Bluebird wreck on ebay? Right or wrong?
Bluebird wreck on ebay? Right or wrong?
Author
Discussion

alexkp

Original Poster:

16,484 posts

274 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
Is she right or wrong?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/4391702.stm

cotty

42,248 posts

314 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
I dont think it should be restored. How much of the original boat, and thus history, are they going to have to throw away.

If she wanted a nice shiny new one, then build it dont use the original.

Who's boat is it?, can the diver claim salvage rights
"The wreck of the craft was raised from Coniston Water in the Lake District in 2001 and has sat in the workshop of the diver who found it ever since. "

yertis

19,719 posts

296 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
I read about this whole sorry story the other day. What a mess. They should put the wreck, as a wreck, alongside one of the other Bluebirds, or chuck it back into Coniston.

406

3,636 posts

283 months

GregE240

10,857 posts

297 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
If the HLF have said no, whats to stop her trying to raise the money herself?

FFS.

pdV6

16,442 posts

291 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
I tend to agree. Either display it as is or do a complete restoration. Can't see the point of a "partial" restoration.

Of the 2, I'd prefer the wreck.

To introduce a 3rd option, how about displaying the wreck and using the lottery cash to fund an as-new replica to display alongside it?

Nick_F

10,598 posts

276 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
It should be restored - the alternative is a little on the ghoulish side.

I don't know if it's in the proposed plan, but to have it running again would be a terrific tribute to Campbell's memory and his achievements.

simpo two

92,874 posts

295 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
Tough one.

If your father was killed in a car crash, would you want the car kept and put on public display, either damaged or repaired? I suppose the difference is that this is of historic importance.

Does it help resolve the issue if we think of similar examples, eg what happened to the F1 car Ayrton Senna was killed in?

MarkBarton

428 posts

293 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
I just hope the eBay thing is an empty threat to grab a headline or two and raise the case's profile. To see it on eBay really would do Campbell's memory a great disservice.

pdV6

16,442 posts

291 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
MarkBarton said:
I just hope the eBay thing is an empty threat to grab a headline or two

Undoubtedly. Even the way the BBC article is written suggests this.

scared but happy

24,147 posts

259 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
As before:-
It is one of those huge problems I think.
If it was a piece of furniture they would like to leave it in a 'distressed look'.
But a classic car would like a complete makeover..But would you do that to a classic rally car? or would you like some of the dents and knocks left in from say a 1976 rally stage where driver xxxx slid off some high path into the trees or sticky labels left on the controls by the co-pilot?.
Personally I agree with the Lottery. Some stages of crashed machine would be nice as it is basicly his coffin. BUT not to a morbid stage.

simpo two

92,874 posts

295 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
scared but happy said:
But a classic car would like a complete makeover..But would you do that to a classic rally car? or would you like some of the dents and knocks left in from say a 1976 rally stage where driver xxxx slid off some high path into the trees or sticky labels left on the controls by the co-pilot?

But what if someone had died in it?

andy mac

73,668 posts

285 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
They should have left it at the bottom of the lake...

scared but happy

24,147 posts

259 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
simpo two said:

scared but happy said:
But a classic car would like a complete makeover..But would you do that to a classic rally car? or would you like some of the dents and knocks left in from say a 1976 rally stage where driver xxxx slid off some high path into the trees or sticky labels left on the controls by the co-pilot?


But what if someone had died in it?

Hmmm....Show the car 'as is' would be best
Hands up how many people have been to an air museum? Most of the wreckage you see have had mobid pasts and how many of them have been rebuilt? Just because someone has the landspeed record does that make them any better than an airman fighing for his country?

richardthestag

1,406 posts

263 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
It was good enough for Parry Thomas's Babs and how we all marvel at that when we see it running.

Money, Lottery or otherwise, should be raised to restore the boat to original condition and keep all the bent bits in a box for historical interest. Failing that Ms Campbell should arrange to have it dropped back into the lake as a memorial to her dad..

Of course the E-bay comments are mean't to shock, if the Campbell family don't want the wreck in a museum for the gouls to pour over then they are hardly going to let someone else outside their control do exactly that are they?

R

rsvmilly

11,288 posts

271 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
Should we restore the Mary Rose?

I agree with the earlier poster, that a replica should be made.

simpo two

92,874 posts

295 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
scared but happy said:
Hands up how many people have been to an air museum? Most of the wreckage you see have had mobid pasts and how many of them have been rebuilt? Just because someone has the landspeed record does that make them any better than an airman fighing for his country?

Good point. I think the difference here is that we all know who the victim was, hew was famous and it's relatively recent. 'Babs' crashed back in the 20's I think, and somehow that seems more acceptable. So maybe it's the time delay that helps.

FourWheelDrift

92,325 posts

314 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
simpo two said:

Does it help resolve the issue if we think of similar examples, eg what happened to the F1 car Ayrton Senna was killed in?


Still impounded by the Italians I think.

oyster

13,777 posts

278 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
FourWheelDrift said:

simpo two said:

Does it help resolve the issue if we think of similar examples, eg what happened to the F1 car Ayrton Senna was killed in?



Still impounded by the Italians I think.


Yes but if it were to be put up for display, would it be as it is (a wreck) or restored to how it was before the accident?

I certainly think there is something very morbid and perhaps even disrespectful to want to display a wrecked machine in which a person lost their life. It smacks of voyeurism and 'car crash tv' mentality to me.

nonegreen

7,803 posts

300 months

Monday 31st October 2005
quotequote all
This is disgusting. The boat came out of the lake almost intact and it visibly deteriorated as the air got to it. (I know cos I watched it coming out of the lake I was there). The truth is the shitty green heritage squandering fund managers want the front of the boat left as is to show what happens to people who push the envelope of technology. They are part of the green establishment and believe speed kills and lots of other bullshit. Donald Campbell hit the water and went through the webbing straps holding him in place, the perspex bubble then smashed into his head and decapitated him. The only real damage to the boat apart from the sponsons becoming detached was the frontal damage that occured on impact. It is ludicrous to do anything other than restore the boat and put it on display in the museum in Consiton. Campbell is one of the people whos life and death we should celebrate because he was a very great man. Incidentally the idiot that salvaged the boat wants it restored so he can drive it up and down the lake.

There are some plonkers involved in this.