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Campbell's Bluebird on display where it was built

BBC Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 hydroplane surrounded by people taking photographsBBC
Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 hydroplane was built at Samlesbury Engineering 70 years ago

Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 hydroplane has gone on show close to where it was built 70 years ago.

The craft was built at Samlesbury Engineering, which was situated next to Samlesbury Hall, Preston.

Campbell died in 1967, aged 46, on Coniston Water, Cumbria, while trying to increase the world water speed record to more than 300mph (480km/h).

His daughter, Gina Campbell, unveiled a plaque at Samlesbury Hall to commemorate the anniversary of Bluebird's completion.

The Bluebird craft in a hangar at the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Poole
Bluebird has been on show at the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Poole

In 2018, the Bluebird Project team ran the craft for the first time in 50 years when it was launched on Loch Fad on the Isle of Bute after being following recovery from the bottom of Coniston Water in 2001.

It was also on show at the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Poole on Sunday, before visiting Samlesbury on its way back to its permanent home at the Ruskin Museum in Cumbria.

Museum director, Tracy Hodgson, said: "Everybody knows she was built here in Lancashire so I'm sure everybody will love coming to see her."

Former engineer Steve Whalley, who helped to organise Bluebird's visit, said: "I served my apprenticeship under the people who build Bluebird initially.

"So I had a conversation with Gina Campbell and said 'wouldn't it be good to have K7 visit the site of the engineering company?' and little beknown to me, it was passing so we hijacked it for a couple of hours with the kind help of Tracy."

Donald Campbell

PA Media Black and white file photo from 1958 of Donald Campbell in the cockpit of his jet-powered hydroplane 'Bluebird' at Lake Coniston, smiling at the camera and wearing a helmetPA Media
Donald Campbell was killed when Bluebird somersaulted on 4 January 1967
  • Donald Campbell set his seven water-speed world records between 1955 and 1964
  • He achieved a further world best on land in 1964 - becoming the only man to set fastest times on water and land in the same year
  • He was killed when Bluebird somersaulted on 4 January 1967, during a bid to break his own record of 276mph (444km/h)
  • The wreckage was raised by a dive team on 8 March 2001
  • Campbell's body was recovered on 28 May that year and he was buried in the village on 12 September

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