Across The Lake

[Bluebird]

Hi There
I ve just looked at the board today for the first time in a wee while and I see a lot of discussion about the above. I think I can help with some info. I got a video copy of the film some years ago and I recall the company who co-produced it with the beeb was Challenger Productions in Guernsey. I got it directly from them around 1992 so I dont know if they still exist but a Google search may help.
Cheers

[Mentallica]

I've just watched the film for the first time (last night)

Found it very well done and quite moving in parts.

Anthony Hopkins was the perfect man for the job there and you can see where he got the skills to play Burt Munro in "the worlds fastest indian"

I'm interested to know how accurate it was though? I know there whould of had to been a bit of artistic licence taken.

Was Donald really such a player? and how was this film viewd by those who knew him?
Was the E-type Jag with the private numberplate a real thing (and does it still exist?)
How was the film recieved by the public and critics, at the time?

Assume the replica on display at Holker Hall is the machine form the ATL film and Blue Peter appearance? (and was also at the flower show last year?) I had my photo taken next to it when visiting HH many years ago.
Is that the only full(ish) size replica?

Being only a youn'un (28) the film (although not completly true to life) has really filled in some blanks about the various discussions on here (example the boathouse discussions) and I really think that the team are doing a great job in re-building Bluebird. I hope to be at Coniston with my Dad for her re-launch, it will be a truly monumental day.

I don't think that any argument of young folk not being interested in Bluebird or LSR/WSR has any substance. I'm a Scout leader and my kids (10-14) have had fun learning about Bluebird and Bloodhound recently with the use of various downloaded snips from youtube and some balloon propelled Scout made efforts!

keep up the great work

[lsrdatabase]

Anthony Hopkins was the perfect man for the job there and you can see where he got the skills to play Burt Munro in "the worlds fastest indian"

Was Donald really such a player? and how was this film viewd by those who knew him?
Was the E-type Jag with the private numberplate a real thing (and does it still exist?)
How was the film recieved by the public and critics, at the time?

Assume the replica on display at Holker Hall is the machine form the ATL film and Blue Peter appearance? (and was also at the flower show last year?) I had my photo taken next to it when visiting HH many years ago.
Is that the only full(ish) size replica?

Hi Fred here,
My suggestion would be to read Tonia's book, 'My Speed King', It might not be always quite factual time wise, but it gives 'meat to the sandwich', a sort of insight to the couple themselves. The HH mock-up is as used in ATL, but the buck or mould which was used to produce it, is at Filching Manor. In fact, as far as the cockpit sides are concerned it's more accurate. I know, I reshaped it myself as shown in my book 'Rainbow'. I can still get people into the museum, if anyone is interested, and Sir Malcolm's K3 is still there as is the R37 engine.

Last I heard, the Jag DC7 is privately owned and is used on the road occasionally.

Regards, to all, Fred

"I'm just that bloke, who want go away!"

[f1steveuk]

Just to be perdantic, the E type DC was using at the time wasn't registered DC7. I located the original for use in Days The Shook The World for Tiger Aspects. I believe DC had sold the plate by mid 1966. Although Fred I am pretty certain DC's Jag owners club badge is in the cabinet in the coach house at Filching.

Dc's car from the last attempt is the one that appeared in Days, but not ATL, but it is still used, and as far as I know, totally original. Which raises the question, where is the plate DC7???

[Mike Bull]

Indeed, Donald's E Type was actually registered GLM 37C. So that was the actual car used in 'Days' then Steve? Cool!

It's worth remembering that the K7 mock up as used in ATL wasn't full size, and that correspondingly it's buck would have been a material's thickness smaller still as well.

Well worth a comparison between ATL and 'The Price Of A Record', as many of Donald's interviews in the documentary are delivered almost verbatim by Hopkins in ATL.

[Terminator]

Hi Steve
Just for clarification hear. Did you mean you located the Original car that D.C owned in 1966/67 for the Documentary "Days That Shook The World"? Or did you mean you located and Original E Type from that period for Tiger Aspects? As for that original piece of fabric at Filching personally It should be reunited with K7 and to keep hold of it is done so out of pure spite!!

I'll Be Back
Novie

[f1steveuk]

Yep, the car in Days That Shook The World IS DC's car, and I believe it was the first time it had been back to the Lakes since 1967. It's a few years ago now, and I've slept since then! but I recall that it retains the original reg, and has never been resprayed or retrimmed, it IS DC's car. The last car I saw DC7 on was his Aston. I might go off to the DVLA web site and see where DC7 is now, you can bet a large sum of money it's on a green car!!!

[polo]

Bit of a enigma this one, Donald use to pin the plate DC7 to his jag whilst driving around Coniston at record breaking times. I have seen pictures of it but don't have one myself.
There was a lot of discussion within the SRC re this and the final photo showed the correct reg number. As a consequence and being a PNC liaison officer for the boys in blue I used a contact to 'search' for me, that person told me that there is no record of any car registered to DC or DMC with that plate, but that did not mean that Donald did not own the plate, he may just not have registered it. He may have registered it under a company name or even in someone else's name.
It may also be that my contact didn't do a search and fobbed me off with that.
It all adds to the legend anyway.

[Mike Bull]

According to the DVLA, 'DC7' is currently on a blue Aston Martin, first registered in 1998.

Searching for 'GLM 37C' on a Jaguar returns no results.

[Mentallica]

Thanks folks.

Quite a complex charactor then is Donald

Amazing that you can interigate various sources to get random (sometimes useles!) info

Cheers