I am too young to remember Mr Donald Campbells death, but I have been interested in his doings for many years and I'm thrilled by everything that is Donald Campbell and Bluebird. The man is an icon, the boat is iconic, and quite simply that machine has every right to be taken up that lake one last time. Donald Campbell will look down on this with pride, and rightly so. We should all support this bluebird project and all it stands for!

This proposal to rebuild the ill fated K-7 is not a good plan.
Despite the obvious intrest in the Campbells and there achievements,the world has moved on and although there have been great world record attempts and sucesses it seems to me that this is leaning heavily upon the tragedy that unfolded back in January 1967 and will have morbid overtones on fruition.
Let Bluebird rest in peace and Donald Campbells name live on untarnished by events yet to unfold and possible marr his memory.

If some of those scornful of the project were to spare the time to see what has been achieved by the Bluebird project, giving full and absolute reverence to Donald Campbell, they would see that running the boat again is absolutely the right thing to do. If Donald is looking on from the afterlife he would doubtless be 100% behind the project. To suggest that the whole thing is disrespectful is rubbish...the Campbell family have been involved at all stages, and their wishes upheld. Without this project poor old Donald would still be in the murk at the bottom of the lake. Rest in peace? Once the Bluebird rides Coniston again, maybe....

I agree with Peter Leach , it all should have been left alone at the bottom of Coniston Water . The ' rebuilt' Bluebird will not have too much of the original structure in it , it seems to be the general trend nowadays for publicity and commercialism . Let him RIP .

Just you then Peter!

Is it misplaced romanticism or simply selfishness to suggest Gina Campbell's famous father should have been denied a proper burial?
The bottom of Coniston Water is a cold and unholy place, not somewhere any any daughter would willingly leave her dad.
As for Donald's boat - it would ultimately have been lost to corrosion. An icon, a monument to British engineering and ingenuity and what use is a monument where no one can see it?
Leave your boyhood hero alone... I was taught I should share when I was a boy.

I am going to try to email you a copy of a letter sent to the LDNPA when they asked for views on what is happening with Bluebird. Maybe it is just that you and I (and others) are old enough to have personal memories but mine are so sad it is just painful to recall - and yes to me it is bad taste.
I hope you get the email!
Elizabeth Brown

I could perhaps understand the authors views if they were being voiced in early 2001, ahead of the recovery of K7, but I would not agree with them now. His article is littered with inaccuracies and errors and claims that do not reflect reality.

Donald Campbell was not within the major part of the boat and his remains were recovered after the boat had been brought ashore, not before. The boat was not "his coffin".

If the Evening Mail wishes, I would be pleased to write a full response to views of Mr Leach, because the 100 mph engineering trials for which the bye law change has been sought will be my responsibility for the Bluebird Project.

Malcolm Pittwood, The Bluebird Project, Operations.

I agree 100% with Peter Leach and I should add that I think the headline "Bluebird to fly again" is particularly tasteless as Bluebird is a boat and it was the fact that it "took off" that caused the death of Campbell