BBC_Top_Gear_South_Africa_June_2017

BLUEBIRD K7
Thoughhisdadlivedthroughthetrueheydayofrecord-breaking,Donald
wasstillahero,notleasttoschoolboys.AnthonyRobinsongrewuparound
Campbell;theSpeedKingwouldoftenstaywiththeRobinsonfamilywhenhe
wasinConistonduringrecordattempts,andinlaterdays “Robbie”, as Donald
affectionatelycalledhim,becameoneofthecrew.
“Whenhewentthroughthevillageinthemorningdowntotheboatshed,
everybody knew him,” Anthony recalls. “And he would always go into schools
andtalkforanhourinthemorning.”
Campbell’s most public image was of an eloquently spoken gentleman with
aglamorous,well-heeledlifestyle.Butthosewhoknewhimbestsawbeneath
whatbecameknownas“themask”.Intruth,hewasanovergrownversionof
thekidshewasidolisedby.Anthonyrecallsanexampleofsuchbehaviouron
Christmas Day just before Donald’s death. With the record-breaking crew all
with their families, he solved his itchy feet by giving K7 an impromptu,
unsupervisedrunonthewater,“Robbie”byhisside.
“Therearelotsofstoriesaboutthat,”Anthonytellsme.“Peoplesaidhe
nearlybroketherecord.AjournalistwholivedoverinAmblesidesaidheheard
itstartupthatmorning,andrushedacross.Bythetimehearrivedwewere
justputtingBluebirdbacktobed.”Amblesideis20minutesawaybycar,it
must be pointed out. “It was quite noisy, yes. When it started up you’d hear it
for miles around...”
Whileattemptsatthewater-speedrecordwererarelypublicknowledge
beforehand, everyone knew what Donald’s aim was on 4 January. The roads
lining Coniston’s east and west sides were packed with spectators. They’re
roads I aim for now, pointing the F-Type’s wide snout down lanes I doubt it
waswhollydesignedfor.
I’mnotsureDonaldCampbell–knownasafast,positivedriverwholikedtoemerge
fromcorners“inahigh-speedslide”–wouldapproveofamollycoddlingspecsuchasthis
280kWsuperchargedV6withall-wheeldriveandeight-speedautomaticgearbox.Butin
conditions like this, I’d say it’s perfect. And the AWD F-Type still allows a healthy dose of
hooliganism. Bet Campbell would have gone for a V8, though…
TheroadsthemselvesaretypicaloftheLakeDistrict:pleasantlylaidout,butsimplytoo
busy with meandering tourist traffic to provide an all-time- great drive. But you can’t fail to
smile when there’s such epic scenery through every window and reflecting in every mirror.
Campbell liked his
Jags. Despite its
AWD safety net, we
think he’d like this
F-Type V6 S, too
It’s a glorious place to be.
We park up alongside the lake’s
west shore, roughly halfway along.
Thiswouldhavebeenafantastic
vantagepointforseeingK7atitsbest.
The moments before that most famous
of accidents, as Campbell and Bluebird
soared past 450km/h, must have been
an enthralling attack on all the senses.
“The thing I remember most about
thatlastrunwastrying,ashewent
pastyou,tofollowhimwithyoureyes.
It was impossible to keep up,” says
Anthony.“Yourheadwasmovingin
stages,likeacamerataking pictures.
Click, click, click...”
Whatledtothenext,fatefulfew
frames of that mental picture has been
debatedeversince.Someeven
suggestedsuicide,withCampbellata
lowebbthatwinter,thoughthose
aroundhimsimplyblamethatupon
thepressurehewasunder.
Which perhaps explains why
Donald turned around between his
necessary two runs with reckless
haste.Hewassokeentoofficiallybreakthe300mph
(480kph)barrierthatday,thatuponhearinghis
firstrunaveraged297mph(478kph),heblasted
eagerlybackintothewashhisboathadcreated,
without the patience to let the water calm. The
effectonK7’saerodynamicsashesailedpast
300mph simply became too much. Sinking after a
huge somersault, just a few segments of its >>
“The AWD
F-Type
allows a
healthy
dose of
hooliganism”