Bluebird K7 Latest
Discussion
Have been wondering which forum to "vent" my frustrations at this saga, and this feels like a good one! I have no skin in either game, but reading the comments this seems to be an audience thats pleased the boat will return to Coniston?
I am a child of the 70's and was lucky enough to be brought up in the lakes every weekend in the 80's as my family had a boat there, Donalds legacy was alive and kicking, I can remember being in the bar at Storrs Hall Hotel when some old boy was telling me he used to swim around the shores of Coniston whilst Donald would be flying back and forth testing Bluebird..... that must have been epic!
As the years have gone by unfortunately interest in LSPR and WSPR has faded and the heroes of the past have faded with them, I'm 46 and after reading the forum I had to look up John Cobb! If you think our millennials have any interest in this stuff you're kidding yourselves and these stories and achievements run the risk of disappearing altogether.
Just like the old cars you see from as early as the 40's and 50's tackling the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Bluebird K7 should be exercised in all her glory, I have read comments about expecting the "old girl to pick up her skirts" and YES 100% the Ruskin Museum should make that happen...... why on earth wouldn't they??? Throwing in red herrings like "traffic congestion" in the lakes as a reason to NOT do it just boils my p**s!!
The comments about K7 now being deemed a "resto mod" I think is probably a fair appraisal of the boat, but what is wrong with that? its more useable, easier to maintain, and operate, probably safer, but with all the spine tingling noise and presence of the original craft. Thats a good thing isn't it? Surely thats less reason to leave it sat on static display and not run it on Coniston?
So if the Ruskin Museum, who are publicly saying they will run the boat, I for one would love to see a timeline to make this happen.
How do they see this working out?
They are going to want to put the boat on static display for a period of time as it will be the new attraction, so when are they starting work on the mods required to fit the new engine?
Can this be done whilst on display in the museum?
Have they even thought about the practicalities of doing this? or are they just posturing at this stage so petrol heads like me don't loose complete interest....... the reality is that they probably do not have a clue!!!!
I think everyone on every forum / social media / blog etc is unanimous in wanting to glorify DC and K7 and the undisputed bravery and triumph from all his LSPR and WSPR, and the only way (IMHO) to ensure this is if the boat runs. For Gen Z and the future they need dynamic, fast moving and engaging experiential content to absorb, and I am afraid to say that a boat on static display in a Lake District museum simply will not cut through, and the audience for K7 will diminish rapidly.
According to statements by BBP the boat is being delivered a "dead machine", as is the wish of the engine owner, and if Ruskin do not pull there finger out and get it on the water this will lead to legacy, and achievements dieing with it.
Seeing K7 blast down Coniston would be a "bucket list" event for me. Taking my 9 year old son to see that would be forever etched in his memory, something he would tell his kids about.... probably using content from his TikTok account.... thats what keeps the legacy alive for future generations.
If I take him to see a boat in a museum it will be just another average Saturday afternoon out, and his kids (my grandkids!) will never hear the stories (like I did that lunchtime in the Storrs Hall Hotel) about DC and K7.
I am a child of the 70's and was lucky enough to be brought up in the lakes every weekend in the 80's as my family had a boat there, Donalds legacy was alive and kicking, I can remember being in the bar at Storrs Hall Hotel when some old boy was telling me he used to swim around the shores of Coniston whilst Donald would be flying back and forth testing Bluebird..... that must have been epic!
As the years have gone by unfortunately interest in LSPR and WSPR has faded and the heroes of the past have faded with them, I'm 46 and after reading the forum I had to look up John Cobb! If you think our millennials have any interest in this stuff you're kidding yourselves and these stories and achievements run the risk of disappearing altogether.
Just like the old cars you see from as early as the 40's and 50's tackling the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Bluebird K7 should be exercised in all her glory, I have read comments about expecting the "old girl to pick up her skirts" and YES 100% the Ruskin Museum should make that happen...... why on earth wouldn't they??? Throwing in red herrings like "traffic congestion" in the lakes as a reason to NOT do it just boils my p**s!!
The comments about K7 now being deemed a "resto mod" I think is probably a fair appraisal of the boat, but what is wrong with that? its more useable, easier to maintain, and operate, probably safer, but with all the spine tingling noise and presence of the original craft. Thats a good thing isn't it? Surely thats less reason to leave it sat on static display and not run it on Coniston?
So if the Ruskin Museum, who are publicly saying they will run the boat, I for one would love to see a timeline to make this happen.
How do they see this working out?
They are going to want to put the boat on static display for a period of time as it will be the new attraction, so when are they starting work on the mods required to fit the new engine?
Can this be done whilst on display in the museum?
Have they even thought about the practicalities of doing this? or are they just posturing at this stage so petrol heads like me don't loose complete interest....... the reality is that they probably do not have a clue!!!!
I think everyone on every forum / social media / blog etc is unanimous in wanting to glorify DC and K7 and the undisputed bravery and triumph from all his LSPR and WSPR, and the only way (IMHO) to ensure this is if the boat runs. For Gen Z and the future they need dynamic, fast moving and engaging experiential content to absorb, and I am afraid to say that a boat on static display in a Lake District museum simply will not cut through, and the audience for K7 will diminish rapidly.
According to statements by BBP the boat is being delivered a "dead machine", as is the wish of the engine owner, and if Ruskin do not pull there finger out and get it on the water this will lead to legacy, and achievements dieing with it.
Seeing K7 blast down Coniston would be a "bucket list" event for me. Taking my 9 year old son to see that would be forever etched in his memory, something he would tell his kids about.... probably using content from his TikTok account.... thats what keeps the legacy alive for future generations.
If I take him to see a boat in a museum it will be just another average Saturday afternoon out, and his kids (my grandkids!) will never hear the stories (like I did that lunchtime in the Storrs Hall Hotel) about DC and K7.
mark_a7xms said:
Throwing in red herrings like "traffic congestion" in the lakes as a reason to NOT do it just boils my p**s!!
It's no red herring, in peak season the roads are awful. A good argument for any runs being made out of season, the hospitality types would thank the Ruskin and so would anyone trying to use the roads.hidetheelephants said:
It's no red herring, in peak season the roads are awful. A good argument for any runs being made out of season, the hospitality types would thank the Ruskin and so would anyone trying to use the roads.
Yes, the roads are bad but thats not a good reason not to run it.It can be managed if there is a will.
Records week is the obvious (only) choice.
Gary C said:
Records week is the obvious (only) choice.
Why do you say that?Part of the problem (a very last and fairly minor part, admittedly - you've got to get everyone that far, first) is that you've got massive congestion and crowd control issues on Lake Road and around the ferry landing/cafe to deal with, and in Records Week that wouid be compounded by all the power boats down there, using the boating centre as their 'pits'.
If you were actually trying to run a boat in the Records Week, it would be an absolute nightmare having the whole area packed solid with crowds.
I'm assuming that K7 herself would be better launched from her old slip at Peel Cottage and the crowds kept at arm's length, but you can't relocate the whole Records Week operation down there.
lufbramatt said:
I'm not sure what the fascination of seeing it run on Coniston is.
If Williams had decided to restore Senna's FW16 and do demo laps on Imola I'm pretty sure everyone would say that's not OK.
That’s a good point and I must admit I’d strangely not considered it at all.If Williams had decided to restore Senna's FW16 and do demo laps on Imola I'm pretty sure everyone would say that's not OK.
The thing is with Coniston is there are hardly any parking places, and as I’ve said before, the roads around it are extremely tight and winding. And that’s after you’ve got there from any main road network.
Mind you? I wonder what the interest would be now? It’s going back a while, but the odd examples of footage I remember from the running up at Bute. I didn’t exactly notice it being a crowded event?
But, could be corrected on that?
Bute is very remote, of course, so you had to be a dyed-in-the-wool enthusiast to be bothered to get up there.
Suitable venues with good transport infrastructure are few and far between.
Ullswater is better than Coniston, perhaps (just off the M6) and is where K7 was originally launched and took her first record, but would require another change to the speed limit byelaws. Windermere is too congested on the lake itself (and again, speed restricted unless you change the byelaws).
Holme Pierrepont just wouldn't have the same cachet...
Suitable venues with good transport infrastructure are few and far between.
Ullswater is better than Coniston, perhaps (just off the M6) and is where K7 was originally launched and took her first record, but would require another change to the speed limit byelaws. Windermere is too congested on the lake itself (and again, speed restricted unless you change the byelaws).
Holme Pierrepont just wouldn't have the same cachet...
lufbramatt said:
I'm not sure what the fascination of seeing it run on Coniston is.
If Williams had decided to restore Senna's FW16 and do demo laps on Imola I'm pretty sure everyone would say that's not OK.
That is an extremely good point, well made!! I suppose now its in the hands of Ruskin I didn't think there would be any other options as Museum and Family Trust have only ever used Coniston in their narrative.If Williams had decided to restore Senna's FW16 and do demo laps on Imola I'm pretty sure everyone would say that's not OK.
I would 100% travel anywhere to see her run!
Jim H said:
lufbramatt said:
If Williams had decided to restore Senna's FW16 and do demo laps on Imola I'm pretty sure everyone would say that's not OK.
That’s a good point and I must admit I’d strangely not considered it at all.As regards world speed record attempts Babs was a land speed record car built and driven by John Parry-Thomas. In 1927 he lost control at Pendine sands at over 100 mph, the car rolled over and Thomas was partially decapitated. Following the inquest into his death, Babs's seats were slashed, the glass in the dials smashed, and the car was buried in the sand dunes at Pendine.
In 1967 Owen Wyn Owen decided to excavate and restore Babs. Parry-Thomas's next of kin did not object. The car was in very poor condition and prevailing opinion was that the wreck would be unsalvageable for anything more than museum display. Much of the bodywork had corroded, so a new body had to be constructed, melding in where possible any existing original material. The mechanical running gear was in relatively good condition
Restoration work took place in Owen's garage and Babs was displayed at the Pendine Museum of Speed during summer months until the museum was demolished in 2021. The car ran at the Brooklands Centenary in 2007. Following Owen's death in 2012, the car is driven by his son Geraint.
It is a very interesting argument, and there would have been very little going on at some of the biggest named venues in the world were this the case.
I for one think as the boat is now a sort of restored version of the ordinal it is fine to run it, may be it does not have to be at Coniston fair enough, but I for one would take great joy in seeing such an iconic thing.
I recall a few years ago Noble doing a piece on thrust 2 and the very end of the clip is him getting out of it saying "we should bloody well run it again"
Who would not want to see that who takes an interest, it would be expensive yes but fabulous nonetheless.
I for one think as the boat is now a sort of restored version of the ordinal it is fine to run it, may be it does not have to be at Coniston fair enough, but I for one would take great joy in seeing such an iconic thing.
I recall a few years ago Noble doing a piece on thrust 2 and the very end of the clip is him getting out of it saying "we should bloody well run it again"
Who would not want to see that who takes an interest, it would be expensive yes but fabulous nonetheless.
Equus said:
Bute is very remote, of course, so you had to be a dyed-in-the-wool enthusiast to be bothered to get up there.
It's not really; you can get from Glasgow to Bute in about the same time as it takes to drive from Manchester to Windermere, more remote to the rest of the UK perhaps.Panamax said:
I don't see that. Aston Martin driver Allan Simonsen was killed in a crash on his third lap at Le Mans in 2015. So far as I recall Aston Martin did not withdraw their other three cars from the race and continued to race at Le Mans.
As regards world speed record attempts Babs was a land speed record car built and driven by John Parry-Thomas. In 1927 he lost control at Pendine sands at over 100 mph, the car rolled over and Thomas was partially decapitated. Following the inquest into his death, Babs's seats were slashed, the glass in the dials smashed, and the car was buried in the sand dunes at Pendine.
In 1967 Owen Wyn Owen decided to excavate and restore Babs. Parry-Thomas's next of kin did not object. The car was in very poor condition and prevailing opinion was that the wreck would be unsalvageable for anything more than museum display. Much of the bodywork had corroded, so a new body had to be constructed, melding in where possible any existing original material. The mechanical running gear was in relatively good condition
Restoration work took place in Owen's garage and Babs was displayed at the Pendine Museum of Speed during summer months until the museum was demolished in 2021. The car ran at the Brooklands Centenary in 2007. Following Owen's death in 2012, the car is driven by his son Geraint.
Jim…Very interesting about Babs, just spent 1/2 hour reading up on it, thanks for sharing. Another machine that should be run every year to keep alive the memories of yesteryears hero’s 👍As regards world speed record attempts Babs was a land speed record car built and driven by John Parry-Thomas. In 1927 he lost control at Pendine sands at over 100 mph, the car rolled over and Thomas was partially decapitated. Following the inquest into his death, Babs's seats were slashed, the glass in the dials smashed, and the car was buried in the sand dunes at Pendine.
In 1967 Owen Wyn Owen decided to excavate and restore Babs. Parry-Thomas's next of kin did not object. The car was in very poor condition and prevailing opinion was that the wreck would be unsalvageable for anything more than museum display. Much of the bodywork had corroded, so a new body had to be constructed, melding in where possible any existing original material. The mechanical running gear was in relatively good condition
Restoration work took place in Owen's garage and Babs was displayed at the Pendine Museum of Speed during summer months until the museum was demolished in 2021. The car ran at the Brooklands Centenary in 2007. Following Owen's death in 2012, the car is driven by his son Geraint.
hidetheelephants said:
Iyou can get from Glasgow to Bute in about the same time as it takes to drive from Manchester to Windermere.
Quite. Glasgow itself is hardly the geographical centre of the UK.I appreciate that the Lake District is hardly on the doorstep if you live in the South East, but at least it has decent tourist infrastructure (roads excepted) once you're up there... and as I said, the list of suitable venues to run a jet hydroplane in the UK is rather short, so it's the least worst option (which is why K7 ran there originally, of course).
Maybe they could clear the traffic on the Thames for the day, and run her up through London?
hidetheelephants said:
Equus said:
Bute is very remote, of course, so you had to be a dyed-in-the-wool enthusiast to be bothered to get up there.
It's not really; you can get from Glasgow to Bute in about the same time as it takes to drive from Manchester to Windermere, more remote to the rest of the UK perhaps.
Hello again Equus,
You obviously have a lot of knowledge on this subject. I’d be interested if you have any views or opinions on the accident itself?
It’s always baffled me why DC didn’t refuel on his return run. I guess it has also baffled a few others down the years.
My own opinion is, he’d entered into a sort of ‘bloody mindedness’ - to get the record done.
I think there were also other things playing on his mind. A few snipes from the media, the notoriously awful Cumbrian weather etc. I think he’d also spent a lot of Christmas on his own when a most of the team had departed ( hence the Christmas Day run) Launched with the aid of who he could round up on the day.
A fair degree has been put into print over the years over his state of mind in the days / hours leading up to the catastrophe. Particularly that game of cards the night before.
Over the years it’s been analysed, the lack of jet thrust from Bluebird as it left the surface. Do you think the lack of refuelling affected the boats trim (over the still present wash? Could also have lead to the engine flaming out?
I can only rely on the books and articles I’ve read over the last few decades. It would be interesting to know other’s thoughts on the matter.
You obviously have a lot of knowledge on this subject. I’d be interested if you have any views or opinions on the accident itself?
It’s always baffled me why DC didn’t refuel on his return run. I guess it has also baffled a few others down the years.
My own opinion is, he’d entered into a sort of ‘bloody mindedness’ - to get the record done.
I think there were also other things playing on his mind. A few snipes from the media, the notoriously awful Cumbrian weather etc. I think he’d also spent a lot of Christmas on his own when a most of the team had departed ( hence the Christmas Day run) Launched with the aid of who he could round up on the day.
A fair degree has been put into print over the years over his state of mind in the days / hours leading up to the catastrophe. Particularly that game of cards the night before.
Over the years it’s been analysed, the lack of jet thrust from Bluebird as it left the surface. Do you think the lack of refuelling affected the boats trim (over the still present wash? Could also have lead to the engine flaming out?
I can only rely on the books and articles I’ve read over the last few decades. It would be interesting to know other’s thoughts on the matter.
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