Three rare trolleys, belonging to the Rail Trolley Trust, have found a new home in West Yorkshire.

The Type 1A, 1Z and 27 Mk III trolleys were kept in storage by the trust for a number of years, but have now been moved to a specialist restoration space at the Keighley Bus Museum.

The three trolleys were built by Wickhams of Ware and would have originally been used for permanent way work and other maintenance in the 1950s and 1960s.

Both Type 1s are unique. They were originally operated by the London Transport Board and have been owned by the Trust since 2015.

Whilst the Type 1A had been prepared for restoration before it was acquired by the Trust, unfortunately, not much of the Type 1Z remains.

After suffering from aluminium rot, only the wheels, brake gear, controls and a handful of other components have survived, presenting a particular challenge to the Trust.

Once used by the Royal Engineers at their Arncott Depot in Oxfordshire, the Type 27 Mk III is a more recent arrival at the Trust in 2021. It also requires significant work, as its chassis was classed beyond repair.

The Trust is appealing to the public for information or photographs of the trolleys at work.

Very little is known about the Type 1A or Type 1Z, although the London Transport Museum have been very helpful.

Better news has come from an unexpected source, however. Nic Doncaster is a Wickham Trolley enthusiast who lives in Australia.

He has provided a complete set of drawings for the Type 1Z and the Trust are now incorporating CAD technology to be able to use Nic’s pictures to help in their restoration.

Work will begin first on the Type 1A, where the engine and much of the trolley itself had already been stripped down before it came into the Trust’s hands.

If you would like to get involved with these restorations, or have any information or pictures of the trolleys in use, please contact the Trust via its website.

They are also aiming to raise £10,000 towards their restoration work and to help provide secure storage, especially for some of their older trolleys. You can donate money, used printer cartridges and even old train tickets here.

The Trust would like to thank David Humphreys and his team at North Bay Railway Engineering Services for working on, and storing, the Type 1Z. They also appreciate the help given by the London Transport Museum into researching the Type 1A and 1Z trolleys.