Bluebird: Old jet engines donated to Coniston museum

Donald Campbell died while attempting to break a world speed record with Bluebird on Coniston Water in 1967

Two old jet engines have been donated to a museum for future use in a reconstructed Bluebird boat.

The Bristol Siddeley Orpheus Engines have been given to the Ruskin Museum in Cumbria by French-firm Global Hardware.

Bluebird, which crashed on Coniston Water killing Donald Campbell as he attempted a speed record in 1967, is in North Shields on Tyneside with the team who salvaged it.

Following a long dispute, the museum plans to get the original parts back.

Bluebird was found an salvaged in Coniston Water in 2001 by Bill Smith and donated to the Ruskin Museum in 2006 by Mr Campbell's daughter Gina Campbell.

Donald Campbell was killed during his world record attempt on Coniston Water in January 1967

Mr Smith was restoring it at his workshop but a row erupted over its future use, with him wanting to give it regular runs on water, while the museum was planning to put it on permanent display.

After the dispute, he had started dismantling it again with a view to returning the original parts to the museum.

Global Hardware, which restores aircraft, said the original 1960s-built engines had been taken from storage and were "superfluous" to their needs.

A spokesman said they hoped the donation would help bring the "national icon" hydroplane back to the museum.

Bill Smith recovered Bluebird's wreckage in 2001

He said the firm would also make a "direct financial contribution" to help the museum with legal costs in the dispute which, if not needed, could be used towards funding the "first water trials on Coniston".

Jeff Carroll, vice chair of trustees at the museum, said the engines were "increasingly rare beasts" and it was a "fantastic gift".

He said a meeting was due to be held "in the coming days" with Mr Smith to "see if we can get Bluebird K7 to her spiritual home in Coniston without resorting to legal action".