60th Anniversary of Bluebird's Unveiling

[Renegadenemo]

Aye, can't argue that despite the small technical glitch it was a most commendable effort to commemorate something that would have otherwise slipped under the radar. I'll take the anorak label too - it's slowly leached its way into me over the years and these days I can talk a good job in speed-record-anorak circles though I'm far from an authority. Now then, if it's 1950s material spec's or rivet sizes you want, I can do a proper anoraky job on you.
So, hats off to the organisers and those who braved the cold and wintry weather to attend because they did better than us. But surely Gina can't be our 'patron'? She must be our 'matron' if anything... Matriarch is the term I usually use (shoves glasses up the nose...)
But one thing we really must do is get the real-deal finished because that tribute act really is sending out all the wrong message. There's no arguing with the amount of work that went into building it, and respect to the guys who put in the effort, but I look at the backs of the wedges, for example, and Mike's seventy-odd different fasteners aren't there. If they're going to paint it blue (with the exception of the curiously remodelled nose) and add a couple of extra sevens to its title would it have really been so difficult to send someone around there with a drill and a tap and handful of bolts to at least make the effort? They have all the same photographs that we do, after all.
The result is that just about every millimetre is inaccurate in some way and what is offered as a pastiche sadly answers better to parody. Why?

[Richie]

Why was it even there ? It was not made by Samelsbury, and it is not a bluebird ? As Bill has stated, it sends the wrong messages.

Sponsons need re done to correct spec, and those intakes need chopping up and re done. The number needs to be put on the sponson properly ie 7 7 7 not the inlaid version which had been done deliberately to make it look like K7 from a distance.


Nowt against the lads, they have done great things to build the thing, but I think they need to stop with the "trying to be"

If it was me the whole boat would have had a giant Union Jack painted over the full length of the hull then perhaps the faces of britains great WSR holders airbrushed into the body. Or a list of britains WSR achievements.

Sends the patriotic message without trying to be a wannabe !

[malcolm uk]

But Mike, Gina (patron to the BBP) cannot plant a tree in the workshop.

Oh I don't know, there's a couple of tea mugs that something would probably take root in!

I must have forgotten to wash my mug after my one-day-a-year visit .........

I was wondering myself when I saw the SRC photo gallery if the 'tribute' was actually there last weekend. It is morphing into the "replica" that the media keep describing it as, but lacking any 'fine' detail to fullfil that role.

[Mr Anorak has just reminded me of the carry on line "Oh, Matron" .... must proof my postings with greater care from now on.]

[quicksilver-wsr]

I'll stay out of any discussion about K777, for the sake of peace and quiet, but I want to say something positive about Steve Whalley - who organised the Samlesbury event - as I have known him for a fair few years now and know him to be a top bloke, and a genuine Bluebird fan.

Steve is well-known and respected in the motorcycle racing world, and has a long-standing professional involvement in Formula 1 too. He knows his motorsport. He put a lot of effort into the Samlesbury event, and I'm sure he'll do his best to rectify any wrongs as far as the commemorative plaque goes.

I was one of many people who hadn't realised a Samlesbury anniversary was looming, but Steve was quick off the mark and wanted to remind everyone of Preston's place in Donald's story. As a former Preston resident myself (for five years, as a kid, I lived about a mile from Samlesbury Hall, moving away just a few days after Donald's death), I thought that was a super idea. Full marks to Steve for showing initiative and having the pluck to set up something tangible that will help keep Donald's name alive.

Last night I was doing a talk in Sheffield. Arriving very early, per usual, I got talking to the chap who was setting up the tables. He asked me what the subject of my talk was going to be, and I answered "The World Water Speed Record". He'd never heard of such a thing, never heard of the land-speed record either - never heard of Donald Campbell, nor Richard Noble. Nice guy, but it all meant zilch. It's easy to settle into the comfy notion that the public shares our enthusiasm for such things ... and, thank goodness, most of them do ... but there is an increasing number of younger folks who do not - and they need a spur to their imagination. Whether that be a commemorative plaque on a golf course at Samlesbury or the real-deal boat itself - K7 returning to Coniston to run once more - it all has a part to play in maintaining the legacy.

So there's my two-bob's worth. I didn't go to the event, although Steve kindly invited me. Let's hope there will be plenty of people seeing the plaque in the years to come.

Nigel

[quicksilver-wsr]

"Happy Birthday, Bluebird K7!"

Nigel

[ace_chris]

...and so today, we can wish the old girl what I suppose is the nearest thing she has to a Happy Birthday! 60, eh? Well she has a few wrinkles but she's still got a lovely pair of sponsons on her!

Great to see the pic of the day today! In the text you mention "unfinished" - sure looks like Leo is holding the panels near the cockpit together

[quicksilver-wsr]

It wasn't uncommon back in those days - particularly in the case of aircraft - to have the unveiling take place when much work was still required internally to complete.

I guess it was all down to the pressure to unveil, which tends to come from several sources all at once. It was no big issue back then - just part of the game.

Nigel

[captain sparkle]

Another article, for your 'delectation' -
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... bury_Hall/

[mtskull]

Another article, for your 'delectation' -
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... bury_Hall/

Oh good grief! Even by normal journalistic standards that is pretty dire.

[Jordangbr]

Dire that the tribute act was there trying to be something it's not...