Bluebird K3 restoration
Mike Taylor talks to Karl Foulkes-Halbard about the restoration of Bluebird K3 and the opportunity to recreate her world speed record run on Lake Maggiore
Malcolm Cambell’s world speed record holder from the 1930s
Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald were addicted to speed, in particular to the pursuit of world speed records both on land and sea. Between them, they set 11 speed records on water and ten on land. Donald was killed in 1967 on Coniston Water attempting to break the world speed record aboard Bluebird K7, the wreck of which was recovered in 2001. Sir Malcolm died of natural causes in 1948 (rare for a speed record holder of his era). This is the story of Bluebird K3, Sir Malcolm’s penultimate boat:
In 1935 at Bonneville Flats, Utah, Sir Malcolm Campbell became the first person to drive an automobile over 300mph. His purpose-built car was designed by Reid Railton and powered by a 2,000hp Rolls Royce R-type V12 engine. Following this triumph he retired from land speed record attempts, turning instead to speed records on the water.
Bluebird K3 used the same 700kg engine that had powered Campbell’s recordbreaking car – a decision that dictated the dimensions and design characteristics of the boat: a 23ft stepped hydroplane with the engine located as far aft as possible.
The craft was designed by the gifted marine architect Fred Cooper with Railton on hand to mastermind the installation of the drivetrain aided by Campbell’s trusty mechanic Leo Villa. The boat was built by Saunders Roe in Cowes.
Typical of his designs, Cooper gave the craft a shallow ‘vee’ hard chine hull with the step amidships. Abaft the step, the hull runs to the stern with a shallow 2° deadrise. Current thinking for the day was focussed on creating a ‘prop rider’ arrangement whereby at speed she’d run on the edge of the step and the halfsubmerged propeller.
Called Bluebird K3 (indicating that she was the third to be built in the unlimited Lloyds insurance class) Cooper’s paper calculations claimed an 130mph maximum speed for the sleek powerboat.
At the helm of K3 on Lake Maggiore, on the Swiss-Italian border on 1 September 1937 Sir Malcolm set a world water speed record of 126.32mph. Intent on bettering this he reached 129.5mph the next day. The following year, on 17 August, he tried again, this time on Lake Hallwyl where he beat his own record by reaching 130.91mph.
However, even at low speed K3’s
handling was always found to be twitchy. The engine’s massive torque would continually upset her balance, an unsettling characteristic that only increased as the speed rose – it took all of Campbell's nerve and driving skill to push her to her limits. He eventually retired K3 and she was lost from sight when he commissioned a new boat, Bluebird K4.
resurfaces
“There is no history of a passion for boats in the family,” asserts Karl FoulkesHalbard, owner of K3. “My grandfather’s life was bound up with antiques and my father, Paul, started out as a sign-writer."
Initially interested in vintage cars, Paul started his collection in 1959. “He was paid in kind with an Edwardian Orient Express motor car for a sign writing commission, the car becoming the first vehicle in our collection,” Karl continues. “Into the 1960s and ‘70s we began to amass a collection. In those days it was still possible to buy cars like vintage Bugattis and Mercedes very cheaply.”
Paul’s interests diversified into boats when, in the early 1980s, he found a very early steel hulled Mercedes Tellier in a scrapyard in the West Country, which was thought to have been used in the 1908 Olympics.
Initially, the collection was stored at their home in Crowborough, East Sussex, and kept under cover in the garden. However, the number gradually increased to the point where space was at a premium and in 1987 the family moved to its current location, Filching Manor near Polegate.
“My father bought the premises with its collection of old chicken houses, the extra accommodation enabling us to store the cars and build and equip a fully functional workshop where we can take on restorations.
“It was at a Brooklands reunion when my father met Leo Villa,” continues Karl. “The two became firm friends and it started my father’s fascination for the world famous Campbell family.”
In fact some treasured artefacts from the Campbell era such as a toolbox, overalls and the rev counter from a record car were bought by Karl’s father for inclusion in the Filching Museum collection.
“It was quite well known that Bluebird K3 had lain unloved at Thorpe Park and through a good friend in 1988 my father received a tip-off that the hull was about to be sold. In fact, there was little left of the original record breaker, the Park just wanted it out of the way. We were first there and managed to secure a deal.”
First impressions
When Paul and Karl first saw K3 it was clear she’d been repainted in the wrong colours, and investigation back at Filching revealed the hull timbers to be in very poor condition.
Perhaps the most critical aspect was that the longitudinal frames forming the main structure of the boat were rotten, as was the underside of the hull. Also, there were quite a lot problems with the decking, which comprises two skins of three ply each pinned and glued with a covering of stretched and doped material, which had also deteriorated badly.
In contrast the sides of the boat, which are double diagonal mahogany planking with a calico lining were found to be in good condition.
K3 played such an important part in the evolution of water speed record history, Karl and his father decided early on to fully restore the boat rather than just repaint her.
“Our aspirations mirrored those of our cars in the collection; that they are all totally functional,” says Karl.
The first part of the restoration took part between 1990-95 and focussed on repairing the hull. The decking was removed to allow easy access to the frames, ribs and bearers. Then new plywood decking was installed using the original construction techniques.
Attention then turned to the drivetrain. “We managed to source the original R engine, number 37, but, it’s too valuable to fit and run so we bought a similar RR Meteor V12 unit which originally came from a military tank.
We had to make the propshaft while the original step-up gearbox and vee drive, designed by Reid Railton, was long gone so we had to find replacements. We also had to make a rudder and a two-bladed 20° pitch 14in diameter propeller.”
Sadly, Karl’s father died in 2003 and the programme was put on hold for two years, but when it got under way again job lists were drawn up; no sooner had one list been completed than work began on the next.
By 2011 the team decided there was little left to do but immerse K3 in water. Here they were fortunate in having the support of Bewl Water, a local reservoir.
“Very slowly she was lowered in to the water on her original trailer, members from the CMBA (Classic Motorboat Association) acting like anxious parents,” recalls Karl. “We then got busy with torches to look inside the hull to check for water ingress; the general view was that what little there was should not be of concern. However, we weren’t ready to run her under power at that stage.
“By March 2012 we’d reached a point where we were ready to run her under power and after a two-month wait for the reservoir to refill permission was given. We’d already run the engine up at Filching beforehand although the boat must be immersed in water to engage the gearbox.”
The engine run-up procedure involves first allowing the engine to reach temperature, the magnetos are then switched off. The crude dog clutch gear is then engaged, the magnetos are switched on and the engine is started again, the boat immediately getting under way.
“On that first run I only opened the throttle slightly as we were unsure of what would happen. Nevertheless, the thrill of running her under power for the first time since 1938 was indescribable.”
Back at Filching there were more checks. “With everything looking good we did a quarter throttle run and as she gathered speed the bow rose and the stern went down. The sensation was a little bit like being in a constant state of skid. Even at 40mph there is the impression that the stern is becoming a bit skittish justifying Campbell’s comments; it’s quite unnerving.”
Over time Bluebird has completed more runs and the team have incorporated extra modifications including fitting an extinguisher and an alternator to charge the starting battery. Finally, in September 2017 K3 successfully completed a half throttle test, but the ultimate dream was to return to Lake Maggiore:
“We had funds covering the transportation and the insurance. Naturally, once on the lake we would be subject to Swiss regulations but, we hoped to get up to 60mph.”
Nearly a year later, after a painless trip from East Sussex to Switzerland at 1800 hours on Friday 6 July Bluebird K3 was lowered into the waters of Lake Maggiore. Her engine was run up to temperature and the usual safety and mechanical checks carried out.
With everything looking good she was taken out to the 1km course. Again, final checks were performed and Bluebird K3 was ready for her first run.
Some 80 years after Sir Malcolm Campbell’s world speed run Karl opened the throttle and K3 was off, racing over the slight swell at 50mph, a sleek silhouette of style and spray, the lakeside crowds waving and cheering enthusiastically. With the wind strength increasing, and the marker buoys occasionally dipping below sight after ten runs it was decided to bring her in to avoid damage.
Says Karl, “This is a tribute to all the men behind the Bluebird K3, especially my father who rescued her.”
is on display at Filching Manor Museum, Jevington Road, near Polegate, Eastbourne BN26 5QA
Tel: 01323 487124
campbellcircuit.co.uk
‘K3 was off, a sleek silhouette of style and spray’