Moquette

The LNERCA is looking for some moquette to complete a Gresley BTK. The stuff we'd like to use is what was fitted to a Gresley TK damaged in an accident at Tollerton in the early '50s and shown in the eanlarged photo below. We've been told hat a very similar pattern may have been used in Southdown buses and that some replica material may have been made recently - can anyone help to identify and/or track it down? The diagonal dark figure of eight ipattern is thought to be on a fawn background.

 

Try COMPARE THE MOQUETTE

 

For make good Moquette purchases!

Anyways...

I presume you've tried the SVR LNER Coach people?

 

I have, no reply as yet though. I've been round the SVR's moquette collection before, though, didn't see anything like this. What I'm really hoping is that there may be someone on here with an interest in buses who can help. Compare the Meerkat - - sorry Moquette - seems to be prinarily for more modern patterns.

 

Try the heritage range from Holdsworths...at least I think that is the name of the company. I'll add a link if/when I can find it.....

 

Holdsworths was my first port of call, and they told me they couldn't make out the pattern from the photo, which I thought was strange because it looks quite distinctive to me. I've a feeling they've discontinued the "Heritage" range, but I'll have another look.

 

Sorry about that. A lot of moquette was made in this district (Calder Valley), Holdsworth's being a major player, in fact their HUGE mill still exists. There was another company in Luddendenfoot called British Furtex, but that has long gone, the site now being housing. I'm not a textile person but have a machine tool background, another industry that was prevalent here. I have however, been involved with non-woven textile technology in the last few years with regard to carbon/carbon and carbon-ceramic brakes. To say industry has disappeared is somewhat wrong. Here in this district brake development in these fields encompasses brakes for the Dreamliner, A380-800 and stealth technology viz Fighter and bomber technology...............times have just moved on.......

 

I think British Furtex was absorbed by Holdsworths. Sadly, I don't think carbon fibre matting would look right as the upholstery material for a Gresley BTK!

I have been given a couple of other leads that I'm follwoing up, though I haven't got any further with the bus connection yet.

 

Not sure if this takes you any further but the Blackpool Trams site have moquette links: Moquette Sales - Blackpool Trim Shops - Coach Trimming Bus Trimming Retrimming Refurbishment

 

Another interesting suggestion (and a useful possible contact for tretrimming work) but as faras I can see they only have modern style patterns. Can anyone help with a URL for the Bluebell's photographic collection of their moquette samples?

 

Try here


Keith

 

I think "Furtex" were taken over by "Interface fabrics" which became "Camira" and now "Holdsworth".

If I recall correctly, they (as will most mills) will make stuff up as special order - but there is quite a sizeable length required as a minimum .... and in addition there are fire "proofing" and resistance to wear to consider.... (it can be a complicated subject - I used to help specify fabrics for furniture in a previous job, which is why I'm sad enough to recall this info !)

 

Set on Flickr which may help?

Moquette - a set on Flickr

 

It didn't help particularly, but it was interesting, just as the Blackpool site earlier didn't really help but provided a useful contact for getting a retrimming estimate. It would be good if there were more such sites covering other regions.

By the way, If anyone is interested, the LNERCA is on the brink of securing another consignment of teak panels. If there are any groups out there who might need some, please PM me for more info. It looks to be top quality stuff, potentially available in lengths up to 20ft and up to 24" wide! Chances like this are very rare now.

 

Holdsworth are the only manufacturer left in this country they will produce pretty much anything in a moquette if you can order enough, it may be worth giving me a call as I have recovered seating in a number of mark 1 coaches and have access to different patterns that can be produced in smaller quantities.

 

The LNERCA has resorted to having a batch of the material used in Thompson third class made and this has recently been delivered. We re now just about to commission a batch of the LNER "fawn rep" used from the mid 1920s to early 1930s. The Thompson material was recreated from a sampe in the NRM that provided an incomplete pattern. We have recreated the full pattern thanks of the skill of Holdsworth's designer Samantha Dean and careful study of high resolution photos, and in the absence of any known samples of the fawn rep Samantha has recreated this from high res photos alone and an educated guess at colours. This has taken several iterations to capture the subtlties of the pattern, but we are on the brink of placing an order.

 

Re: Moquette on the Bluebell

Hi, Try URL

Moquette - a set on Flickr

It is not actually on the Bluebell main site. The moquette records are maintained by their C&W correspondent for Bluebell News.

Regards Roger H

 

Thanks for that, but I was already aware of it - us carriage restorers do talk to one another! The Bluebell are fortunate to have recovered some SR works pattern books, and the are some LNER pattern books in the NRM . The LNERCA has various samples recovered from grounded bodies and I'm sure there are others out there. It would be good to bring all that is available together, even if only in photographic form.

 

Try here for ex Southdown moquette

Southcoast Motor Services: Vintage buses

Contact number is on first page.

Tim Robbins, ex VSOE, is I believe now dealing in shorter runs of moquette as applied to bus/train seating. He is also a director of above bus company and should be contactable through them.

Any problem I will pm you his e address.

 

The LNER late pre-war and post war 1st class moquette was a (purple cabbages" design and was also used on Southdown buses. The Southdown bus trut had a batch made and both the NYMR and the LNERCA purchased some for use in Thompson CL 88339 and Thomson CK 18477 respectively. The CL has been reupholsted and the CK is the LNERCA's next project, hopefully to be started later this year.