Donald Campbell’s iconic Bluebird K7 is set to return to the water as part of a festival marking the 70th anniversary of the craft’s world speed record successes on Coniston.
Campbell and his K7 boat became synonymous with Coniston from the mid-1950s onwards, as they continued to record water speed records.
Campbell was killed when Bluebird K7 crashed during a subsequent speed record attempt on Coniston Water in January 1967.
After the wreckage of Bluebird K7 was raised in 2001 and painstakingly rebuilt by The Bluebird Project in North Shields, it returned to Coniston in 2024, where it has since been housed in a special annexe of the Ruskin Museum.
The festival will run from Monday May 11 until Sunday May 17.
Tracy Hodgson, director of the Ruskin Museum in Coniston and one of the lead organisers of the Bluebird K7 Festival, said: “Since Bluebird K7 returned to Coniston we have had thousands of extra visitors coming specially to see her in the place that is so synonymous Donald Campbell and his successful water speed runs.
“This festival is the culmination of many months of hard work from the organisation team, volunteers and Bluebird supporters, and it will be fitting to see her back out on Coniston, almost 60 years on from that fateful last speed record attempt.
“We are grateful to all who helped make this festival happen, from our wonderful volunteers, sponsors and delivery partners to Westmorland & Furness Council, the Lake District National Park and National Trust. This will be a truly unmissable event.
“The eyes of the world will be on Coniston, and we are keeping everything crossed for good weather and water conditions to enable decent running speeds, so that everyone who makes the journey to participate in the festival goes home happy.”
During the week Bluebird K7 will be piloted by Dave Warby, with a reserve pilot, serving RAF flight instructor DJ Gibbs, joining later on in the week when he is released
from active military duty.
Organisers have said the plan is to operate runs on Coniston as frequently as weather and water conditions will allow throughout the festival, with daytime activities scheduled Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
Festival events include Donald Campbell’s Land Rover and other classic cars on display, and the visit of predecessor Blue Bird K3, the craft his father Sir Malcom
used to set world speed records during the late 1930s, which should also take to the water, conditions permitting.
A series of evening presentations are planned, including Full Steam Ahead, presented by Don Wales, Campbell’s nephew, on Thursday May 14, in which attendees can
hear the story behind Britain’s ambitious steam-powered land-speed record challenge.
There will also be interviews with Bluebird K7’s pilots, talks about the previous world speed record attempts, and film screenings of How Long a Mile and Scrap Book 57.
Jeff Carroll, chair of Coniston Institute & Ruskin Museum, says: “It has been a labour of love to get Bluebird K7 back out on Coniston.
“I am looking forward to seeing her up on the plane, doing what she was built to do, showcasing that engineering prowess that was so synonymous with Great Britain in the 1950s and 60s.
“In showing that K7 is fully operational, we hope to inspire a new generation of engineers to think big, think bold and for local schoolchildren to remember that a place
like Coniston, where they call home, can be the site of significant world history.
“Safety will be paramount. Traffic, parking and visitor management plans are in place, with controlled viewing areas and restrictions on waterborne access and unauthorised drone use. Use the website to book, as this is the only way to guarantee parking.”
Key sponsors of the event include Tysers insurance brokers, which has put in place the complex insurance programme for the Bluebird K7 Festival.
Sir Malcolm worked for the firm in the 1920s.
Aqua Pura, the Cumbrian mineral water company, another sponsor, will be providing water for volunteers and the first aid stations, while sponsors Joss Engineering has provided machining services to those preparing Bluebird K7 for the festival.
Mercedes-Benz Carlisle will provide a pop-up showroom at the festival and CGP Books, locally headquartered publisher of best-selling educational guides, is also a key sponsor.
Coppermines & Lakes Cottages is sponsoring accommodation for the Warby Motorsport Team and the water safety teams.
Ulverston Brewery has created a beer called Full Chat exclusively for the festival, while Lakes Loos is providing WC facilities.
