London Transport Museum is celebrating a major milestone in its fundraising campaign to restore a rare and important piece of the capital’s transport heritage
— the last three 1930s Q stock carriages, also called ‘cars’. Thanks to the generosity of the public, almost £15,000 has already been raised – halfway to the £30,000 target.
The Museum needs to raise the funds to re-upholster the seats in iconic and historical moquette – the durable, woollen seating material used in upholstery on public
transport all over the world. The Museum has secured funds to re-upholster one of the cars but announced in May 2025 that it is seeking £30,000 from the public to help fund the re-upholstery for the final two.
The restoration of the three Q stock carriages is a long-term project that has mostly taken place at the London Transport Museum Depot in Acton, west London. The
aim is to get them back up and running and in operational condition – safeguarding this unique piece of transport history to inspire and inform future generations with its stories.
Q stock trains entered service on the District line in November 1938. They kept London moving through a transformative era of history – from transporting Londoners
in the dark days of the Second World War through to the swinging sixties before being retired from service.
Elizabeth McKay, Director and CEO, London Transport Museum, said:
‘We’re thrilled to have almost reached the halfway mark in this fundraising campaign – thank you to everyone who’s helped us get here. It’s been incredibly moving to hear why people are donating – whether it’s a deep love of London’s transport history or a
personal memory tied to the Q stock. Every gift brings us closer to bringing these remarkable carriages back to life.’
