The Campbell Family Heritage Trust are pleased to announce a new inspiring beginning for Bluebird K7.
The Ruskin Museum announce it's new partnership with The WEC Group Academy. The Engineering group will maintain and run Bluebird K7 into the future.
29 January 2023 WEC Group become Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 new engineering team.
Donald Campbell's record breaking hydroplane Bluebird K7 is to gain a new team of engineers when the craft finally arrives in the purpose built Ruskin Museum Bluebird Wing opened in 2010/11. The exhibit hall was built to house K7 with Coniston being the official spiritual home and displays a collection of Donald's record breaking career.
The Ruskin Museum in Coniston Cumbria announced on 19/12/2022 that a new team of engineers will run and maintain the legandary craft Bluebird K7 legally gifted to the museum in 2006 by The CFHT.
Images © The Ruskin Museum & The WEC Group Ltd.
Overview.
Museum Director Mrs Tracy Hodgson and Vice Chairman of the museum's board of trustees Mr Jeff Carroll were pleased to announce Mr Steve Hartley's vast engineering business The WEC Group will soon take over from the previous volunteer group when K7 finally arrives at her purpose built wing. The Bluebird Wing was opened on schedule in 2011 at a cost of £800.000. The build costs being achieved from early European funding, local Cumbrian Council funding and donations from the generous public sector.
Quote from The Ruskin Museum.
The Ruskin Museum are very proud to announce their partnership with WEC Group Ltd. With over 40 years of manufacturing experience and over 850 staff across 4 counties, WEC Group comprises of 14 manufacturing companies specialising in individual areas of engineering and fabrication. WEC Group Ltd is the Ruskin Museums chosen engineering partner to deal with the ongoing maintenance of their hydroplane Bluebird K7, which was owned by Land and Water Speed Record breaker, Donald Campbell CBE. Managing Director of WEC Group, Steve Hartley started the company over 40 years ago.
Quote from Steve Hartley CEO.
The Bluebird K7 Hydroplane was originally manufactured at Samlesbury Engineering, just a few miles away from our new Engineering Academy and we’re really excited that our apprentices will get the opportunity to provide engineering support and manufacture new parts for such an iconic engineering masterpiece back here in the Blackburn area where it all started.”
The WEC Group Training Academy Inspiring engineering to future generations.
Image © The WEC Group.
The Campbell family are delighted with the news as Gina explains.
This is news both myself and family members have waited to share for such a long time. Steve's group of companies are the correct choice to work along side the museum's exibit Bluebird K7 and have the engineering skills and machinery to bring to our choosen table. The group's huge engineering resoures will see that my Father's boat will be well maintained while both on display at her spiritual home in Coniston and during planned controlled running for future generations to enjoy. My father would be truly humbled by this recent announcement. Bluebird K7 and my fathers record breaking achievements deserve this level of care and attention and it's what I orginally envisaged many years ago. We believe with the help from Steve and his team of employees we can achieve this. New apprentices learing new skills while working on Bluebird K7, Dad would be over the moon and on behalf of my family I would like to thank all parties that have made this partnership achievable and I mustn't forget all those that gave their time and skills in the past. Gina x