Bluebird K7 goes from strength to strength

Pictured above: The Commodore of the Royal Motor Yacht Club with Gina Campbell and the Trophy: Photo credit: David Barzilay

The last time that I wrote about my involvement with Bluebird k7 and future plans I reported on the fact that it had been delivered to the Ruskin Museum in Coniston which is now its permanent home.

That was in March of this year, and much has happened since then, all part of the plans to get the famous hydroplane back on Coniston Water in 2026.

Work continues behind the scenes to inspect the vessel and decide what needs to be done to make this happen.

When the boat was delivered to Coniston it was without an engine. So the hunt was on for two more. One that will be fitted into the craft and one in reserve.

Two Orpheus 101 engines, slightly different from the original 701 engine that powered the boat in the 1966/67 world record attempt, have been acquired and in the past few weeks have been sent to North Weald in Essex to be checked and for any remedial work to be carried out.

One of the engines has a great many of its ‘flying hours’ remaining and we are working with people who are the most familiar with Orpheus Engines in the UK, probably globally. In the past two weeks one of those engines was run up to speed and the second will be tested shortly. K7 will then have one of the engines installed.

Peter Walker, the Chief Engineer working on K7’s engines, and who has worked on Orpheus engines for the past 40 years, starting when he was responsible for certifying the engines for Gnat training aircraft when he was in the RAF, said: “It is great to be part of the Ruskin Museum’s plan to put Bluebird K7 back on the water. Our team of engineers, who probably have more experience with Orpheus engines than anyone else in the world, will make sure that they are totally up to spec.” Peter and his team keep several historic Gnat training aircraft, as used by the Red Arrows before their current Hawk T1.

In October Bluebird K7 was reunited with the World Water Speed Trophy for the first time since Donald Campbell CBE’s tragic death on Coniston Water in 1967.

On Friday 4th October the record-breaking boat made a private visit to the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Poole to celebrate the club’s long relationship with the water speed record. The club is custodian of the World Water Speed Trophy which has been presented to the fastest boat on water for the past 87 years.

The trophy has spent many years in Australia with the family of the current holder, Ken Warby. Since his death last year, the family have allowed the club to collect the trophy from Australia and return it to its home in Poole.

Commodore of the club, Graham Turner, said: “To have both Bluebird K7 and the trophy together for the first time in more than 50 years is a great honour for the club and its members.”

He added: “The trophy’s return started with a sad event – the passing of Ken Warby who had held the record of 317mph since 1978 – an incredible achievement considering the advances in technology during the past nearly 50 years.”

The reunification of the trophy and Bluebird was celebrated at the club with a luncheon for members and special guests which included Donald Campbell’s daughter, Gina Campbell, Malcolm Campbell’s grandsons Don Wales and Peter Hulme, who are Trustees of the Campbell Family Heritage Trust.

Tracy Hodgson, Director of the Ruskin Museum, which gave special permission for the boat to leave its home at the museum in Coniston said: “Taking Bluebird K7 out of the museum is not something that we take lightly as we never want to disappoint people who travel from all over the world to see it. But this event is a very special occasion.”

The trophy was made in 1870 for the then Prince of Wales as a cup for schooner racing in the UK, replacing the Americas Cup which had been lost to the USA previously. In 1937 the Trophy was given to the Royal Motor Yacht Club and has been presented as The World’s Water Speed Trophy ever since. Donald Campbell last held the record at 276mph, but this was then exceeded by Australian Ken Warby in 1978 and despite several attempts remains unbeaten. However, there are now credible teams preparing to challenge for the trophy from UK and Australia, including the current holder’s son Dave Warby, who has already achieved more than 260mph in his preparations.

Although the visit to the RMYC was for members only, the public were able to enjoy this rare opportunity to see the vessel at the National Motor Museum Beaulieu in Hampshire on Sunday 6th October.

In the last few weeks, we have announced that Dave Warby, son of Ken Warby MBE, and a current world water speed challenger in Spirit of Australia II, is to be the pilot of Donald Campbell’s hydroplane Bluebird K7 when it runs on Coniston Water in 2026.

His reserve will be RAF pilot Flight Lt David-John Gibbs from Grantham, Lincolnshire, who is the designated pilot for the Longbow speed record challenge being led by Dave Aldred.

This was a major announcement as we take yet another step in putting Bluebird K7 back on Coniston Water for the first time since the crash which killed Donald Campbell, CBE, as he made another attempt at raising the World Water Speed Record on 4th January 1967.

Dave Warby said: “It’s a tremendous honour to be asked to pilot Bluebird K7 by the Ruskin Museum. Donald Campbell and Bluebird K7 was the inspiration for my father, Ken Warby MBE to successfully challenge the Unlimited World Water Speed Record. My father was in communication with the late Leo Villa throughout his project, sharing thoughts on his progress, eventually meeting Leo during a visit to London in 1979.

“Bluebird K7 is the most iconic Water Speed Record boat in the world, we look forward to working with the Ruskin Museum & partners, along with the Campbell family, and the Coniston community.”

He added: “Seeing my father design and build Spirit of Australia in the family backyard, then setting two World Water speed records was a huge inspiration for me. Now having built and driving my own boat, Spirit of Australia II, towards a water speed record, now over 275mph, this experience will be invaluable in driving Bluebird K7 on Coniston Water in a safe, successful manner.”

Flt Lt David-John Gibbs said: “I feel exceptionally privileged to have been selected as a pilot for Bluebird K7. I’m looking forward to the challenge of driving the boat and working closely with the Ruskin Museum and the team as we bring Bluebird K7 back to running order.”

David is Officer Commanding Tutor Standards Flight in the RAF, where he and his team ensure that all Tutor flying instructors are operating to the required level of proficiency.

He is an active pilot outside work and instructs on several historic ex-military aeroplanes, including the Jet Provost, L29 Delfin, Chipmunk and Tiger Moth, and operates a collection of vintage gliders. To date he has logged more than 6,000 flying hours on 50 different types of aircraft.