A letter from the Deputy Editor – October 2025

Pictured above: Bluebird K7 on the back of the Steeles’ truck that will carry her in the show, photograph by Asadour Guzelian

As I write this, I am sitting at my desk surrounded by movement orders, media requests, lists of attendees, proposed media packs, information directives from the BBC, I could go on but all are relating to Bluebird K7, Donald Campbell’s water speed record breaking hydroplane.

Yes, as many of you know it’s going to be our entry in the Lady Mayor’s Show. And what an entry with the Surbiton Royal British Legion Youth Marching Band at the front playing Clerk Lt Col Craig Hallatt’s music: the Bluebird K7 March (third movement of his Bluebird K7 Suite for Orchestra) which I asked him to compose to celebrate the life and death of Donald Campbell. There will also be a B Type bus behind us, courtesy of the Worshipful Company of Carmen, who are welcoming Bluebird with us.

This all came about after a call to Pageant Master Dominic Reid OBE, who has been running the Lord Mayor’s Show for the past 33 years and asking what he thought about having Bluebird K7 in this year’s show. He said yes and was gracious enough to allow it to be extended to include the band and the B Type bus.

Pageant Master Dominic Reid OBE in unform

I am privileged to say that I am part of the ‘A’ team that has pulled this plan together. Of course, it’s great when a plan comes together, well not quite yet, but it will do in the next few days and is down to people such as our Immediate Past Master Stephen Fitz-Gerald and the support of Master Richard Charlesworth MVO, who unfortunately can’t be with us at the Show, but agreed to our plans and suggestions. Many of these came from the Immediate Past Master who had initial conversations with the Lady Mayor elect Dame Susan Langley DBE, and her husband Gary Langley about how we could work together to make the Bluebird idea happen.

As Chair of the Livery Committee, Honorary Assistant Richard Robinson has also chaired the Lady Mayor’s show committee and has been responsible for putting together all the documentation related to where we will be on the day, including the not insignificant relevant passes. He will be in charge of the operation on the ground.

Also Honorary Assistant David Barrett, who I am starting to discover is almost like a secret agent moving round the city making things happen – is there anybody that he doesn’t know? I hope his little black book never falls into the wrong hands!

Assistant Lyn Litchfield, the Chairman of the Comms Committee has played her part as I have delved in and out of media and social media strategy to ensure that as many people as possible know what we are going to do and report on it as it is happening.

In this regard I am pleased to be able to tell you that we have put together a media strategy and plan which will not only deal with getting our message out during the show, but which we hope will be a legacy and assist with our 350th celebrations.

So, what are our plans?

Bluebird will travel to London on Thursday evening before the Lady Mayor’s Show, so that we can show it to the public and have our own press call with Dame Susan Langley DBE. This will take place at Mansion House shortly before she leaves to travel to Guildhall to take part in the Silent Ceremony on Friday 7th November. The company will be represented at this event by Past Master Julian Leach, Clerk Lt Col Craig Hallatt and Junior Warden Eric Wallbank.

The images of this event and a caption story will be circulated to the national and London press. We will have our own film crew shooting this to broadcast quality so we can send feeds to any broadcaster who would like it but also have this unique footage for our own use as in perpetuity but particularly for our 350th celebrations.

After this event Bluebird K7 will travel to Grand Avenue at Smithfield. where it will stay until it is moved into the procession on Saturday morning.

Mr Whoppit, Donald Campbell’s mascot, held by his daughter, Gina Campbell, photograph by Asadour Guzelian

When Bluebird crashed and Donald Campbell was killed in 1967 his mascot, Mr Whoppit, a small bear which accompanied him on all his record attempts popped to the surface. Ever since the bear has been looked after by Donald’s daughter, Gina. On this occasion the famous bear will be carried by Don Wales, Donald Campbell’s nephew. I had the pleasure to present a replica to Dame Susan Langley DBE which she will take to the show.

Prior to this, Bluebird K7 will be taken to a location where the BBC will feature it as part of their programming for the show, which will be live and go out to around 20 million people globally. That is the current plan but as you know editorial decisions can change.

Hopefully they will be interviewing Don Wales, grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell MBE and nephew of Donald Campbell CBE who, between them, broke more than 21 world land and water speed records in their famous Bluebird vehicles. Sir Malcolm died in 1948, before Don was born.

Our guests for the day include Don Wales, Donald’s nephew Peter Hulme, Gina Campbell’s partner Brian Eastham, Chairman of the Trustee Board of the Ruskin Museum Jeff Carroll and his wife Janette, and Director of the Ruskin Museum, Tracy Hodgson.

Don holds a number of speed records. He held the British Land Speed Record for an electric car from 1998 to 2012 with his Bluebird Electric car. And he is the current holder of the World Land Speed Record for a car powered by Steam at 148mph. But he previously held an even more unconventional record, the Guinness World Record for the fastest ride on a lawn mower, he broke the record twice in May 2010 on Pendine Sands with average speeds of 86 and 87mph over the mile and a top speed of 94mph.

Don was a previous shared owner of Bluebird K7. He agreed to the donation of his uncle’s record-breaking boat to the Ruskin Museum, for its protection.

He runs the Campbell Family Heritage Trust to help keep the family name alive and raise funds for its future protection.

After the interview, K7, preceded by the Royal British Legion Band and followed by an original D-Type bus provided by the Carmen, will proceed to Mansion House and take part in the procession which starts at 10am and finishes at 3pm.

The 4-ton D-Type Dennis bus built in 1925, restored by the Master Carmen

The bus was provided by Leon Daniels OBE, Immediate Past Master of the Carmen who is also Chairman of the London Bus Museum at Brooklands, which is where the bus resides.

Leon said: “It is an honour to drive this wonderful old bus in the Lady Mayor’s Show and bring it back to the streets of London 100 years after it was built.”

In a joint agreement between the Ruskin Museum and this Company, the whole event will be filmed so both organisations can use the footage going forward. Our ultimate intention is to put together a programme which will feature the outstanding music that Craig has written and which will be available on DVD or be downloaded for a small fee.

So, I think this sums up what is the longest editorial letter I have written. But I thought it sensible to put it all together in one place. Before I finish this month there are some great articles you should read, from the Master’s and Clerk’s news to the election of the Lady Mayor and yet another great piece on coach building’s influential Past Masters by Mike Jurd. It’s always interesting to review our history and heritage.

It’s also good to look at the future and what our young people are doing. We have a great article about how the Coachmakers has helped students develop the next Mars Rover at the Brooklands Innovation Day – our expertise knows no bounds.

Anyhow it’s time to close. If you couldn’t get a place on the float, then you can of course join the thousands of people who will line the route of the Lady Mayor’s Show and if that is not possible do tune into the BBC coverage on the morning of 8th November. It should be quite a day.

Deputy Editor, David