Carriage 21
From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
| Carriage 21 | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Boston Lodge 1959 | |
| Built By | Ashbury |
| Designation | Third saloon |
| Seating | Third x 56 |
| Length | 30 ft |
| History | |
| Date Built | 1897/8 |
| Operating | 'disposed 1962 |
| Carriages | |
Carriage 21 - 'disposed of' in 1962
It was an Ashbury built 'tourist' carriage identical to No. 22 as originally built:
'... in 1897 a new bogie carriage, vacuum fitted, was placed in traffic in the Autumn. It was number 21, a seven compatment all-third class coach, with matchboard sides and no end balconies. There was only one partition above the seats, dividing the carriage into unequal parts, and the length was 30 feet over the body. Accomodation was nominally 56 seats, giving it the largest capacity of any carriage on the line.'
Source: Boyd, J.I.C: The Festiniog Railway Vol.2 The Oakwood Press 2002 reprint ISBN 0 85361 168 8 Page 360
This was one of the carriages left out in the open during the 1946 - 1954 closure period, and finally ended up in Glan-y-mor yard (a location at that time where non operational vehicles were stored i.e. Welsh Pony, Princess, K1 and The Peckett).
The carriage was discussed at the company Board Meeting 7th November 1962:
'The body of 1898-built Ashbury tourist carriage number 21 had not survived the closure in very good condition and had had everything useful removed from it; the bogies had been donated to No. 26 in 1959. It came to be considered to be beyond repair and instructions were given for it to be disposed of.'
Source: Peter Johnson Immortal Rails vol. 1 (2004); ISBN 1-900622-08-4; page 173
The remains of the body were actually dismantled before August 1962 when its demise was reported in FRM 18/7
*Date: 1959 *Photo: Unknown
The above photo is reproduced from Page 33 of Andrew Wilson's book, 'The Festiniog Railway from 1950' ISBN 0-752423975 and has been used with his kind permission. (R.J.Leonard, courtesy of KRM)
In the 1994 renumbering scheme, Carriage 21 has been reserved for replica of original 21, but with no time scale given for this.
It is much to be hoped that no such reconstruction will take place as the knee room was not enough and it was a most uncomfortable vehicle, as was old No.22.