Bluebird Runs 2019

[Richie]

I’d buy that mug...

[Renegadenemo]

I’d buy that mug...

I would too and once we're a little closer to weathering the current storm we'll get a few mugs printed for laughs but for the moment I hope everyone is buttoned up warm behind closed doors wherever possible with ample provisions and those who have to fight the good fight exposed on the front line are staying safe as they can. We're doing OK up here in the NE of England but I know other areas are not getting it so easy and that's without considering other parts of the globe. We all just have do entrench and get through this together - it'll fix.

Bill

[longarmedgibbon]

I still carn't understand why its such an arse on to get bluebird on Coniston when the imposter K777 just seemed to turn up and had no trouble getting on the lake. Ian

[Malcolm Ops]

K777 was an entrant in the organised Speed Records Week event, piloted by Jim Noone, to attempt jet powered speed records in a specific weight class. On the first visit the team based themselves at Pier Cottage. On both outings there were problems with getting the craft on the plane.

Bluebird K7 no longer meets any construction rules that would allow the craft to operate for any speed record and the record event is held in the month of November.

The Coniston Water Byelaws were re-written in 2010 to allow Bluebird K7 to be run on Coniston water at speeds above 10mph, however, the LDNPA has always needed a 'robust' event plan for any such running to take place. There was a Bluebird Event Working Group (BEWG), but they were not able to organise an event in summer dates in 2019. I did not see an 'event plan' myself, so that may have been the stumbling block. The BEWG, as far as I know, was disbanded in early 2019 and has never been reformed.

At this moment in time the Coniston Water Byelaws have been re-drafted and offered to the LDNPA (a 2019 version), but the Secretary of State has not yet signed them off. The Bluebird Project was consulted regarding the draft wording, which makes no special mention of Bluebird K7. This redrafting was needed because the RYA gave up the control of powerboating and they were named in them. Speed Records Week could not take place on Coniston Water in 2019, because the new National body has a different name.

Once these Coniston Water Byelaws are published, all involved will know what is required to run any type of craft on Coniston Water at speeds above 10mph and at which time(s) of year.

The Bluebird Project know that on 'tickover' engine settings Bluebird K7 would break the speed limit. Running will need to be under the terms of the 2019 Coniston Water Byelaws and in accordance with the village's Festival Event Plan(s). The Bluebird Project safety plan was drafted in late 2018 following the running on Loch Fad and whilst it will be revisited and the crew may need refresher training, because the visit to the Isle of Bute was a long time ago, the team just need Bluebird K7 to be completed. The operating plans should allow for a series of development runs and proving runs to show off the craft to the world.

[longarmedgibbon]

Thanks for the information

[ThornyBush]

As I am fairly new to all of this.

A fair few photos of K777 on various facebook groups in the last few days, being 50 odd years old, I prefer the recovery and original K7 restoration and have no personal recollection of the replica so any help appreciated.

Having a search through images and videos, what can be searched includes:-https://www.facebook.com/steve.mcdonald ... 91128/?t=0

What happened to K777 is it operable, does it need a restoration, or is it on display somewhere?

[Malcolm Ops]

The craft called K777 exists but has not been operated for many years. It is owned by Helical Technology in the UK. I do not know if the vehicle collection owned by Helical is open for public viewing.

[ThornyBush]

Thankyou MalcomOps -

I tried a search for them and website comes up as Warton and Lytham sites, and nothing I could find on K777, my automotive background is limited to mass market OEM since 1995 (ex Toyota, Nissan, Renault OEM projects) not familiar with them as a supplier under that name but I do recognise the old Helical Springs company name from back in the day, but I think more from engine tuning studies privately rather than my day to day work.

It seems an interesting project, all be it without the provenance of the work undertaken by BBP team.

[captain sparkle]

The "Longbow" team seem to have links with K777, see their website - https://www.jet-hydroplane.uk/

I have a small clip of K777 on Coniston here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dolRq5r ... =8&t=1s&ab

and one of K777 engine start up here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4bH4f5 ... index=9&ab

[Richie]

K777 from an engineering standpoint was a well made craft, when you look at what was done it was all high quality (IMHO) problem was the additional weight, sponson shape / width etc linked with intake shape / volume prevented it from working as intended.

The Orph is more than capable of doing what is necessary on K777. The intakes just don’t allow sufficient flow to the core of the turbine, this was borne out for me personally when the intake trunk collapsed rather than the intake structure during testing, granted I am not aware of how they fabricated the trunk.

Someone above asked about running it easily and yet K7 not so much....that’s easily discussed. K777 meats the regulations for a record attempt and has a modern safety cell fitted, something the team managed to do and keep the overall shape correct very well. K777 was running on records week when we all saw her.

I would love to get K777 into unit 1 and fit her out with new sponsons and a re worked intake structure, i would convert to off board air start to claw back some of the weight penalty and I would paint her blue with a full length union flag and put the numbers on correctly, not inlaid to look like K7 from a distance.

The chances of that happening though are less likely than my bald patch growing back in.

Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love a chance to try though, then get 777 and 7 alongside each other on Coniston...