Donald Campbell's restored Bluebird in museum home row

[Geoffmountfield]

Bill,
I whole heartedly agree with your statement, the Coniston authorities and the LDNP seem to think they have a god given right to take ownership of Blue Bird. As has been said, she needs to be shown to everyone who has followed your rescue and restoration, and those of us who remember watching the events of that fateful day!!

Keep up the good work!!

Geoff

[Healey nut]

Just as I thought .
If you want the real story ask the organ grinder . Tks Bill .

[Andyroo75]

Good update Bill.
This was a topic of much discussion with my father in the pub last night.
I would love it to be the case where the Ruskin is her home base and dry dock for some of the year and get her out on the water the rest of the time to do what she was built and restored to do.
It would be immensely sad to see her parked in a museum as a a static display after all the hard work!
Get it out show it off to the world, see the excitement in some kids eyes and show them what engineering is all about.

Well done team

[Ernie Lazenby]

Thanks Bill for taking time to post, its appreciated. Just a couple of points. I have collected every newspaper cutting and press release going back many decades and certainly since 2001. There appears to be a lot of contradictions not least by Gina.
With great respect the question remains unanswered is one of ownership. Did Gina give K7 to the Ruskin charitable trust (registered charity 222234)
or not, from the information available she clearly did. If that is so why was it necessary to set up a company limited by guarantee in 2012 when there already existed a charitable trust that is able to receive sponsorship. Accepted that a company limited by guarantee affords protection to the four directors the same protection can be available under the terms of a trust. The trust being required to detail sponsorship received.
I have read the details on the Ruskin charitable trust and noted that it is owned by the people of Coniston for the purposes of sustaining the local community centre and the Ruskin Museum; I can from that see the question arising what would happen to K7 if the trust folded and no doubt is one you will have thought about. That said however the same question can be asked about the project?

It seems a rather confused situation exists today. It appears from the outside looking in that the project has assumed the right of ownership in so much it is deciding what happens to K7 now and that the Ruskin are very much in the background awaiting whatever visits of K7 the project allows.

That's very much removed from what was given out in press releases by various people associated with the project. The main concern I think is that the annex to the Ruskin was built to house K7, that's its sole purpose.

There is a fundamental issue to all the confusion and it is this, would people have contributed to the re-build knowing K7 was going to end up in the hands of a private business , that is what a private company limited by guarantee is. Would people be happy about an aged hydroplane being run all over the place with the inherent risk of damage or loss.

The BBC report that started this thread will I am sure be the start of more unless the basic question is answered Who owns Bluebird K7 - The Ruskin Museum a charitable trust or a private limited company owned by 4 named directors.

BTW I hope you have realised I am playing devils advocate.

[ace_chris]

Ernie - Can you just for a moment stop trying to find a bloody negative with the project. Ownership - none of your business, touring - none of your business, funding - none of your business. Leave it to the professionals, please.

[rich1608]

Ernie - Can you just for a moment stop trying to find a bloody negative with the project. Ownership - none of your business, touring - none of your business, funding - none of your business. Leave it to the professionals, please.

Well said. Ernie's posts are quite inappropriate right now.

[Billyblue]

Bill, I couldn’t agree more with everything you have said . The K7 is a stunning living machine. The site , sounds, & smell of her on Bute the last couple of weeks was something I felt privileged to witness. You and your team meant so much to all the islanders young and old. Seeing her reminded me of when I saw the Lancaster bomber flying , it was awesome. She has to be run, Concorde , Vulcan bombers, Queen Mary, all preserved , but static and lifeless. She is a national treasure just like the Flying Scotsman or the Spitfire. Keep the old girl running. PS She,d make a great site flying under the Tyne Bridge too

[Ernie Lazenby]

Ace-chris,rich1608.Hit a nerve have I. What are you concerned about- straight forward questions to be answered. Yes it is my business as it is of anyone who sent money to the Ruskin or the Project in the believe a course of events was to follow. Simply trying to get an answer to a question arising from a press report re ownership, is there a reason why that is so much of a problem? Perhaps there is not an answer and that is the problem.
You may not like the questions but respect the right of an individual to ask them. This forum was put into the public domain, if its only purpose is to have comments posted that please one point of view what is the point of it. Loads of positive stuff posted in recent days in other threads and rightly so. Maybe you missed the fact I did not start the thread however the press comment raised an interesting point, other than for that I may not have said anything.

I cannot see what the problem is- If K7 is now owned by a private company free to do with it what the 4 directors wish then have it said if it isn't say so end of story either way.


BTW If I had spent 17 years doing what Bill has I too would be really concerned about what was going to happen next- perhaps you don't understand what playing devils advocate means.

[wbjohn]

Ernie, I hope your keyboard warrior attitude continues with hard copies sent to the Ruskin museum as often as you post requests for information on this forum, it will keep the post office busy.

[Calvin]

I visited Bute during your trainings session and was overwhelmed by the whole thing. The various chat on the shore about this topic was rife. Bill, do you have any idea how many people from The Ruskin visited during your teams two weeks of training, learning and problem solving on Bute?