Today Marks the 60th Anniversary of Donald Campbell C.B.E recapturing the World Water Speed Record for Great Britain attaining a speed of 202.32 M.P.H. The first man to set a two way average at over 200 M.P.H smashing the water barrier which had sadly claimed the lives of two other brave men i.e John Cobb and Mario Verga!
Donald set his first record on Ullswater and this has come to be known as the forgotten record as most associate Donald Campbell with Coniston. Last weekend Speed Record Club members gathered at Ullswater to mark this milestone in History visiting the dedicated Library in the Glenridding Hotel, visiting the plaque placed by the original slipway that K7 was launched from all those years ago. Also Captain Graeme Connacher (Thanks Graeme) arranged for use to travel the measured distance which some claim was then a mile? I have a feeling it was a Kilo but without checking the old brain cells allude me at this time. Either way it was a fine achievement and a starting point to a fine career in record breaking. A meal was also had washed down with just the odd beer or three
Donald went on to set seven W.W.S.R' and one L.S.R capturing both in the same calender in 1964 unequaled to this day. This being the very reason The Bluebird Project is seeking to celebrate these successes in restoring Bluebird K7 to her magnificent self in honour of a Great Man and not four minutes of disaster.
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I once again grabbed the old hand mower and spruced The Donalds final resting place up to mark the 60th Anniversay and hope all will raise a glass this evening to our Hero.
Novie Dzinora
The Bluebird Project
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Put very well, Novie. The 1955 record is indeed the one people tend to overlook.
Personally, I find that one probably the most inspiring of all Donald's records, because the guy had come from absolutely nothing, experience-wise, and in just a few years of trying had mastered not only his father's old boat but a brand-new one as well.
Yes, he had money to start with. But the speed with which he'd mastered driving the two fastest boats in the world was for me the impressive thing that marked him out.
60 years since DC started a record breaking career that would eventually make him more prolific than anyone else, including his own father. Quite incredible really when you think about. And of course the start of his partnership with K7, the boat he would use for the rest of his too short life. Here's to DC & 60 years of the big blue boat
Until the village/Ruskin sees the full Bluebird K7, visitors do make their way to Donald's resting place, which is much easier to reach than some point in the middle of Coniston Water. The image of the 4th January is one which stirs in most people of a 'certain age' a memory of where they were or what they were doing on that day. Your old memory is not bad Novie - Donald piloted through the kilometre at Ullswater.
What project people are doing shows respect from them for the man and his exploits - grass cutting or silver painting.
In '55 I was too young for speed interests and by '64 I was more interested in jet cars, than boats or even turbine cars.
The surface is not looking good for any celebrations of the '35 record at Bonneville Salt Flats
Nicely put Malcolm, and better than my reply would have been! As part of the original team in 2001 who helped raise the boat and the remains of Donald Campbell I feel a certain amount of responsibility to tend the grave when I get time. Like wise i.e when the Predator was kept quietly for three years in the boat yard I maintained that for Bill/Project incase we ever did need to go back on the lake. There's much more to this Project than silver paint and I never dwell over the grave I just cut the grass and wash the headstone. The only problem with doing this it usually takes me three times longer than it would normally do as people just kept coming one after the other to pay their respects to a great man. Forgive me but the whole reason for rebuilding this magnificent machine is to celebrate him and his achievements is it not.
I thought it rang a bell in the old grey matter Malcolm when I saw those leaflets Capt Connacher was handing out measure Mile "My Arse " Thats gonna cost to put right " How many leaflets did they have printed? Oh Dear
Anyway I have another job to do today and I will be representing The Bluebird Project once again as I have done many times over the years 14 to be precise. I will be assisting the relatives of the late Don Woolley who tragically lost his life earlier this year. They wish to scatter his ashes and then I will be showing them around Coniston and the Ruskin Museum which means I am unable to work on the Donalds boat this weekend but will do so again shortly.
Yours respectfully
Novie Dzinora
malcolm uk wrote:Until the village/Ruskin sees the full Bluebird K7, visitors do make their way to Donald's resting place, which is much easier to reach than some point in the middle of Coniston Water. The image of the 4th January is one which stirs in most people of a 'certain age' a memory of where they were or what they were doing on that day. Your old memory is not bad Novie - Donald piloted through the kilometre at Ullswater.
What project people are doing shows respect from them for the man and his exploits - grass cutting or silver painting.
In '55 I was too young for speed interests and by '64 I was more interested in jet cars, than boats or even turbine cars.
The surface is not looking good for any celebrations of the '35 record at Bonneville Salt Flats
