Petition to return Donald Campbell's Bluebird to Coniston

[Equus]

Those with any interest will know that things have turned unpleasant between the company set up to restore Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 on a self-funding basis, and the Ruskin Museum in Coniston, who legally own her.

In simple terms, Bluebird Project Limited, the company set up to restore her, are refusing to hand her back to the Ruskin Museum, unless the latter gives undertakings that BBP retains the rights to maintain and run her... on the basis of a legal agreement that they (BBP) drafted back in 2013 but was never accepted or signed by the Ruskin.

All this would just be boring bickering between two parties, were it not for the fact that the guy who effectively controls BBP, in response to a formal claim by the Ruskin, is now threatening to break Bluebird up rather than to hand her over to her rightful owners.

Bill Smith from BBP said:

...it's correct that we'll dismantle K7 if necessary. If the museum repudiates the 2013 agreement (which they never signed up to!!) we'll just remove all our parts and give theirs back

He has previously claimed that 90% of the recovered wreck, which was largely intact from the cockpit backwards, has been re-used in the restoration, so separating the restored and replaced work from original material would irrevocably destroy this hugely important part of our engineering and record-breaking heritage.

Edited by Equus on Monday 6th May 16:25

[Blakeatron]

We were asked to build some benches for the team to sit on whilst working inside the restoration to prevent further damage.

The team were doing an amazing job and the amount and level of work being undertaken was very impressive.

However i got the feeling from Bill that it was extremely personal and not a work project in the slightest.

Shame it has come to this, hopefully it can all be sorted

[Equus]

Blakeatron said:

However i got the feeling from Bill that it was extremely personal and not a work project in the slightest.

Yes, that's the problem, I think.

Whilst not wishing to detract at all from the work they've done on the restoration, the original understanding was that the boat was gifted to the Ruskin Museum, who would display her (statically, in the museum, and under a controlled series of public runs on the lake), whereas BBP would restore her on a self-funding basis, by donation and voluntary efforts.

Now that the restoration has finished, it is obvious that he basically doesn't want to hand her back... she's too much fun as his personal toy.

To threaten to break her up again if he doesn't get his way is outrageous, though, and really must be prevented at all costs.

[kuro]

This all started with best intentions but with hindsight, maybe K7 should have been left at the bottom of Coniston. Bill Smith isn't doing himself any favours acting in this manner.

[WJNB]

Does Donald Campbell's daughter have a say in this? ( I assume she is still with us )

[redback911]

Agreed with the sentiments expressed so far.

Bluebird was loaned to Bill Smith with the written understanding that the restored Bluebird would be returned to the Ruskin Museum, then it would be put on permanent display for the public to view. Bill Smith should not renege on a deal.

The museum raised money specifically build and house Bluebird. Would donations be returned if Bluebird is not housed at the museum, who would compensate the museum to do this? No idea on the financials of the museum but having Bluebird in situ would definitely help with financial security and keep an iconic and historical piece of engineering safe.

Maybe there would be exhibition runs in the future, but that is for the museum and its trusties to decide, not Bill Smith - who did an incredible job of salvaging and then rebuilding Bluebird.

As above... Shame its come to this.

[Equus]

WJNB said:

Does Donald Campbell's daughter have a say in this? ( I assume she is still with us )

Yes, she's still with us, but not terribly helpful as she seems to change her views more frequently than she changes her knickers (usually to whatever will generate the biggest headlines).

It was, however, Gina who legally gifted the boat to the Ruskin in the first place.

She's looking scarily like her grandfather, Sir Malcolm, these days, incidentally.

[redback911]

WJNB said:

Does Donald Campbell's daughter have a say in this? ( I assume she is still with us )

Yup - Gina Campbell - who believes, and I quote... [would be] criminal to keep her father's restored boat as a static exhibit in the museum.

[gazza285]

I have donated to the project, a decision I regret, now it has turned into this rather undignified squabble. It was well known that the restored Bluebird would be on static display in the museum, quite how Mr Smith didn't grasp this is perplexing, and however much he might believe it to be otherwise, the boat is not his.

[Equus]

redback911 said:

WJNB said:

Does Donald Campbell's daughter have a say in this? ( I assume she is still with us )

Yup - Gina Campbell - who believes, and I quote... [would be] criminal to keep her father's restored boat as a static exhibit in the museum.

Yup, the same Gina Campbell who also believes (and I quote directly and in full a statement that she made to the Speed Record Group - but we got a mention here at PistonHeads too):

Gina Campbell said:

I'm very suddenly aware that in view of all the discussions and comments on Piston Heads and other Forums there is a ground swell of people wanting to know where I personally stand on the future of K7.

My personal position, and I stress MINE, is that I wish for my Fathers boat to be on display at the Ruskin Museum for this summer season.

My feelings on her ever being run again are very negative, after watching the bbc2 film recently my emotions feelings and thoughts have taken a battering, and I now realise that it would be very wrong for her to run. Notwithstanding the risks to both human life and machine it would be sacrilege to my fathers endeavours and memory, equally to hear that main parts of my Dad where never recovered from the lake makes me very uneasy, therefore I now totally withdraw my support for K7 to run again.

You may pass my wishes onto the interested parties on the various forums to which I believe you have access.

Kind regards. Gina C

As I said, more opinions than clean knickers, so probably best not to second guess what she would say this morning.

[Hatson]

The OP's tasteless insulting criticism of Gina Campbell and the fact that we are venturing into the realms of litigation virtually assures this thread will self destruct. So any important posts need making spritely before your chance evaporates.

[Equus]

Hatson said:

The OP's tasteless insulting criticism of Gina Campbell and the fact that we are venturing into the realms of litigation virtually assures this thread will self destruct. So any important posts need making spritely before your chance evaporates.

Both myself and redback are simply quoting directly what the lady herself has said.

You can draw your own conclusion from the fact that the two statements contradict each other completely?

Tastless or not, the simple truth is that she changes her opinion according to which way the wind blows, so it's not a good idea to rely on what she is saying at any given point.

Edited by Equus on Monday 6th May 17:37

[saaby93]

WJNB said:

Does Donald Campbell's daughter have a say in this? ( I assume she is still with us )

Thats one of the problems
She changed her mind was intially wary of raising it but now believes that it ought to be out there on the lake running from time to time so doesnt want to see it forming a static museum piece ( as per the petition) and seems to be more in line with Bill

[Equus]

For the record: the Ruskin has stated a firm commitment to seeing Bluebird run on Coniston. Even Smith has acknowledged as much, and it's there in writing on the front page of their website:

We are committed to see Bluebird K7 on Coniston Water again, its spiritual home

This is not about whether Bluebird will run again or not. It's about whether Bill Smith will hand her back to her rightful owners, or effectively scrap her in a fit of pique, as he has threatened (in writing) will happen if they pursue their legal claim.

Edited by jeremyc on Monday 6th May 18:29

[Ardennes92]

Is there a link to the petition and it’s aims/goals?

[Scrump]

Existing thread here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...