Carriage 15

From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group


Carriage 15
Carriage 15 at Boston Lodge
Seating	6 1st/36 3rd
Length	35'9"
Width	6'
Operating	Heritage Fleet
Carriages

1 Background
2 See also

[edit]Background

In late 1872 the first body was delivered from the Birmingham firm of Brown, Marshalls & Co. of Adderley Park, Birmingham , the details being their own, but with an overall general design by Charles Easton Spooner. Whilst not the worlds first, they were the first revenue-earning bogie coaches in the British Isles, and now the oldest in existence. Due to the length and fact they would only be supporting at the end of the carriage, the wrought iron frames were made considerably stronger than previously used.. This was also in order to take the strain of a train passing through reverse curves of short radius, and to haul large rakes of empty wagons. The bogie centres and bolsters were of oak sandwiched between cross girders.

The two vehicles, when originally constructed, had seven compartments, which accommodated three classes. One description had the carriages as having a 1st class compartment upholstered in blue material, holding six passengers in the centre, flanked on one side by a 2nd class fitted out in plain cloth, holding eight persons and with 3rd class seating for 24 on wooden seats with no intermediate partitions. At each end of the carriage, where the floor is raised over the bogies, there are Luggage/Third compartments in which the seats were originally removable and arranged lengthways. Droplight windows were provided in both the end of the carriage and the side windows, but there were no fixed lights on either side of them. As built they had removable benches across the side doors and entry was generally made from end balconies, there being a gangway across the ends of these carriages with suitable steps each side. They seated three per side and were described as being 'for servants and baggage'. The end compartments had their end windows removed later. Wooden boards replaced them, and the compartments were used purely for luggage The total seating capacity was 54, now 42. The original running and buffing gear was added at Boston Lodge. Dimensions are Length: 35'9", Width: 6' and Height:7'8". Tare 6 tons. Wheelbase, 27 ft. Over the years they have operated the seating arrangements have been varied slighty

To suit the end compartments to their primary role, in both vehicles, it is said there was a wide door in each side; but in order to use, the seats had to be removed. Some of these original features have been included in the restored Carriage 15, though the seats in the luggage compartment are now arranged transversely, and the widened door (if there ever was one) has been removed. The layout is now 3rd / 3rd / 3rd / 1st / 3rd / 3rd / 3rd with 6 seats in first class and formerly 8 but now 6 in each of the third class.

The carriage has been restored in Victorian heritage livery as part of the railway's vintage The 1870's Train

Following its last major refurbishment, Carriage 15 was relaunched on Friday July 20, 2001

With the help of Heritage Lottery Funding it has been restored to its Victorian splendour, complete with hand lining and lettering and gold leaf paint too

Carriage 16, which has been restored to its 1930s appearance, is very different from the highly ornate 15. Both coaches are virtually identical but now show the development from Victorian coach to inter-war period, with many detail changes.

Both carriages are now operate as part of the normal passenger carrying fleet.