Crowds gathered at Glenridding on Wednesday to see the legendary Donald Campbell’s Bluebird K7.
The hydroplane was on display to mark the 70th anniversary of Campbell’s first world water speed record on Ullswater.
This week, Bluebird K7 was on display in the car park near Glenridding pier, with those attending the special event including Gina Campbell, his daughter.
She said: “I am honoured to be here at Ullswater 70 years to the day since my father gained his first world water speed record.
He also broke the ‘water barrier’, as, after the tragic death of John Cobb, it was believed that a boat could not reach 200mph without breaking apart — my father proved that wrong.
“Even as a young girl, who was in hospital for minor surgery when he broke the record, I was aware of how momentous it was. The whole ward was full of excitement about my father’s achievement and what it meant for Britain.”
Campbell set seven world water speed records in K7 between July 1955, and December 1964.
The first of these was at Ullswater on July 23 1955, when he achieved a speed of 202.32mph, watched by well-wishers crammed along the shore who saw the speed ace beat the previous record of 178.49mph set by Stanley Sayres.
On January 4 1967, Campbell made his final fatal voyage in K7 while attempting to push his existing world water speed record from 276mph to 300mph on Coniston.
Last year, Bluebird has been based at the Ruskin Museum in Coniston.
Tracy Hodgson, director of the Ruskin Museum said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Ullswater Steamers, The Inn Collection and The Ullswater Association in celebrating 70 years since Donald Campbell achieved his first world water speed record on Ullswater.
“Ullswater will always be a special place in the Campbell story, and we are honoured to be able to display Bluebird K7 at Glenridding Pier close to where she was first launched 70 years ago.”
Over 1,000 people attended the historic event at Glenridding this week. To mark the occasion a special commentary was provided on selected Ullswater Steamers sailings, providing the opportunity to see two marker buoys marking out the measured mile used in K7’s world water speed record.
