Local drainer for red diesel in tank in Old Town
Do not turn the ignition, not even to check the dashboard. For red diesel in the tank anywhere in Old Town, a drainer attends with a pump and a sealed tank, empties the fuel system and refills it. From £89 call-out, usually 1 to 2 hours on site; ring 01295 380724 for the price before you commit.
Mechanically red diesel runs, but in a road vehicle it is a duty offence; the tank is drained, flushed and the fuel disposed of under licence. That is why the ignition is the one thing not to touch.
Red diesel in the tank in Old Town: the facts
| Place | Old Town |
|---|---|
| Area | Lothian |
| Postcodes | EH1 |
| Job | Red diesel or agricultural fuel in a road vehicle |
| Price | Call-out from £89, full price quoted first |
| Time on site | 1–2 hours |
| Who attends | A local drainer with a pump and sealed tank |
| Phone | 01295 380724, 24 hours |
On arrival in Old Town: what happens next
They bring the fuel. Once the tank is empty and the lines are flushed, the drainer adds enough of the correct fuel to get the engine running and to reach a filling station, then checks for warning lights before handing the keys back.
Questions worth asking before you book a drain in Old Town
A drainer should be happy to answer all of these on the phone. If they will not give a price before travelling, ring someone else.
- Is the vehicle over 3.5 tonnes, and does that change the price?
- Is there an extra charge at night or at the weekend?
- Will you check the filter and pump if the engine ran?
- How long until you reach me in Old Town?
- Do you take card payment at the roadside?
What to do right now
- Don't press the start button or turn the key.
- Take a photo of the pump display: it shows the fuel type and the litres.
- Ring 01295 380724 and describe where the car is.
- Agree the price before booking — the call-out starts at £89.
- The drainer empties the tank and flushes the system where the car stands.
- They refuel, start the engine and check it before handing back the keys.
Postcodes covered around Old Town
We cover postcode district EH1 and the surrounding streets in Lothian. Give the operator your postcode and you will get an arrival window.
Forecourt, roadside or drive: where we drain in Old Town
Forecourt staff in Old Town see this every week and will usually let the vehicle sit in a bay until the drainer arrives. Otherwise the drainer can work on your drive, at your workplace or at the kerb outside.
How much it costs in Old Town
| What happened | What the drainer does | Price | Time on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caught at the pump | Pump out, flush, clean fuel in | Call-out from £89 | 45–90 mins |
| Ignition turned on | Pump out and flush the filter | Given on the phone | 1–2 hours |
| Driven away from the forecourt | Pump out, flush, pump and injector checks | Given on the phone | Up to 3 hours |
| Vehicle stopped running | Pump out, flush and fault-finding | Given on the phone | Depends on the fault |
| AdBlue went in the wrong tank | Complete drain and flush | Quoted per vehicle | Up to 3 hours |
| Price ranges | The call-out, then the drain | Call-out £89–£199 · drain £199–£1,999 | — |
Other drains in Old Town
Drainers nearby
From the drainer's notebook
Fuel Fixer, the company behind Wrong Fuel Drain, holds a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 2,190 reviews on Trustpilot, on a profile claimed since 2017.
Across recent reviews, the themes customers raise most often are staff who stay polite, professional and reassuring during what is a stressful situation, and how quickly a technician arrives and gets the vehicle back on the road in Old Town.
The most common criticism is price. Some customers have felt the cost of an emergency drain was steep for a job that takes under two hours, and that is fair comment on an emergency call-out. It is why the misfuel call-out fee now starts at just £89 and why the full figure is quoted on the phone before a technician sets off — so nothing about the cost is a surprise at the roadside.
Common questions
Does insurance cover red diesel in the tank?
Many policies exclude misfuelling. Some breakdown cover and optional add-ons include it. Check your policy wording before assuming either way.
How long does a drain take in Old Town?
Usually 1 to 2 hours on site once the drainer arrives. Longer if the engine was started, because the filter and lines need flushing as well as the tank.
Can you drain a hire car or a company car?
Yes. Tell the hire company or fleet manager too; many prefer a drain on site to a recovery.
Will you bring fuel?
Yes. The drainer adds enough of the correct fuel to start the engine and reach a filling station.
Do you cover all of Old Town?
Yes — forecourts, roadsides, homes and workplaces across Old Town and the surrounding area.
Is the drain messy?
No. The fuel is pumped into a sealed tank on the van, and a drip tray catches anything from the connection. The area is left as it was.
Who you are dealing with
Wrong Fuel Drain is a brand of Fuel Fixer Ltd (company number 08520551), a company of Fuel Fixer International, the multinational group behind this website. Fuel Fixer International is owned by Stockbridge Capital Holdings, a private equity group. Work is carried out by Fuel Fixer Ltd technicians under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, with Environment Agency waste-carrier registration.
Searching for the same help under a different name? Wrong Fuel is the same team, same from just £89 misfuel callout fee.
Across the network
- Fuel Fixer Scotland — the country site for Old Town.
Fuel Fixer sites: Fuel Fixer · Misfuel Doctor · UK Wrong Fuel Repository
Forecourt Assist sites: Forecourt Assist · AdBlue in Fuel · Wrong Fuel Cumbria · Wrong Fuel Teesside · Wrong Fuel Carlisle · Wrong Fuel Penrith · Wrong Fuel Keswick · Wrong Fuel Kendal · Wrong Fuel Workington · Wrong Fuel Maryport · Wrong Fuel Whitehaven · Wrong Fuel Newcastle · Wrong Fuel Gateshead · Wrong Fuel Sunderland · Wrong Fuel Durham · Wrong Fuel Darlington · Wrong Fuel Middlesbrough · Wrong Fuel Dumfries
Also in the group: Motor Servicing
Background reading: AA wrong fuel advice. Service operated by Fuel Fixer, alongside Wrong Fuel, Fuel Fixer Scotland and Motor Servicing, part of Fuel Fixer International and owned by Stockbridge Capital Holdings.