Research Test Vehicle 31 - RTV 31

Sorry for the delay on this .. But there are so many demands on our volunteers - just to keep the project progressing as well as raising funds to keep moving forward..

Update on RTV 31 … As many of you will know volunteers and Ex Employees of Tracked Hovercraft Limited raised over £11,000 to save and transport the RTV 31's neglected, rusting hulk from Cranfield to save ‘her’ from scrapping over 30 years ago ...

Please see photo of RTV at Cranfield.

None of the national institutions were interested in saving what was a mere ‘Research Test Vehicle’ for the linear motor that was only expected to be used for test purposes 2 or 3 years and then scrapped.  It has been a constant struggle for the volunteers to keep on top of the aging relic; funding is a problem for all charitable concerns and RTV certainly gobbles up money faster than volunteers can raise it! Volunteers and Ex Employees are very proud that we saved RTV 31 – Because for over 30 years it has kept the story alive and most importantly enabled the story to be told and archives to be built up of original photographs, extensive films, models and logs. 

Many of you know much of our archive has been loaned to Drew the lead volunteer at ‘Fenland on Film’ to create our anxiously awaited ‘Documentary on the Hovertrain’.  Drew is assisted by fellow Archivist Peter Cox, who has had a lifelong fascination for the Cambridgeshire Hovertrain! Two years ago, structural engineers condemned the 50-ton support beam – this cost the volunteers well over £4,000! – The 50ft beam has to come down, access to RTV has always been a problem, for over two months using expensive specialist equipment, contractors have been engaged to dismantle the RTV, so that a crane can safely lift it, (they will not lift as it is!) RTV was never designed to last 5 years – Let alone 50 years outside! Once RTV has been lowered down onto a special bespoke cradle. Next step will be raising more funds to restore as much as volunteers can, at least the front half and put theatre seats inside and create a screen to show Drews excellent soon to be completed documentary?

Volunteers also desire to raise even more funds to finally put RTV under cover in a small museum … If you would like to help the Railworld Wildlife Haven Volunteers do this - Please donate what you can afford - https://localgiving.org/charity/railworldwildlifehaven