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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE 31
October 2002 Moseley Railway Trust
E-Mail: press@mrt.org.uk 1918
World War1 Motor Rail in 1-hour prime-time television programme. The Channel
4 television program, Salvage Squad, in association with the Moseley Railway
Trust have fully restored former World War 1 Motor Rail loco – LR3090 in just 3
months.
The
petrol-engined machine (commonly known as a ‘Tin Turtle’), on permanent loan
from Leeds Industrial Museum, had not operated since the early 1960’s when it
was withdrawn from service. In 1980 this loco, in remarkably original
condition, passed to Leeds Museum where it was to spend a further 15 years on
static display. Acquired for eventual restoration by the Moseley Railway Trust,
the machine arrived in 1995 in time for display at its Military Gala. Following
the Moseley Railway Trust’s removal from the Cheadle site, this project was
classed as low priority. The Trust’s current Buxworth restoration base is tackling
more practical equipment in preparation for developing a railway at a new
permanent home. In early
2002 the Moseley Railway Trust were approached by Wall-to-Wall Television,
makers of the Salvage Squad programme, to provide a suitable project. This
resulted in the former WW1 locomotive being selected over 2 other Trust
engines. Although in
substantially original condition, the locomotive was robbed for spares to keep
its sister running whilst at Knostrop Sewage works. Amongst other things, this
has resulted in the whole of the ignition system (carburettor, magneto, etc)
having to be replaced with the correct pattern parts. Thanks are due to Mike
Hart of the Ffestiniog Railway Heritage group, for provision of a very valuable
source of engine spares. Restored to
original WW1 condition, this locomotive took part in a special Memorial Day on
11th November 2002, on one of the few surviving remnants of the WW1
light railway system in France; CF Cappy-Froissy-Dompierre (APPEVA). Having
arrived back in the UK again, the locomotive has returned to its berth in the
Moseley Railway Trust’s Buxworth workshops. Hopes are high that the restored
locomotive will make several working visits to UK Heritage railways in 2003. For further
information please visit either the Moseley Railway Trust homepage (www.mrt.org.uk) or the dedicated website for
the ‘Tin Turtle’ (www.tinturtle.info) Ends. About The Moseley
Railway Trust: The Trust's current aim is
to locate a new site where it can build a museum and a railway to display its
collection of industrial narrow gauge equipment that has been gathered from
various industries around the UK in the last 30 years, and in doing so we aim
to educate and entertain both the general public and the railway enthusiast. An
important aspect is that it should be a working museum, not simply a collection
of static exhibits. The Trust's collection is
in storage at a new restoration base in Buxworth, Derbyshire, having been
forced to vacate the Cheadle site, near Manchester, where it operated a two
foot gauge railway (the Moseley Tramway),
using the Museum's collection of ex-industrial locomotives. The original Moseley
Tramway was founded in 1968 as an experimental school project using materials
recovered from a local brickworks. Initially horse-drawn vehicles were used but
later diesel, petrol and battery electric power were introduced. After over 30
years the Trust now has one of the most important collections of narrow gauge
equipment in the country, with several rare or unique exhibits. Details of negotiations over
a new Museum site will be announced as soon as arrangements have been
finalised. In the meantime, the Museum membership is still very much active in
working on exhibits, developing plans for the new site, and publishing the
Museum's journal, "Moseley Matters". New members are always
welcome and there are many opportunities not only to exploit existing skills,
but also to learn completely new ones. About Salvage Squad
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