Morris Lubricants’ Simon Holroyd: Outstanding Heritage Steam expertise is always on hand!
Morris Lubricants continues to build upon its strong reputation in the heritage steam industry, showcasing the expertise of its Heritage Account Manager, Simon Holroyd, a well-known figure within the sector.
Simon has firmly established himself as part of the Morris Lubricants’ team after his appointment in 2021, further enhancing the company’s position as a key manufacturer and supplier of oils, lubricants and greases specifically designed for use in the heritage steam sector. He boasts a wealth of knowledge after spending many years working on some of the world’s most famous locomotives.
Before Simon joined the team at Morris Lubricants, he worked at the National Railway Museum for over a decade. Working at the museum as Engineering Manager, he got his hands dirty restoring some of the world’s most iconic locomotives, such as Flying Scotsman.
Prior to this, he volunteered on the locomotive Duke of Gloucester for 17 years, later becoming Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer. Throughout this time, Simon was involved in the overhaul, operation, and further development of British Railways’ last steam passenger locomotive.
Simon has also worked on many other iconic locomotives including the National Railway Museum’s replica of Stephenson’s Rocket, the restoration of Bulleid Pacific Winston Churchill and the repatriation and repairs of Dwight D Eisenhower and Dominion of Canada.
As an industry expert, Simon provides advice, expertise, and guidance for heritage railway workshops up and down the country, helping customers find the best solution to suit their needs and explaining the excellent benefits of using Morris Lubricants’ high-quality oils, lubricants and greases. For example, when using inferior oils, locomotives operating under superheat conditions can cause the oil to form heavy carbonaceous deposits around piston rings and cylinders. These deposits are problematic as they can lead to accelerated wear. However, using oils from Morris Lubricants that are made from high quality base oils and precise additives, can virtually eliminate this issue.
The products Simon champions include the Morris Lubricants’ range of Compound Steam Cylinder Oils. For instance, Compound ST 800 and Mainline 1000 are excellent performing products, which have been specifically developed for full-size steam engines operating on both preserved lines and the National Rail network, where true superheat conditions are experienced on longer hauls and high-speed runs.
These specifically designed Compound Steam Cylinder Oils offer a non-staining, robust formulation that can withstand high piston speeds and superheat temperatures. Plus, they can impart rust resistance during operation and long after shutdown by using unique, highly efficient surface additives.
Simon commented: “I feel I have a good reputation in the industry, and I really enjoy working for a company that I have total faith in. The products that Morris Lubricants produce for heritage steam applications are superb and really can be seen as the best products around, the benefits really do speak for themselves.
“The Compound Steam Cylinder Oil ST 800 is an outstanding hero product for this sector, and it really is very effective. Every railway is different, having a product which sits between our compound 680 and 1000 allows us to provide exactly the right product needed.
“It’s a pleasure to go up and down the country to engineering workshops and hear people tell me how good Morris Lubricants’ products are and how they have helped maintain and preserve some of the world’s most famous locomotives.”
As well as being a manufacturer and distributor of heritage steam products, Morris Lubricants is a huge supporter of the industry in general, having created the Heritage Railway Support Scheme to keep steam railway stations, such as Talyllyn railway station, operational during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company also supported the creation of Talisman, a classic steam engine created from scratch by steam expert Alex Sharphouse. Recently Talisman was put fully to the test and completed its first major pull, to transport a 50-tonne steam engine 50 miles around the Lake District. More can be found about this project in this video series.
Morris Lubricants is also a proud sponsor of the Coiley Locomotive Engineering Award at the Heritage Railway Association (HRA) Awards. The awards are recognised as the 'Oscars' of Heritage Rail, where the outstanding achievements of railways, tramways, cliff railways, associated groups and individuals are celebrated.
Further information can be found on the Morris Lubricants website at or on the company’s social media channels.