Carriage 23
From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
| Carriage 23 | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Summer Car | |
| Built By | Ashbury Co. |
| Wheels | Bogie |
| Designation | Seven 3rd Class compartments semi-glazed |
| Seating | 42 Third |
| Length | 30 ft |
| Body Width | 6 ft |
| History | |
| Date Built | 1894 |
| Operating | WHR Heritage Fleet |
| Carriages | |
Contents |
[edit]Background
This carriage has carried the following numbers:
- NWNGR 11
- WHR 24
- FR 23
It now operates on the WHR(C) as No. 23
Built in 1894 by Ashbury Carriage & Wagon Co, Manchester. This coach was built for the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways NWNGR as a "Summer Coach" and numbered 11. It had half height doors and dimensions were Length: 29"11" Width: 6" Height:7'5". In 1922 the NWNGR became part of the Welsh Highland Railway and the carriage was numbered 24 in the WHR series. This coach, with others, was cut down in height to facilitate through working the FR's notorious old Moelwyn Tunnel to Blaenau Ffestiniog. In 1936 the coach passed into Festiniog Railway ownership in exchange for three ex-WD bogie coal wagons. At some point in this era it was numbered 23 in the FR series.
In 1955 No 23 with Coach 12 (now Van 5) formed the first train to run on the newly reopened railway.
It has been kept in a condition quite close to how it was when it ran on the WHR, having been repainted in 1920s WHR livery although the half height doors have been replaced with full doors with droplights, some ex-No.21. The half doors were fitted to Carriages 37 and 38. It has been restored to 1920's "Colonel Stephens" livery, with Welsh Highland lettering.
As announced in May 2001, it has now made a permanent return to the WHR, following overhaul and repaint at Boston Lodge. It made a return visit to the FR for the FR50 celebrations.
*Date: Unknown
*Photo: Martin Ellis
Some confusion may be caused by the fact that the original WHR Carriage 23, the "buffet car" is being reconstructed by the WHR(P) at Gelert's Farm. As a new replica Summer Coach has been constructed with the number 24 for use on the WHR(C), it remains to be seen how this numerical impasse will be resolved. One option would be to recognise the priority of the Buffet Car as 23, renumber Summer Coach 23 to its former WHR number 24, and renumber the replica Summer Coach 24 as 27 or 28, the numbers of now scrapped open vehicles of this type. Another option would be to renumber the replica Summer Coach 21, the number of a defunct FR Ashbury.
Following No. 23's return to the FR for the 2004 Vintage Weekend, it was partnered with Van 2, Carriage 1 and Prince on the Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) Superpower Weekend in September 2005. On Friday 16th September 2005 this rake reached Rhyd Ddu.