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.
Pamela Page
Elegant Edwardian river launch Constance won this year's Peter Allen Award and a cheque for £1500. Once steam powered, the launch now has electric propulsion and a future hosting art lectures and painting classes while cruising the Thames.
Yorkshire Helicopter Preservation Group
Westland Whirlwind helicopters were the first successful UK-built design and contributed many years service to the military, including search and rescue. The Ron Wilsdon Award and £1000 were a well-deserved prize for Whirlwind XP345 which is being restored for exhibition in Doncaster.
North Bay Railway
The miniature railway at Scarborough received the David Muirhead Award and £2000 for its work on the steam outline loco Neptune, an original stock item delivered for the railway's opening in 1931. It is an early example of diesel power with hydraulic transmission and a labour of love for 2009's Young Preservationist, Stephen Johnston.
Other Award Winners
Road vehicles feature heavily in this year's awards. Richard Jones received an award for a Dodge/Mulliner crew bus which will be a support and display vehicle for motor cycle racing. Raymond Cove was recognised for restoring a US FWD army truck as a timber tractor. Norman Mackenzie presented a 1970 Dodge 6-wheel tipper for the first award to be made to Ireland, while another Dodge to win recognition was Paul Brook's Westmoreland Fire Brigade water tender.
Other manufactures also managed a look-in: Ollie Hall's Bedford mobile cinema, once a TT vehicle, Mike Bowman's 1934 Bedford WH 2-ton farmer's truck with dropside bodywork, Kevin Hann's 1950 Commer R541 truck and Malcolm Semple's Foden half-cab, two-stroke coach with Metalcraft bodywork all caught the judges' eyes.
On the Water
Two Dunkirk veterans represented the seagoing interests this year. Tim Deaton's Devon Belle managed also to attend the Dunkirk 2010 reunion, while Stephen Daley Yates's gaff cutter Cachalot was there in 1990 and hopes to be ready for 2015!
One other water-borne entry received an award this year: Stanton, one of the last five narrow boats used for coal carrying on the Grand Union, the last commercial traffic on the waterway, gained an award for its present owners, Laura Sturrock and Peter Oates.
On rails, Stephen Middleton's LNWR Directors Saloon and an M&GN brake van were projects that secured awards to assist their completion.
A Highly Commended award was made to the GW Society for their meticulously researched recreation of steam railmotor no.93, a historically important project supported by lottery money.
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.