Bluebird finally runs at speed on Coniston return
Matthew WillisDonald Campbell's restored Bluebird has finally taken to Coniston Water at speed following days beset by technical woes.
The hydroplane, used to set seven world water speed records, returned to action at Coniston on Monday for the first time since its pilot was killed in a crash in January 1967.
Hampered by an engine power issue, its had failed three times in the following days to reach a speed that would enable it to "plane" - the point at which hydrodynamics enable it to skim across the surface of the lake.
But after several hours in the workshop on Friday, its current pilot Australian Dave Warby was able to reach about 100mph (160km/h).
Campbell's daughter Gina was once again in attendance having been at the site on Monday.
'Like a scolded cat'
Jeff Carroll, chairman of the Ruskin Museum which owns the craft and organised the week-long event, said Bluebird had "finally strutted her stuff".
"It's what everybody has been waiting to see all week - the people who came to see her, the engineering team.
"Everybody has been in a state of anticipation and frustration that she wasn't quite doing what we needed her to do.
"It's pretty much a dream come true and we've done it. She doesn't plane until between 60 and 70mph. It's awe-inspiring.
"Once she gets up and over the hump, she's off like a scolded cat. It's remarkable."
Engineers replaced part of the fuel delivery system in order to resolve issues seen earlier in the week when sufficient thrust was not able to be generated.
Carroll said: "She swallows a lot of juice and wasn't quite getting enough. What the engineers have done was enough to get her up and off."
Pilot Warby said the run was a fitting reward for "all the hard work" done by the engineering team.
"It wasn't an easy task, but they've done a really good job.
"Once it went over 80mph and 80% thrust, you knew it was going to go and it got to about 100mph."
For Warby, himself a water speed record challenger and the son of current world record holder Ken, his involvement has been made even more special as he grew up idolising Campbell.
"Just to see the impact on people like Gina and the community… people forget that after the accident the community had to deal with it
"When the media go away, they're still here, so to see that support is incredible.
"I'm not trying to fill anyone's shoes. I'm just trying to do the right thing by Donald and the community."
Organisers have been hoping Bluebird could manage 150mph (240km/h) at some point through the week-long event, which is being staged close to the 70th anniversary of Donald Campbell setting the first of four water speed records on the lake.
With the forecast looking promising across the weekend, they are confident Warby will manage to make several more high-speed runs.
There had been criticism from some visitors in person and on social media on Monday after Bluebird made only two slow ventures between 15:00 and 16:30 BST.
In response to those comments, festival bosses said they were "sorry many left disappointed" but safety was the "first priority" and a number of checks had to be completed on the day.
