20 for 20 Appeal
The GWR Diesel Railcar Restoration & Conservation Appeal
In Memory of Andrew Webb
Rrestoring our unique GWR Railcar W20W
The restoration of 1940’s GWR Diesel Railcar W20 is the K&ESR’s longest running and most complex restoration project, but we are delighted to say that it is now in its final stages. After more than 25 years of steady progress, we called on your help to get W20W across the finishing line so that it could, once more, play a leading role at the K&ESR.
Thanks to the generosity of donors we have not only reached but exceeded our target of raising the £60K required to complete the restoration and provide for ongoing conservation. This started with a grant of £20K from the Association for Industrial Archaeology – the national society for industrial heritage – and a matching pledge from the railway itself.
The '20 for 20 Appeal' was made in memory of former K&ESR Director and longstanding volunteer Andrew Webb, who sadly passed away in 2019. Andrew spent over 25 years championing and working on the restoration of W20W after it had been withdrawn from service in 1979 due to the deterioration of its bodywork.
The Appeal will remain open, as some donors have pledged to give regularly over a set period rather than provide single sums, and will accept any further donations to add to the ring-fenced conservation fund which will be needed to support its future conservation. Click here to see the different ways you can still donate to help us return W20W to the rails and to secure its long term future.
A historic gem with a new role to fulfil
Photo courtesy of Colour-Rail.com
Built in 1940 for the Great Western Railway, W20W has not only great historical significance but also renewed relevance for both the K&ESR and heritage rail as a whole:
- W20W was originally one of just two and is now the only 1940’s Diesel Railcar to be built with dual-range gearboxes, which uniquely enabled it to run on both branch and mainline rail routes
- W20W has been part of the K&ESR family for the last 56 years, arriving on the K&ESR in 1966
- On the K&ESR’s reopening day, 3rd February 1974, W20 formed the first public service passenger train – how fitting it would be for it to reprise this role at the reopening of the Robertsbridge extension!
- As climate change brings hotter, drier summers, we can no longer rely solely on steam trains for our busiest period due to the risk of trackside fires; diesel railcars like W20W are therefore taking on a new importance in the future operation of our heritage railways
Andrew Webb and W20W: a labour of love
Image courtesy of Janice Webb
Image: Janice Webb
On several occasions over the last three decades, the restoration of W20W could certainly have ‘hit the buffers’ if it hadn’t been for the determination of longstanding member and former Director of the K&ESR, Andrew Webb - in whose memory this new funding appeal is being made.
The project was kept alive during many difficult years through his tenacity, project management and vision. Sadly, Andrew passed away in November 2019 without seeing the project completion that had become his labour of love. However, many of the volunteers who worked under his direction continue to work on the project and are determined to finish what Andrew had striven to achieve yet was so sadly denied.
Donating to '20 for 20'
Image: Robin Coombes
Due to the scope and complexity of the restoration tasks – from structural and engineering matters to internal fixtures, fittings and livery - the budget needed to complete W20W and enable ongoing conservation was estimated at £60,000.
Whilst the core funding has now been secured, we are looking to ringfence ongoing and further donations to ensure the future conservation needs of W20W. Any amount will be welcome, but to fulfil the spirit of the appeal’s title, the K&ESR is encouraging giving in one of three ways:
- one-off donations of £20
- any number of regular £20 donations
- a commitment of any amount in regular donations for 20 months
- by making a single payment or creating a regular standing order through CAF Donate which, if you are a UK tax payer, will also enable the K&ESR to collect Gift Aid
How to donate
- By making a single payment or creating a regular standing order through CAF Donate which, if you are a UK tax payer, will also enable the K&ESR to collect Gift Aid
- By sending a cheque made payable to the 20 for 20 Appeal, Kent & East Sussex Railway, Tenterden Town Station, Station Road, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6HE. Please mark '20 for 20' on the reverse of your cheque
- By texting 'Railcar' to 70460 to make a £20 donation
Restoration Update - December 2025
After thousands of hours of volunteer time and painstaking work, W20W is entering the final stretch to make it ready to take to the rails again. If everything proceeds as planned and all resources are available when required - including volunteers, staff and workshop space - then it may be possible to hand the vehicle over to the Operations element of the railway for commissioning, formal acceptance and training in or soon after Spring 2026
A detailed progress report can be found here, but these are some of the highlights:
A new diesel-fired hot water system was developed, commissioned and installed. The installation was designed to replicate as near as possible the original arrangement with the existing heater cabinet being used to house the new units and the pipework following the original steam-heat pipe runs
With the heating installation completed, the flooring could be put in. The Independent Competent Person (I.C.P.), appointed to oversee the restoration of the vehicle, approved the various flooring layers to ensure full fire and safety compliance. The finish was brown Marmoleum (lino) in the luggage compartment with green in the large saloon and a contemporary style carpet in the small saloon
The seats, which were in an inappropriate leatherette material, were recovered in an original moquette, sourced from a manufacturer who could supply the genuine material and upholstered by a specialist contractor to comply with modern safety standards
The rest of the interior could then be progressed including: roof insulation; ceiling panels; light fittings with their associated wiring; saloon side panels with the leathercloth covering, and the luggage racks
The badly corroded cab sheet metal work has finally been dealt with and over a period of some months both cabs were fully re-built, enabling the project to take a big step forward. The interiors will now be addressed, including wiring, driver controls and, importantly, the windscreen glazing and wipers - at last delivering a weather proof and watertight vehicle.
With the interior nearing completion, the project’s attention is now focusing on finishing the mechanical and control elements of the vehicle. The complete drive train needs to be connected, linking the engines, via the gearboxes and final drive units, to the wheelsets. At the same time the electrical, pneumatic, vacuum and air controls also require final installation and fettling to ensure their correct operation.
20 for 20 Appeal Update
We are delighted to report that the ’20 for 20’ Appeal has not only met, but now significantly surpassed its target of £20,000 to reach an extraordinary current total of £77,933
“We are delighted by this response,” said longstanding K&ESR volunteer Derrick Bilsby, who has been leading the fundraising campaign. “Having slowed over the Christmas and New Year period, donations picked up rapidly afterwards. However, we were taken aback by the sheer volume of new pledges and donations.”
He continued “Consistent with the stated aims of the appeal, the amazing sum raised will not only enable the completion of the restoration but will also provide a secure fund to ensure its continued conservation so that it can operate at the K&ESR for many years to come.”
“We would like to thank everyone who has so generously donated to the Appeal, especially in these challenging times,” said K&ESR General Manager Robin Coombes. “I think Andrew Webb, in whose memory the Appeal is dedicated, would have been astonished by the scale of the response but, like us, would see it as confirmation of the iconic nature of W20 and how well-loved it is by heritage railway enthusiasts everywhere.”
The Appeal will remain open, as some donors have pledged to give regularly over a set period rather than provide single sums, and will accept any further donations to add to the ring-fenced conservation fund.
W20 progress report – March 2023
As promised, and not without a great deal of co-operation, long hours and a major effort by Alan Brice and the C & W team to complete the work on the new Kitchen Car for the Wealden Pullman, W20 was returned to the Carriage & Wagon workshop on Saturday 4th March. This was only just in time as the vehicle needed to cleared out and prepared on the Sunday, ready for the heating contractors to begin their installation on Monday March 6th. A fantastic team effort, for which the Railcar team are very grateful.
Photo: Neil Edwards
The installation effort over the following week was very successful, with the contractors completing the majority of the work. All the copper and flexible pipe runs are complete and the Diesel burner units have been mounted in the Guards compartment. The heater units have taken up the position where the original steam heat boiler was located, and the existing cabinet will be re-fitted to house the new units. With the heaters being located in the guards area and the pipe runs following the exact layout of the original steam heat pipes, this allows the installation to replicate, as near as possible, the displaced steam heat system, without having the issues of boiler certification. The contractor will return later next month to make the final connections and commission the system. This element of the work cannot be completed until the finished floor has been laid in the guards compartment, to enable the exhaust system and air intake to be properly fitted and sealed prior to testing.
Other achievements since the railcar returned have been the servicing and temporary re-fitting of the six, yes six, prop shafts. Final fit is awaiting the delivery of the correct Independent Competent Person (I.C.P.) approved components. In addition, the ceiling installation has commenced having also received I.C.P. approval, with the small saloon and vestibule having been completed, as far as possible and it looks very appealing in its ivory finish.
Preparations have also been made for the new wooden base layer flooring, especially for within the guards compartment, to enable the heating to be completed. This has now been approved by the I.C.P. and is on order. Once delivered this task will be prioritised.
Chris Mileman
W20 progress report – January 2023
We are delighted to report that the ’20 for 20’ Appeal has raised over 90% of our target!
There has been more great progress on W20 in the last month and we are delighted to report that the first official inspection by Steve Beck from Cambrian Transport Services Limited, our appointed compliance oversight company, has approved the work done to date.
Here’s what’s been happening:
- Restored air vents have been fixed to the roof
- The saloon glazing and frames have been completed, along with the installation of the sliding top window vents
- The roof has been fully insulated and materials for the internal ceiling panels have been approved
- The saloon light fittings have been carefully refurbished and are ready for installation
- The gearboxes, which were restored a number of years ago, have been removed, checked and reinstalled
- Heavy duty cabling in poor condition, perished wiring and flexible conduit have all been removed, ready for replacements
- An external contractor has started work to ensure precise fitting of the cab ends and domes
- A replacement heating system has been approved and contracts have now to be agreed to supply and fit the system at the beginning of March.
W20 progress. Inset: some of the Railcar team – Alan Crotty, Chris Davis, Neil Edwards, Steve Beck and Mike Artlett. Photo by Chris Mileman.
W20 progress report – December 2022
The restoration team has made excellent progress, working hard to make the railcar watertight by permanently fitting the roof sheets, installing the saloon glazing and window surrounds and working on the cab end.
Many thanks to all those who have so generously contributed to the Appeal so far. Please keep donating and spreading the word about the Appeal to enable the completion of this project in time for the railway’s 50th anniversary of reopening.
Neil Edwards
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