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Awards and Loans

The Trust offers financial assistance to individuals or groups to carry through restoration or improvement projects to completion. The Trust also invites enquiries about sponsoring one or more Awards.

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The Ron Wilsdon Award  Given in memory of the Transport Trust’s founder

1923 DFP (Doriot-Flandrin-Parant) Voiturette Owned by Jeremy Rogers.

August Doriot and Ludovic Flandrin had worked for Peugeot and Clement-Bayard before branching out on their own to form DFP in 1906. Their English agent from 1912-1920 was W O Bentley who subsequently adopted a number of DFP’s design features when he started his own business which, it has been suggested, contributed to the demise of DFP in 1926. The rolling chassis with its 1100cc C.I.M.E. engine was recovered from France and is now mechanically complete while it awaits completion of a new body in accordance with the original design. Jeremy Roberts has had guidance with this project from John Sutton, a previous Transport Trust Restoration Award winner. (Fig.1)

 

Sir Peter Allen Award  Commemorates the first President of the Trust

1930 Robey Tri-tandem steam road roller Owned by the Robey Trust. 

Donated by Tavistock Council, the Tri-tandem, which had stood corroding in the open as a playground item for 20 years that was the catalyst for the formation of the Robey Trust whose restoration of the roller is nearing completion. Very few two-axle Tri-tandems have survived and this particular machine was one of the last steam-powered rollers in regular use, having worked on the construction of the original M1. (Fig.2)

 

Alan Moore Award  Acknowledges Mr Moore’s continuing generous support of these Awards

1916 Hunslet 2ft gauge 4-6-0T locomotive 

Being restored to a War Office specification for use on the light railways serving the trenches of the Western Front. At the conclusion of hostilities, the loco (Works No.1215) was sold to an Australian Sugar Mill where it worked for 40 years, after which it was plinthed at a children's home for another 30 years before repatriation to the UK. The aim of the project is to complete the work in time for the World War I commemorations in 2014 and to dedicate the loco as a war memorial to the men of the World War I Light Railway Operating Companies. The loco is owned by The War Office Locomotive Trust and the restoration team is lead by Martyn Ashworth. It is intended that, on completion, the loco will normally be based at the Apedale Valley Light Railway of The Moseley Railway Trust. (Fig.3)

 

The David Muirhead Award Commemorates a long serving former Treasurer of the Trust.

1908 0-6-2ST Barber locomotive

South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society

Built in 1908 by Thomas Green & Son of Leeds for the 2ft gauge Harrogate Gas Works railway system. Railway engines by Greens were always rarities, only 36 having been manufactured by a company well known for its road rollers, agricultural engines and grass cutting equipment, and, apart from Barber, only three others are known to have survived, one in South America and two in Australia. Following closure of the gas works railway in 1956, various restoration efforts were made, the loco finally ending up in Leeds City Museum, thanks largely to the Narrow Gauge Railway Society which has been supportive of the Preservation Society’s initiative. Of necessity, much of the heavy engineering work has been undertaken by Alan Keef and the boiler has been rebuilt at the Severn Valley Railway workshops but at least 10% of the overall project is being carried out by the railway’s volunteers. (Fig.4)

 

Restoration Awards

 

1898 Thames Barge Edme

One of only two that are wholly sail powered - with no auxiliary engine,  Edme retains an unconverted hold enabling her still to carry cargo. The vessel’s unusual name is derived from one of her previous commercial owners, The English Diatastic Malt Extract Company, but since 1989 she has been owned by the Edme Consortium, a small non-profit making group of enthusiasts who maintain her for racing and charter work and pass on their skills to new generations of barge sailors. She regularly enters sailing barge competitions with some success and was featured in the BBC TV series ‘Coast’. The Transport Trust’s Award will be put towards the essential restoration of the port side timber work. (Fig.5)

 

1918 Saunders lifeboat Henry Frederick Swan

North East Maritime Trust (NEMT) are restoring to working condition. The vessel, an early example of a self-righting lifeboat, was built in 1918 by Saunders of Cowes using their trademark double diagonal mahogany planking system, and was donated to the RNLI by Mrs Swan in memory of her husband of the Tyneside Shipbuilders, Swan Hunter. The vessel was stationed at Tynemouth until 1939 when she entered the RNLI auxiliary fleet but returned to active service in 1941 when bombing destroyed her successor and the Lifeboat Station, finally retiring in 1947. The work is being undertaken in the NEMT workshop at South Shields where among the volunteers are several young people learning traditional boatbuilding skills. When restoration is complete, the lifeboat will join other traditional North Eastern boats in the NEMT collection and participate in local maritime festivals, RNLI Open Days, etc. Consent for the vessel, which is listed on the National Historic Ships Register, to carry passengers is being sought. (Fig.6)

 

Steam Tug TID164

One of the last four remaining tugs of the TID class of which 182 were built during World War 2 for inshore and dockyard work. No.164, which still has its original steam plant and fittings, is being restored at Chatham Dockyard by The Friends of TID 164 a volunteer group whose aim is to have the vessel fully operational to enable it to participate in next year’s D-Day commemorations in Normandy. TID164 is also listed on the National Historic Ships Register. (Fig.7)

 

1927 Thorycroft cabin cruiser Quisisana 

Martin Lowe received an award to help complete the replacement of about 25% of the hull timbers to conclude a four year restoration programme which has included replacement of the original petrol/paraffin engine with a Perkins marine diesel. The vessel was built by Thornycroft in 1927 and is on the Dunkirk Little Ships Register. An archive photograph shows her 1940 arrival at Dover with troops on board. (Fig.8)

 

1911 Salters steam launch MV Connaught

Colliers Launches of Isleworth operate traditional river boats on the tidal Thames and they received an award to help with the ongoing process of restoring the MV Connaught which is listed on the Historic Ships Register and was chosen to precede the Queen’s Barge in the Jubilee Parade carrying Heralds and Royal Marine Trumpeters. She was built by Salters Steamers in 1911 and originally cruised upriver from Windsor but was acquired by the Collier family who began her restoration in 2003, retaining as much as possible of her original superstructure and Edwardian internal mahogany features. (Fig.9)

 

1956 Series 1 Land Rover

The Grampian Transport Museum has in its collection this 1956 Series 1 107in. wheelbase Station Wagon (chassis number 00006), believed to be the oldest survivor of its type. The vehicle has spent its entire life in the Highlands, having been originally purchased by a local doctor who ran it for many years before selling it to the Glenkindle Estate where it was used mainly for deer stalking purposes before acquisition by the Museum. Restoration work, which is now essential following the vehicle’s active working life, is being undertaken by the museum’s own volunteers, including some 16 year olds from a local school, the project being supported by a Transport Trust Award (Fig.10) 

 

1969 Turntable car ferry MV Glenachulish

The Glenachulish Preservation Trust maintains a summer car ferry service from Glenelg to Kylerhea on the Isle of Skye using the MV Glenachulish, the last surviving Scottish turntable ferry built in 1969. The Award is towards essential restoration work to the vessel’s vehicle platform and turntable mechanism. This should help to ensure the continuance of this service which operates across the straits at the precise location of the historic drovers’ route where for centuries herds of Highland cattle were driven into the water to swim from the island to the mainland. The listed slipway structures on both sides of the crossing, dating from 1820, were designed by Thomas Telford. (Fig.11)

 

1925 Delage type DISS

Peter Jacobs has personally restored several vintage cars and is an expert on the Delage marque. His 1925 Delage type DISS, with sports four seater tourer boat-tail coachwork by Kelsch of Paris, is believed to be a unique survivor of a rare model which was in one family ownership in the USA for 64 years. However, poor maintenance and botched repairs have necessitated considerable work for which an Award was made. Peter’s intention is to restore the car so that all aspects conform to its ex-factory condition and to achieve original performance and reliability for use in rallies in the UK and abroad. (Fig.12)

 

1860 horse drawn tram / bus

Entries from the horse-drawn sector are relatively rare so the Trust was pleased to consider a horse-drawn bus operated at various Cornish locations by The Lizard Stallions Ltd of Helston. The vehicle is thought to have started life around 1860 as a horse tram working in Southampton Docks but with electrification of the tramways, it was converted into a horse bus. Its survival at Southampton until after World War 2 seems to be something of a mystery but subsequently it was purchased by the owners of Foxdell Carriages of Bromsgrove and for seven years from 2000 carried visitors at The Black Country Museum. Its restoration has been a gradual process but the Trust’s Award will help towards necessary attention to the wheelsets. (Fig.13)

 

1963 Guy Wulfrunian double-decker bus

Under restoration by the West Riding Omnibus Preservation Society at the Dewsbury Bus Museum. WHL 970, with bodywork by Charles Roe of Leeds, was delivered new in 1963 to the West Riding Automobile Co. of Wakefield. After six years service with that operator, the bus passed through a variety of ownerships until its arrival for preservation at the Dewsbury Museum. The Guy Wulfrunian design, although advanced for its time, was not an unqualified success, and did not offer much competition to the Leyland Atlantean, relatively few being manufactured, nearly all of them being acquired by West Riding. However, not all preservation items need to be engineering triumphs and the strong local connection with the marque fully justifies the good work being carried out at the Dewsbury Museum.

 

Highly Commended Award

1912 Fowler B6 Road Locomotive Foremost

Joe Walker’s top quality restoration of his Fowler was acknowledged by a Highly Commended Award. The Locomotive was built in 1912 for haulage contractor Charles Openshaw of Reading but was subsequently requisitioned for war service in France where it remained after the conclusion of hostilities, for much of the time stored in an open-fronted shed until repatriated in 2008. This entry was received after completion of the project. (Fig.14)

 

The National Transport Trust makes loans to groups, associations and individuals at advantageous rates for the restoration of artefacts - whether mobile or part of the infrastructure.  Applications must be supported by a simple business plan which demonstrates the financial viability of the project. A sample business plan is available on request from the Treasurer.

 

The Trust does occasionaly make Awards for schemes which further the preservation movement. Again if you wish further information please contact the Treasurer.

 

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National Transport Trust, Old Bank House, 26 Station Approach, Hinchley Wood, Esher, Surrey KT10 0SR