Thoresby Park’s military museum takes delivery of iconic British tank

A special restoration project has seen a military museum based at Thoresby Park take delivery of an iconic British tank.
Kirsty Hamilton
By Kirsty Hamilton
Published 3rd Nov 2022, 14:46 BST
Updated 3rd Nov 2022, 14:46 BST
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The Royal Lancers & Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum, at Thoresby Park, near OIlerton, is the new temporary home of the FV 214 Conqueror.

Weighing in at 64 tonnes, it is one of the heaviest tanks produced in Britain.

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It was transported to the site from Dorest’s Bovington Tank Museum, before a painstaking four-hour operation saw it manoeuvred into place on a specially created concrete plinth.

Mick Holtby, The Royal Lancers & Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum curator, described the FV 214 Conqueror tank as a "beast".Mick Holtby, The Royal Lancers & Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum curator, described the FV 214 Conqueror tank as a "beast".
Mick Holtby, The Royal Lancers & Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum curator, described the FV 214 Conqueror tank as a "beast".

Now volunteers at the museum will spend the next few months giving the tank a new look ahead of a special unveiling next spring.

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Coun Keith Girling, Nottinghamshire Council Armed Forces Champion, was among the crowds watching on as the Conqueror made its arrival.

He said: “Thoresby has a long association with the British tank and it only seems fitting that a great venue like the Royal Lancers & Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum will be home to such a historic and significant exhibit.

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The 64-tonne FV 214 Conqueror saw service between 1955 and 1966 during the post-Second World War era of the Cold War.The 64-tonne FV 214 Conqueror saw service between 1955 and 1966 during the post-Second World War era of the Cold War.
The 64-tonne FV 214 Conqueror saw service between 1955 and 1966 during the post-Second World War era of the Cold War.

“Nottinghamshire is known for being a military-minded county and it was great to see so many people come out in force to see the tank arrive at the museum.

“Thoresby and the museum play a key role in Nottinghamshire’s visitor economy and I’m sure the presence of the FV 214 Conqueror will no doubt prove to be a huge attraction to people coming to our county.”

Mick Holtby, museum curator, said: “Thoresby was a tank area. Tanks trained here and you can still see the metal roads round the estate, but this is the first time that we’ve had a tank here at Thoresby Courtyard for about 80 years.

“It is going to provide us with a wow factor. Visitors will want to come and see it and that’s why we have put it where we have, because when people come out from the car park they will see it and think ‘wow, that’s a beast’ – and it is a beast.

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It took a gruelling four hours to manoeuvre the Conqueror tank onto the concrete plinth.It took a gruelling four hours to manoeuvre the Conqueror tank onto the concrete plinth.
It took a gruelling four hours to manoeuvre the Conqueror tank onto the concrete plinth.

“A lot of the restoration work will be cosmetic and if we get it looking something like what it did, then we’ll be delighted.”

Admission to the museum is free. For more details, see qrlnymuseum.co.uk, call 01623 824222, or email [email protected]