Museum powers troop carriers with vegetable oil

The Tank Museum in Dorset has taken a big step toward helping the environment by powering five of its military vehicles with a diesel alternative made from vegetable oils. These vehicles, known as M548 troop carriers, were originally built during the Cold War era, around the time of the Vietnam War. Every season, the museum offers rides to visitors in these troop carriers, and this year, they decided to try out a new green initiative. By using biofuel instead of regular diesel, the museum hopes to lower its carbon footprint and reduce the amount of harmful exhaust gases released into the air.

Duncan Masters, the workshop manager at the museum, has been eager to switch to alternative fuels since he joined the team in 2024. The museum originally planned to start testing biofuels in the summer of 2026 and make a permanent change in 2027. However, they managed to begin the trial two years earlier than expected. One of the main advantages of using biofuel is that the engines in the M548 troop carriers do not need any changes or modifications to run on it. Mr Masters explained that many military vehicles were designed to be multi-fuel, meaning they can operate on different types of fuel. He mentioned that when oil prices were high a few years ago, some people even used chip fat in their jeeps. The biofuel used now is similar, but it has extra chemicals to remove any strong smells.

The museum is considering expanding the use of biofuel to more of its vehicles, although there are concerns about whether older models will be able to handle the new fuel. The results of the summer trial have been very positive, with the renewable diesel reducing emissions from the tanks by an average of 70 percent. Since the M548 troop carriers are the vehicles that travel the most at the museum, using more than 20 litres of fuel each day, switching to biofuel could have a significant impact on the environment. The tank rides for visitors will end on Tuesday, 2 September, but the museum is pleased with the progress and hopes to continue finding ways to reduce its environmental impact.