell me they’re still aboard I’ll not be able to tell you and will have to go through the rigmarole of the new application to make it look good. How frustrating would that be?
Incidentally, has anyone been watching the restoration of Sir Francis Chichester’s round the world yacht, Gypsy Moth? Some interesting fundraising ideas on there. Have a look at http://www.Gipsymoth.org and until next time...
4th October 2005 - 16:00
Sad news, very sad news indeed.
I was called on Sunday lunchtime to be told that Bluebird’s designer, Ken Norris had passed away quietly on Saturday afternoon.
I only met Ken twice.
The first time was on the beach at Coniston when we first recovered K7 and on that occasion I had no opportunity to speak with him properly.
The second time we met was here when he came to see what he always referred to as ‘the machine’ when we spoke of Bluebird. He brought with him a small model of K7’s frame and we later took it with us when we went for lunch.
Having a small spaceframe in the middle of the table did nothing to help the serving staff but a small party of us sat for hours looking out over the mouth of the Tyne and listening to Ken’s stories.
Ken also invited me to visit him in Bournemouth but I never made it and now must add the fact to my many other regrets of that type – like never flying on Concorde when I had the chance.
We did, however spend many enjoyable hours on the phone discussing all things engineering and I know that Ken was eager to see his creation put back together.
A truly charming and gentle man, it was a pleasure to have known him – albeit only briefly – though I’d never consider myself sufficiently qualified to write the final diary piece on his passing.
Instead, I asked Brian who in turn asked Steve Holter and a far more accurate and openly heartfelt piece can be found below as a result. Thanks to you both. And thanks also to Fred Blois who visited recently and kindly allowed me to use some of his wonderful pencil sketches.
*
On speaking with Bill on Monday we talked about the sad passing of Ken Norris on Saturday. It was quickly decided that it would be appropriate that the Bluebird Project site should via its diary page mark the passing of a man that contributed so much to engineering, record breaking and the story of Donald Campbell and his record breaking achievements on land and water. We also quickly agreed that Steve Holter be approached to write a tribute.
Brian Millin
*
There are certain times, when no matter how you try, you can only think of clichés. That is because a cliché happens to tell the truth, and the truth cannot be argued with. Today’s “five minute wonder” society has demeaned many clichés and words to a point that they mean nothing.
Therefore the task of writing about one of Britain’s most unsung geniuses is made all the more harder, as the words available now fail to indicate the true genius that was Kenneth Norris.
Ken was born on the 15th of November 1921, and in the years that followed his position as the leading light in the field of record breaking, on land and water has become an indelible part of history.
He was apprenticed to the Whitley based Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company at the age of 23, and taught at Coventry Technical College. He obviously left his mark, as years later he was made a freeman of the city. During the war years he lost one of his brothers, a pilot, so it was no surprise when he enrolled into the Imperial College to study Aeronautical Engineering. His brother Lewis was already working, and had become part of Donald Campbell’s team to continue the resurrection of Sir Malcolm Campbell’s pre war hydroplane in an attempt to retain the World’s water speed record for Great Britain. By chance Ken became part of a Water speed record team, that of Frank Hanning-Lee, but as Ken said, “when I arrived, project HQ was the basement, and the plans merely a white outline drawn on the wall. It dawned on me, I was going to do everything, and there didn’t appear to be any money”. Soon the idea of joining forces with “brother Lew”, and older sibling Eric was made flesh, and Norris Bros the company was born.
That one of the fledgling companies first projects should be to design a hydroplane for the outright world water speed record was entirely apposite.
Turning the pages of Ken’s archive is guaranteed to open the eyes wide. Everyday appliances, heavy plant used worldwide, a myriad of devices ALL from the fertile minds of Norris Bros. From the inertia reel safety belt to cigarette lighters, from inflatable buildings to cement pumps, it is probable that that there is not a soul on earth who hasn’t benefited from a Norris Bros design. Which makes Ken’s humility and modesty even more surprising.
Ken will be forever linked with the career of Donald Campbell. He never tired of answering questions about his years of involvement, but not once did I hear him say “I” or “me”, with Ken it was always “we” and “us”. Ken was truly a team member, and any success was always due to the team. If Bluebird was mentioned, then so too were Eric and Lew. Whereas I would treat the reams of paperwork and notes Ken had amassed with reverence, Ken would unroll drawings, paw through masses of notes and always allow full access to anybody who had asked. From the smallest schoolboy, to a fellow engineer, Ken would listen and treat everyone with the same patience, answer as only he knew how, and was always, always interested in finding out more about whomever he was talking to and what it was they were doing.
From the moment I met Ken for the first time, it was obvious that he was an extraordinary man. It became obvious too, that he was well used to the situation, having produced a “visitors pack” that would answer any question posed and which was always freely given. He had managed to keep in touch with the past, but had moved on as well. It took me years to find myself capable of calling him Ken, it was always Mr Norris, and respect demanded that. He would always call me Steven. When he insisted I call him Ken I agreed, as long as he called me Steve, “yes”, he said, “that’s fine, now lets go and get lunch, is the flying club ok Steven?”
With Ken, if you had just met him, or had known him for years, he involved you, he respected your opinion, and was truly happy, albeit surprised as well, that you were interested in what had happened years before.
He had time for everyone, and however outlandish the plan, how bizarre the concept, he would listen, and would never say anything that would discourage. You only had to witness the amount of young minds he worked with and helped, to see he genuinely saw good works in everyone.
The last few years were not good to Ken. The recovery of Bluebird K7 visibly gave him a kick start, and upsetting as the event still was to him, the recovery and resulting inquest into his friends death was met with the same mindset as always, it was an engineering problem, but his eyes told you that it still hurt after all those years.
Having met Ken at A & G, huge Rotwieller at his side, his office immaculate, Barbara, his secretary flitting in and out with tea and biscuits as Ken let me loose in his archive, was a rare privilege. Occasionally he would walk in, pick up something, sit down and relate it’s history, or a story it reminded him of, it slowed work down, but I often felt Ken wanted accuracy and detail, and not curiously enough, speed. In recent years Ken’s health had deteriorated, and during the inquest I got a call for help. As he struggled to find the words he knew described his point, he suddenly stopped and looked me in the eye. For fifteen minutes the Ken Norris of twenty years ago was back. “I hate being like this” he said, “I know the words, but they aren’t getting out, it is so bloody frustrating”. And I knew it was, in all the years I had known Ken, it was the first time he had sworn, but those fifteen minutes served to remind me that Ken Norris was a genius in the true sense of the word.
Steve Holter
13th October 2005 - 12:30
Been a bit busy so I’m late with the diary though fortunately it’s been written by someone else again.
Thanks to Jerry Pownceby for putting together the piece below and no, I didn’t have to pay him to write all those good things about me.
We had a great time on Gondola as despite having watched her stately progress a thousand times, it was the first time I’d ever set foot on her.
So apart from having drunk a few glasses of wine and having fifty-odd people in a buoyant (no pun intended) mood, it was a rare and elegant experience to be smoothly propelled down the lake with the soft hiss of steam in the background.
Next time you’re in Coniston make a point of taking a trip on her.
In case anyone is wondering what Marshall and Gina were doing there, we’d all been filming with the BBC on the subject of our tempestuous relationship with the HLF – all good marriages have their ups and downs – and the programme is due to be shown at the end of this month.
Marshall, in true overgrown schoolboy fashion, was playing with his magnificent jet-powered K7 model but it got a bit damp inside and stopped working. The real Mr Whoppit made a surprise appearance as well as the beautiful, little St Christopher medal belonging to Donald that we recovered back in 2001. You can just make it out hanging around my neck in the pic that I’ve shamelessly added (kind thanks, incidentally, to Russ & Claire Johnson for the photo's below). I was immensely proud to be allowed to wear it for a minute.
I was also there for a meeting with another TV lot who want me to go sniffing about the lake bed in an effort to ‘dispel some urban myths’, whatever that means so Predator equipped with all our latest kit will be back on Coniston Water by the end of this month.
So what? Well isn’t it about time we had another look at the K7 crash site? We never did find any trace of the instrument panel and I’m still missing a sizeable piece of the cockpit spaceframe…
Bill Smith.
*
On Thursday 6th October, I joined 52 other National Trust members and members of the general public aboard the Steam Yacht “Gondola” for a round trip of Coniston. The main reason I was there was because Debbie (my better half) had spotted in the National Trust magazine that members get that this outing also incorporated a talk given by none other than intrepid diver Bill Smith about his discovery of Bluebird K7, the raising of the craft and, later, his finding Donald. My wife felt a ticket for this cruise would be appreciated by me as part of my birthday present (which date happens to co-inside with Gina Campbells nah, nah, nahnah!).
I left our converted barn, just outside of Ulverston, at 3 o’clock in plenty of time to sail at four (sorry, 1600 hours captain). It only takes twenty or so minutes to get from there to Coniston but as it was a bit drizzly I did not want to have to rush, although one is always tempted to “play” a bit on those roads (!). As I reached and saw the tip of the lake though I had to stop and take in the sight. Coniston was absolutely glassily, eerily smooth. Not a ripple. Perfect for a record run! A pot of tea and a slice of tiffin at the Bluebird Café and then I spotted Bill. He too had a welcome cuppa. I introduced myself as, although we have conversed by email, we have never met face to face so he would not recognise me. We chatted and one quickly felt “what a likable bloke”. Humorous, quick witted and most importantly not “full of himself”. I am just trying to give you a picture of the guy. At fifteen fifty hours (ahem, easy this nautical stuff!) we all boarded the “Gondola” and set off, or cast off or whatever, on the dot. The manager of the steamboat “Gondola” (they do not give themselves titles but I suppose if it had of been one of the Cunard liners he would have been the Captain) John Eaton, gave us an in depth history of the boat which I will try to summarise as it has great relevance to us all. I would most strongly recommend that whenever any of you visit Coniston, you take a trip on this fabulous boat. It really is a credit to all who took part in its reconstruction and who cares for it so lovingly. All the crew and in fact everyone associated with the “Gondola” are very knowledgeable as well as very amiable which all helps make it an experience not to be missed. The “Gondola” requires around 30,000 fare paying passengers a year to make it a financially a viable proposition to run and although it does manage that, even more would be preferred. The brief history then from what I remember John telling us:
The Steam Yacht “Gondola” was originally built in1859 by the Furness Railway Company as a tourist attraction. She was retired in 1936 and subsequently used as a houseboat from just after the war until the early sixties when she slipped her moorings during a storm and became beached. Incidentally, it was the “Gondola” which gave Arthur Ransome the idea for Captain Flints houseboat in his book “Swallows and Amazons”. Anyway, during the seventies a group of enthusiasts felt that what was left of the boat should be saved. She really was in a parlous state (there are photos that show her then) but she was patched up sufficiently to enable her to be floated down to Coniston Hall where she was taken out of the water, cut into four sections and then taken by road one early Sunday morning, and with police escort, to the Vickers shipyard in Barrow. There it was found her hull was too weak to allow her to re-ply her trade as a passenger boat so the decision was made to lay down a new hull. As much as possible of the original “Gondola” was repaired and reused during its reconstruction while a steam engine of a similar type to the original was manufactured while a boiler was sourced from the Ffestiniog railway in Wales as a replacement for the missing item. Oh, the “spell check” didn’t like that. It wanted me to call it the “fastening” railway in Wales but that doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it? Eventually, the rebuilt “Gondola” was once again cut into four, brought back to Coniston, welded back together and re-launched in 1980. This is why this cruise was quite special for the National Trust and Gondolas crew and was, to give it its official title, “The 25th Anniversary Celebration Sailing to Lake Bank following the route of the original Gondola of Victorian times”
Back to the cruise! We landed at Lake Bank where we had a chance to stretch our legs and saw the original (important word that!) ticket office and also the site where the craft spent that part of its life tethered as a houseboat before falling into such terrible disrepair.
The return run had Bill talking about diving. In particular, with relevance to us, he spoke about the dives in Lake Coniston which eventually and successfully of course found Bluebird. He managed to convey the difficulties and dangers faced in this kind of pursuit with much humour and also the sense of achievement felt when he finally realised he had discovered K7 (or would it be more K7 discovered your “fin” Bill …….. not flipper ….. notice I was listening?! I should also have asked about the constituents of the “mixed gasses” you used as I imagine a man-made one was breathed here!). The talk obviously took on a more sombre tone when relating about the search for, and ultimate discovery of, Donald himself and once again I feel it should be emphasised that this feat took tremendous skill, courage, and determination to accomplish. A free for all of questions ended the session and it was patently obvious that the majority of those present had an awareness of Donald Campbell and his father and an undoubted admiration for them and their exploits. Many questions were thrown and all were neatly fielded by either Bill or by John Eaton him self who is also a Campbell enthusiast. When you finish messing about in the wet stuff Bill, become a raconteur; it pays good money by all accounts. I should also mention here that I do know that Bill gave his talk for free. I am aware he was informally given a bottle of wine as a thank you but his services were free. Good man!
Before disembarking (am I right there?), Bill asked me whether I had ever met Gina or Marshall. I hadn’t and told him so and was “gob smacked” to discover they would be at the pier doing a sound bite with the BBC and that he would introduce us. He was waylaid though so told me to introduce myself. Of course, I recognised from behind the blond hair. I waited until she had finished talking to someone and introduced myself. Gina remembered me from letters I had written to her in the past and to which she has always kindly replied. I felt so pleased, and I have to say very pleasantly surprised, that she was so approachable. She has not put herself on a pedestal because of her Dad and is definitely not basking in reflected glory. She is just an alright type of person as is Marshall who had brought along his, one sixteenth I think, model of K7. Would have been nice to see that run! Marshall also let slip to me that he and Gina intended buying a couple of tickets for the cruise without any ones knowledge so that they could pull funny faces at Bill while he gave his presentation! Unfortunately though, the couple did not arrive until ten minutes after we sailed. I also did inadvertently nearly manage to smuggle Mr Woppit away from Gina. She handed the bear to me but was then asked to do a “photo shoot” with Marshall and Bill. I got out of the way only to realise I was still clutching Mr Woppit! Ooops! Anyway, absolutely no illusions shattered there then!
Just before we all said our good nights, we discussed whether it was worth trying to put the forward the argument that we had debated with regard to the comparison of our cruise on the “restored Gondola” and how that relates to the ongoing, for some, argument surrounding the whether to “display a restored K7” versus the “K7 should be displayed as she is” opinion. I did say I felt though that it would be rather too long as a contribution for the “speedrecordgroup”. Bill then suggested I email the letter to him so he could put it in the Bluebird Project diary. He feels that other people should be given the chance to submit entries so that readers can have something other than him just “blathering on”. Bill, never mind blathering, you could turn your diary into a book and it would be, or deserves to be, a best seller! I just hope, though doubt, that this is equally worthy.
John Eaton emphasised how derelict the “Gondola” had become and that it was always borderline whether the boat could be saved at all after it was beached and became derelict following the storm in1963. All the wood was rotten, windows smashed, prop and engine robbed, hull rusted through in places and it was only through the foresight of National Trust member, Arthur Hatton, who dug a ditch and dragged the “Gondola” into it to partially submerge it, that it survived at all. John points out with pride a brass cleat given to them by a private individual, and after its “refit”, which the crew feel certain was a part of the original vessel. So then, it is fair to say that not a lot of the “Gondola” belongs to that boat which was originally built in 1859. The cleat, some of the wood work, a few rivets and screws but in reality the bulk of the craft we went on was circa 1980’s! Nevertheless, as far as those of us on the cruise and I imagine anyone who has ever been on the “recreated Gondola” feels, we were on an original boat with the “spirit” of the original and one which would never have happened but for the “Gondola” of 1859 being built.
Bluebird K7 was launched in 11th February 1955 and it was immediately apparent that it would have to have alterations carried out to get the trim right. Over the years many further changes were made to K7, most notably I suppose being the re-engine from a “Beryl” jet engine to an “Orpheus”. To do this entailed several alterations to K7 not only to make this different engine physically fit in but to also make it work! Tail fins of differing shapes and sizes were also tried out and incorporated through the years as well as many more subtle changes so basically one can say without any argument that there is only one “original” Bluebird. That was K7 when it was first built and launched. One can correctly state of course that there is a “pre-crash” Bluebird and “post crash” Bluebird but neither of them can be classed as “original”. So, if one accepts that point, why can we not put out of our minds once and for all the chance to see physically for ourselves where Bluebird hit the water and where a great man died in the process but instead hope for some Heritage money with which to rebuild Bluebird K7, complete with working engine, so that we can then gaze in wonder and admire just how the craft should rightly be? Should not Bluebird K7 be remembered as the remarkable achievement it so obviously was rather than that final magnificent failure we all know so well? One should bear in mind it was designed by the late Ken Norris (who, I understand, also wanted to see it rebuilt) in 1952, with just gut feeling, experience and a slide rule but without a computer in sight to reach a speed of “only” 230mph but eventually reached nearly a third as much again fifteen years later. As a sort of comparison, how would Nigel Mansells Williams of 1992 compare with the modern Williams let alone the 2005 McLaren or Renault?
John Eaton, and all who work on and have dealings with the “Gondola”, is under no illusions as to what the boat is. John can see both sides of the argument. The majority of the “Gondola” has had to be recreated but, never the less that does not in any way detract from the final article. The majority of K7 would be “post crash”, that is, as recovered from the lake bed. It will not be a replica. It will be the real thing. It is also interesting to note that the National Historical Ship Society has placed, after inspection, the “Gondola” at number 30! And anyway, 30,000 passengers a year can’t be wrong!
17th October 2005 - 15:00
Monday morning and back to work – well back to the interesting question of what gauge goes where on the right-hand side of Bluebird’s fuselage.
I’m not sure who started this discussion, and for those who aren’t aware there are three gauges on the side of the boat beneath a (now broken) Perspex cover.
They wouldn’t have been visible to the pilot and were presumably for the benefit of the ground crew – or water crew – and it’s probably where I’d mount the speedo if I had to drive K7.
So instead of a quiet Monday morning with a cup of coffee and some e-mails to ease me gently into the day I ended up the wrong way up in K7’s bilges trying to make sense of a nest of pipes.
My coffee went cold as I dug and ferreted and even then I didn’t learn much as short of starting the engine I can’t tell what the gauges are for.
My best guess is that the right hand one is connected to the low-pressure side of the start system to avoid over-pressurising the poor little start-turbine. The small gauge in the centre is definitely plumbed into the high-pressure side of the start bottles so should indicate the contents, and the other is something of a mystery but possibly related to part of the hydraulic gubbins.
Not a very satisfactory answer, is it?
Having returned to my desk in a state suggestive of having fought (and lost) with a ball of razor wire in the bottom of a builder’s skip, I made a new cuppa and addressed myself to the issue of our forthcoming HLF application.
We must have it on the table by December 1st and that’s a tight deadline – but it’ll be done.
Remember our ‘very constructive’ meeting in Manchester (see diary entry for 8th August), and the recommendations that came out of it?
1. More volunteers please – no problem, in fact we’ve stoked up the volunteer effort and had a tremendous response.
2. Tell the old bits of boat from the new when she’s finished – quickly sorted with a bit of lateral thinking, which I’m assured went down rather well in museumological circles.
It originated with an off the cuff suggestion, the horns of which were grasped firmly by volunteer, Dominic Owen who then quickly wrought the fluorescent lacquer theory into something we can use.
But there was another request, a lurking danger that had to be approached with the utmost caution if it were to be successfully disposed of – that being to acquire the services of a genuine museum person who wouldn’t flee down the path of least resistance in the face of such an ambitious project.
Because, you see, we need a thing called a ‘conservation management plan’ to make this work.
I can only surmise that some deviant museumologist had their wicked way with the last one or this was the document that unfortunately dropped out of our application when we suffered catastrophic paperclip failure.
Having decided that at the very least I ought to know what on Earth I was asking for when approaching the museum community I then set about discovering what the creation of such a plan actually entails.
This time my coffee went cold as I waded through a voluminous guidebook entitled:
‘Conservation Management Plans’
Once upon a time someone would have been paid to slim-down its stodgy content into a succinct and informative flyer because of printing costs but not now – not in the age of high-speed Internet and PDF files.
Instead, I downloaded 36 pages, ate lunch while it printed then eyed it rather dubiously for a further ten minutes before sallying forth to discover that it’s actually quite entertaining.
It gently lulls the reader into the idea that no effort will be required:
‘Heritage’ includes many different things that have been, and can be, passed on from one generation to another…
…What makes something part of the heritage is its value or significance to other people.
And then just as nine-tenths of the little grey cells have shut down for the duration you get something like:
The conservation management plan should be compatible with the access policy of your organisation and show that you will improve access without damaging the value of the asset. For this, you may need a more detailed access plan…
Eh? – Then a quick leaf back through a half dozen pages to find out what this access thing is all about.
It’s mildly frustrating that virtually every page makes specific reference to old buildings, gardens or habitats – where uncooperative weeds, local planning authorities and kids can run riot all over ‘the asset’ – but contains no specific instruction on what to do with a big blue hydroplane or anything resembling one.
Nothing daunted though, I ploughed on to discover that it’s not the end of the world as its entirely possible to see where they’re coming from even if it is a bit like trying to rebuild your old MG by reference to an Alan Titchmarsh book.
In fact, there’s another version I found much easier to digest at:
http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/world%20heritage/Background%20Material%20by%20F.LeBlanc/Management%20Plans/Conservation%20Management%20Plans%20-%20A%20Guide.pdf
How’s that for a link!
I’m not sure whether the good people at the HLF wrote this one but it’s certainly clearer – and it’ll save two sheets of paper for anyone wishing to print it off too.
And as for procuring the services of someone who not only understands museums but also the engineering side of things and the aims of the project….
Such is the draw of Donald’s legendary boat that we’ll be starting work on the conservation management plan next week with more expert help than I’d ever dared to hope for.
*
On a different note, our intrepid reporter Paul (Hannarack) Hannaford has been to Airframe Assemblies and snapped a few pics. Better still he’s written another diary piece for us so I can stop ‘blathering on’ for now.
Airframe Assemblies Ltd. Paul Hannaford.
Whilst in the Isle of Wight recently I took the opportunity to visit Airframe Assemblies Ltd. one of the myriad of companies waiting in the wings to play their part in carrying out the restoration of Bluebird K7 as soon as that happens.
“Waiting in the wings” seems to be a very apt phrase as their stock in trade as aircraft sheet metal specialists is the restoration of historic aircraft and on the day of my visit they were working on two examples of one of the most famous aircraft ever – the Spitfire.
I had pre-arranged my visit to their workshops at the Isle of Wight Airport and when I arrived I could not have wished for a better welcome. Not only was I anticipated, but also my arrival was announced over the phone to the Managing Director! I hastened to explain that I had no official standing within the Bluebird Project other than being an enthusiast and volunteer. Nevertheless, at that time they made me feel that I was the most important person on the project, for which I was very grateful.
Over a coffee I had a good chat with Production Manager Paul Ridgway and Workshop Manager Chris Michel. They had previously had meetings with Bill both at their own workshop and in Newcastle in their capacity as the prospective company to remove and re-skin the body panels of Bluebird during her restoration. Costings from Airframe Assemblies Ltd. had formed part of the overall submission to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Chris Michel then gave me an outline history of the company and a guided tour of their workshops. What really impressed me apart from the skills of their craftsmen was the friendliness and enthusiasm of the workforce and their excitement at the possibility of working on Bluebird. To a man they all asked, “When is Bluebird coming here?” It was a question I couldn’t answer and would never be in a position to answer, but expressed my hope that it would be very soon.
Airframe’s current major projects involve the restoration of two Spitfires, LZ842 and RM927, as well as producing wings for another customer. There were Messerschmitt fuselage panels and various other components for their client base of “war-bird owners the world over.” Chris explained that private customers owned the two Spitfires in the workshop. A vital factor for both customers is that they are very insistent on re-using as much of the original aircraft as possible in the restoration. This ties in very well with the principle being applied to the restoration of Bluebird.
I had the opportunity to have a close look at the work going on with Spitfire Mark IX, serial number LZ842, formerly of the South African Air Force and Spitfire Mark XIVe, serial number RM927, formerly of the Royal Belgian Air Force. Both had been stripped right down to the smallest component and were at differing stages in the process of being lovingly restored from the ground up. The rear fuselage of RM927 was in a large jig in the early stages of reconstruction.
In the context of the history of the Spitfire, these particular aircraft had been relatively recent discoveries. RM927 for instance had crashed in Belgium and only been rediscovered in recent years. All previously restored Spitfires throughout the world, either to flying or museum condition, were relatively “easy” restorations in comparison. Because of the enormity of the accidents that befell them and the length of time they have remained buried at their crash sites, these two examples have required many new components to be made utilising the varied skills within the workshop.
As I said, the emphasis from their current clients to re-use as much original material in the restoration as possible is paramount. However, Chris showed me several parts that although they had been repainted had very obvious pitted surfaces caused by corrosion. Although the parts still looked pretty solid and functional to my untrained eye, Chris confirmed that some of them were unusable. I quizzed him about this and he said as a general principle any component that has suffered more than 10% degradation cannot be re-used - particularly if it has a structural function. In some cases a “non-essential part” (in terms of structural function) may be re-used where appropriate.
Chris went on to explain that many restored Spitfires – especially those still flying – do not now carry such detail as gun fitments. These are usually blanked off with a cover panel, but in both instances here, their clients are adamant that all gun placements are included in their restored example. Dummy guns will therefore be fitted although Chris wonders sometimes that they wouldn’t like the real thing fitted so they could carry out a few aerial dogfights for old time’s sake!
Elsewhere in the workshop they hold pattern parts, original drawings and maintenance manuals for all sorts of aircraft, but they can also produce their own drawings of pattern parts and redraw, retool and manufacture or repair any metal component for the aeroplanes. I was shown patterns being produced and formers being made around which even the smallest metal component can be worked to shape.
Within their team of expert craftsmen they also possess the rare skill of being able to produce "wheeled" panel skins for some of the compound curves needed for such items as engine cowlings.
Throughout the workshop all the guys were very enthusiastic about what they are doing. I got the impression that for the employees it wasn’t “just a job,” there was an obvious passion and pride in what they were doing.
The history of the company is that Airframe Assemblies Ltd. was formed in the mid 1980’s by Managing Director Steve Vizard. His interest started as a small boy collecting memorabilia and crash wreckage from the many wartime crash sites in his home county of Kent.
Becoming a bit of a collector he became involved with another collector, which lead to forming a company. Ultimately he came to the Isle of Wight teaming up with another “Warbird” restorer before going it alone and forming Airframe Assemblies in 1985.
Starting out in small premises with just three employees they have undergone three moves to arrive at their current premises with a highly skilled workforce of 12, with further access to additional skilled manpower as required. Added to that they have a wealth of links to other specialist companies offering specialist processes.
Aircraft enthusiasts amongst you will remember a Channel 4 programme a while back where a “live” excavation took place near Buckingham Palace where a crashed World War II Spitfire had been located. Airframes were at the forefront of that recovery and senior personnel were interviewed during the programme.
As their name suggests, Airframe Assemblies are primarily metal airframe specialists, involved in the restoration of the framework and skin of an aircraft. Engines, controls and systems they do not touch. In the case of Bluebird, Airframes would carefully strip the existing skin from the craft and re-work, replace where appropriate and produce new panelling for the missing sections of the craft.
Since 1994 the Company has held CAA approval, BCAR A8-2, A2 for manufacturing and is believed to be the only company holding this approval, which specialises in this type of work.
©PaulHannaford2005
24th October 2005 - 16:15
…yes I’m still working on that Conservation Management whatnot, which I’m going to call a CMP from now on, only my load has been lightened somewhat by a tremendous offer.
Remember Tim Parr… that most loveable and knowledgeable naval architect who delights in making old things operate again and who worked so hard on the original CMP?
Well he’s very kindly allowed me to use his work as a basis and offered to help me out when it comes to re-jigging it to suit our present circumstances.
Tim put in a massive amount of effort and travelled hundreds of miles to create his report and it certainly wasn’t his fault that it seemed to go missing at a crucial moment,
‘loss of original fabric’…Pah!
There are several people involved who worked bloody hard on the application – much harder than me – and who are deserving of so much credit in this endeavour. Tim is obviously one of them, Vicky has always been with us in the trenches and there’s Paul Jardine from Jura Consulting.
Way back in early 2002 we interviewed three consultants and gave the task to Paul as, of the three, he was the one who said there and then that he could make it happen. Yes, we had a recent setback (mutter, mutter, grumble…) but it seems only fair that he be allowed to finish the job.
And so, to that end, we have all committed to having that new application on the table at HLF central by December 1st come hell or high water. The blinkers are on, Paul has assured us that it can be done and Tim is with us too.
We’ve done everything asked of us, more volunteers, fluorescent lacquer and help from the museum community so with a pile of paperwork safely delivered we can all relax with our Christmas dinner and wait to see what happens next
Any of you enthusiasts want to come to Manchester to help us drop it off?
*
Right, back to what I was doing…
26th October 2005 - 13:15
Here’s an interesting one for you. Dom Owen has been on an other of his crusades and this time he enlisted the help of his pal. Gary Harding of 424 City of Southampton Sqn , who not only seems to have a complete Gnat at the end of his garden, (I think it’s a gate guardian), he was also prepared to crawl about inside it with a camera to further address the gauges question – and whose pictures we include with his kind permission.
Does this look vaguely familiar? (Stop getting excited, Ernie) And what about these two little clocks set in the side of the fuselage?
It appears that when K7 had her water-brake installed along with various other bits of Gnat fighter, someone considered what might happen if the engine were to flame-out at speed or stop working for some other reason.
It would spool down very quickly as those small turbojets were prone to doing and so the mechanical hydraulic pump would also come to a standstill leaving Donald with no brakes!
To this end, they grafted in a hydraulic accumulator straight from the aircraft to store hydraulic pressure in the event that the rest of the system chucked it. It would get the water-brake down in the even that everything else had stopped working.
Remember I said I’d found a cylinder in there?
…a cylinder remarkably similar to this accumulator in the Gnat. It’s actually a Lockheed part.
And as my cockpit photos are at home I can’t check this but what about this airspeed indicator?
Did anyone out there know about the accumulator? I’ve mailed Gary for some more info and I’m sure he’ll be good enough to help us again so I’ll report in due course.
Oh by the way, if you’re visiting this site for the first time, don’t forget to sign the guestbook and tell us what you think.
We have broad shoulders – we can take it.
Right, back to the CMP.
31st October 2005 - 12:45
And so into battle we go again – the Inside Out programme goes out tonight – and I’ve already had a call from Border TV asking if I’ll be around later should they choose to send a satellite truck over and grab an interview.
Naturally I said yes.
Is it a quiet news day or is this big news?
Sadly, it’s the same old argument but my conscience remains clear as support continues to pour from every quarter.
I went to Croft Circuit near Scotch Corner yesterday to collect a car and discovered that although it’s many years since I attended a rallycross meeting, many of the faces hadn’t changed.
I found it impossible to take two steps without being accosted by some old acquaintance I hadn’t seen for four or five years only to be told what a disgrace it was that our project had been denied its cash and when were these do-gooder bureaucrats who love to squander our money uselessly going to start behaving?
I told ’em to watch the telly tonight.
I was also sent a quote from the North West Evening News – something about a ‘rebuilt boat not telling the story of the crash that killed Mr Campbell’
Should I come out with something like that at home my wife has a sweetly, sarcastic way of pointing at the ground by my feet and saying, as though speaking to one of the infants that she so recently taught in class…
“You are here…”
Then she’ll indicate somewhere in the far distance.
“…and the point is over there!”
And so, HLF, in response to this rebuilt boat not telling the story of the crash that killed Mr Campbell, I put it to you that a rotted pile of scrap will not adequately tell the story of the most glorious water-speed-record contender in history either.
This is why we want to rebuild the boat using as much original material as possible and conserve the crash-damaged bits separately to improve access, meet display requirements and make interpretation easier, which has been proven to me over the past week can be done whilst staying within museumological boundaries.
Bluebird’s crash was the tragic final chapter in a long and magnificent tale and we want to keep it in perspective – but we said all this ages ago.
It was put most eloquently by a gruff, Yorkshire race mechanic whom I’d not seen for ages and who I remembered especially for his economical use of words. After a minute of monosyllabic conversation and the occasional grunt as he too garnered the latest on our boat project, he put down his torque-wrench and stood stiffly.
“Tha knows,” he muttered, scratching his balding head with greasy fingers.
“It’s bloody good job there’s a few Concordes left or them buggers would ’ave us all lookin’ at that crashed un.”
Thirty odd years of triumphant, supersonic commercial air travel…
*
By the way, go and have a look at the guestbook and if this is your first visit don’t forget to leave a message – thanks to one and all for the support.
Bill Smith.