Campaign Launched to Save Historic District Line Train Cars 4 days ago Share Save Victoria Cook BBC London

London Transport Museum collection. Throwback to the 1930s: interior view of a Q stock carriage featuring the traditional District Line green livery

The London Transport Museum is seeking public donations to help preserve and restore the final surviving “Q stock” underground cars that served the District Line between the 1930s and 1970s.

Museum officials explain that the carriages need new upholstery using authentic “moquette” – the robust woollen fabric traditionally found on London’s public transport seating.

The conservation effort, taking place at the museum’s Acton facility in west London, seeks to return these historic vehicles to working order.

Organizers hope to raise £30,000 from supporters to restore these “exceptional remnants of Underground heritage”.

London Transport Museum External view of a Q stock carriage; Q stock services consisted of mixed car formations with varying interior layouts. Commuters could never predict which carriage configuration would arrive at their station.

The museum plans to restore each of the three surviving cars to represent distinct historical periods, with unique seating arrangements to match each era.

According to the museum: “The first carriage will showcase wartime London experiences; the second will capture the post-war rationing period; while the third will demonstrate the renewed confidence and economic growth of the 1950s, including the story of Caribbean workers recruited directly by London Transport.”

To ensure historical accuracy for each period’s seating, curators have analyzed over 300 archival photographs spanning from 1920 to today, plus the museum’s collection of more than 400 moquette fabric samples.

Elizabeth McKay, director and chief executive of London Transport Museum, commented: “These legendary Underground carriages cannot be considered complete without their characteristic moquette seating, originally created by trailblazing female designers including Joy Jarvis and Enid Marx.

“While the Museum has secured funding to reupholster one Q stock car within this restoration initiative, we require public support to raise £30,000 for the remaining two carriages.”

London Transport Museum collection Original fabric pattern examples. Left: ‘Roundel’ by Enid Marx, circa 1947 and right: ‘Shield’ by Joy Jarvis, circa 1948

Following London Transport’s establishment in 1933, creative professionals have been commissioned to develop moquette patterns for Underground trains, buses, trams, trolleybuses and the more recent Thames cable car.

The museum emphasized its commitment to highlighting “the pivotal contribution” of women in shaping the appearance of transport vehicle interiors during the 1940s.

One carriage will honor textile designer Joy Jarvis, who created the famous ‘Roundel’ and ‘Bullseye’ moquette patterns in the 1940s – designs that were incorrectly credited to a male designer until recently.

The second carriage will pay tribute to artist Enid Marx, whose distinctive green and red “Shield” pattern featured on underground trains serving the District line during the final years of World War II.

You can donate to the campaign here.