Grant to restore railcar

The Kent & East Sussex Railway has been awarded a £20,000 grant by the Association for Industrial Archaeology to complete the restoration of GWR Diesel Railcar W20. The vehicle is historically significant as one of only two diesel railcars to be built in the 1940s with dual-range gearboxes that enabled them to run on both branch and main lines. The grant has been matched by a pledge from the K&ESR’s Board, while a public funding appeal has also been launched to raise the balance of the estimated £60,000 that is needed to complete the project in time for the heritage railway’s 50th birthday in 2024.