Bluebird resurrected

[Serious News]

Bluebird resurrected: Historic boat used to break the world water speed record in 1937 is restored to its former glory
By Richard Creasy for The Mail on Sunday

It has taken two decades of painstaking work in a converted chicken shed but the iconic Bluebird powerboat that smashed the world speed record in 1937 is ready to take to the water again. After a remarkable restoration project the 130mph craft, driven into the history books by Sir Malcolm Campbell, has been faithfully rebuilt.

And next month to mark the 75th anniversary of Sir Malcolm breaking the water speed record the boat will power along the River Thames in a fitting tribute to the racing legend.


Back in action: The newly-restored Bluebird K3 takes it's first run earlier this year at Bewl Water, Kent with owner Karl Foulkes-Halbard at the wheel


Rebuild: It has taken two decades to restore the 130mph craft

The 23ft long powerboat had been virtually left to rot after the successful record breaking runs but has now been fully restored by a handful of craftsmen toiling away in a tiny workshop in East Sussex. The boat, named Bluebird K3, is now owned by powerboat fanatic Karl Foulkes-Halbard who has masterminded the project he started way back in 1990.

It was recently lowered into the water for secret trials at a reservoir in southern England. 'To see the original Bluebird boat back on the water after all this time made the hairs on my neck stand up,' said Mr Foulkes-Halbard. 'It has been a long labour of love to get to this stage and a huge number of man hours but the boat is now as it was when Sir Malcolm broke the record all those years ago.

'This is an incredible piece of British marine history brought back to life. The tests went well and o see it perform in its natural environment again is just a fantastic slice of nostalgia.' Speed ace Sir Malcolm was the father of Donald Campbell who died in 1967 on Lake Coniston, Cumbria trying to increase the world water speed record above 300mph. Donald was killed when his Bluebird K7, a successor to the K3, flipped over and sank and the wreckage not recovered until 2001.


Monumental: 'This is an incredible piece of British marine history brought back to life,' says Foulkes-Halbard


Tragic: Donald Campbell, pictured in 1937, pictured driving the watercraft in 1967, died when his Bluebird K7, a successor to the K3, flipped over and sank on Lake Coniston, Cumbria

But in 1937 and again a year later Sir Malcolm reached speeds of up to 130.91mph on Lake Maggiore on the Swiss-Italian border to bring the water speed record back to Great Britain from holders America - a feat that subsequently inspired his son.

Now the entire structure of the K3 including the wooden hull and decking have been rebuilt in the unlikely surroundings of a disused chicken shed in the grounds of Filching Manor near Eastbourne where Mr Foulkes-Halbard runs a motor museum.

'My late father got hold of the original boat from the Campbell family in 1988 and it was in a terrible state. 'It had been neglected for many years but we had a dream to get it back on the water and going through its paces one day. 'We moved some lathes and workbenches into the chicken shed and called in some fantastic craftsmen. 'The wooden hull in particular was in very poor condition and the engine, clutch, gearbox and drive system were reinstated.

'We never imagined it would take this long but we wanted everything to be perfect. The boat is the same colour and the original steering wheel still works well.


Racing pioneers: Sir Malcolm Campbell (right) with his son Donald Campbell


Labour of love: The Bluebird K3 was restored by a handful of craftsmen in a tiny workshop in East Sussex

'Everything has been done to the original standards and we have got her up to 50mph and will soon be doing around 70mph.

'I am not sure how much faster we will be allowed to go for safety reasons but she still handles magnificently,' added Mr Foulkes-Halbard who pilots the powerboat.

Watching David Beckham on a speedboat during the London 2012 opening ceremony gave him the inspiration to relaunch K3 on the River Thames with dates being planned in September. Next year he intends to take K3 back to Lake Maggiore to recreate the magnificent record breaking attempts of the 30s. He described Sir Malcolm as a 'larger than life Boys Own figure' who revolutionised powerboat technology with his teams of top designers in the 1930s.

He says he has no idea how much it has cost over the years to restore the boat but because of its history it is now 'priceless'.

The pioneering Bluebird legacy has helped define the British love affair with speed records. Bluebird cars and boats have amassed more than 20 world land and water speed records since Sir Malcolm first took the land speed record in 1924. Sir Malcolm's grandson Donald Wales, who is following the family tradition of speedsters and recently tried to smash the land electric speed record in his Bluebird Electric supercar, is thrilled with the project. The 50-year-old, who is also Donald Campbell's nephew, said: 'I think it has been a tremendous effort by Karl and his small team to get this craft back to working order and looking wonderful.

'I am immensely proud of anything that keeps my grandfather's name alive. This boat was a very important part of our boating and racing history.

'This is a fabulous thing to have done.'

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