And Now - Bluebird For Scrap
Published in the Daily Express Friday 8th November 1957 by Express Staff Reporter
Original Newspaper article supplied by Fred Blois

'SHE'S REACHED LIMIT'
Bluebird shattered the world water speed record yesterday - and is already headed for the scrapyard as out of date. Thirty six year old Donald Campbell said after his record two-way run: "I am not prepared to stick my neck out any further in her, although the power is there to do it." "Next year you may see a much stranger looking animal on Coniston Water. But this year I will make no attempt to beat the new figures."

Campbell's new record, 239.07 miles an hour, is 13.44 miles an hour better than his run last September. He said the 10-year-old boat was designed for 250 miles an hour, but has twice beaten that. Now a new design was necessary to top the 300 miles an hour mark.

Mr Campbell added: "Bluebird in her present form, will not see 300 miles an hour. We are now on the top limit in safety." "I contemplate a new design, but I don't want to say anything about it yet. We must have new experiments in the wind tunnel."

A wicked looking swell at the south end of the lake baulked the 250 miles an hour attempt. Leo Villa, chief mechanic, made the decision after Bluebird skimmed southwards in bright sunshine at 260.107 miles an hour.

Up, up, up to 239.07 miles an hour... Bluebird roars to a world record across Coniston Water

On his radio head-set skipper Campbell heard the warning: "That was a very nasty ride Don, take it easy going back." Conditions were altering almost every minute. From a motor launch down the course Leo Villa watched and measured carefully the wash from Bluebird's first run. Then Campbell decided he would make the run back without refuelling. Leo Villa warned about the wash which had widened to between 400 and 500ft." "Watch it Don, if your coming straight back."

Before the wash could reach the shores and rebound, Campbell was off again. He took Villa's advice to keep on the same track. "Coming now, Watch out," yelled Campbell as the timekeepers and rescue launches stood by. "Good luck, but take it easy," came back from Villa as once again Bluebird roared into action.

It was a bumpy ride back at 218.024 miles an hour. This gave an average for the two runs of 239.065 miles an hour. As timekeepers have to declare to the nearest two decimal points, the record went down officially as 239.07.

When Bluebird's team went to the lake at 6.30 a.m. yesterday a keen frost had whitened the fellsides and the shore. All along the shore bonfires were lit by waiting spectators who had taken picnic outfits to make hot drinks.

This was the timetable:-
9.41. Lake mist reduced visibility to 200 yards at the south end.

9.44. Visibility 400 to 500 feet along the measured kilometre.

9.57. A sweep and search for driftwood completed. Frogman Jim Hinton standing by in rescue launch.

9.59. Team manager Andy Brown reported mist lift and water excellent at the south end.

10.00. Timekeepers told: "Be ready."

10.01. Donald Campbell called for a "cut the cackle" radio silence as he squeezed into the cockpit.

10.02. Bluebird taken to starting position.

10.03. Off. "She's riding like hell," radioed Campbell.

10.04. Bluebird arrived south end. Leo Villa commented: "Very nasty ride Don."

10.06. Villa reported "260, that's the figure skipper. Well done."

10.08. Return run started. Campbell could be heard: "it's pretty rough." Villa warned, "Your nose is up. Be careful." That was a warning that if the nose lifted more than 3 1/2 degrees owing to waves or swell the boat would leap into the air and turn over backwards.

10.09. Bluebird back at north end.

10.10. Tied up at pier.

Seven minutes from the pier and back - and a new record was in the bag. "I dared not stop to refuel," said Campbell. "Every minute was vital. There was the menace of the wind coming up. I got a real pasting."

Don Campbell's mother, Lady Campbell, missed the show. "I was left at the hotel without a car," she said. Then she kissed her son and said "That's 16 records for the family, darling."

The late Sir Malcolm Campbell, Donald's father, had nine land and three water speed records. Donald has four records.