Carriage 24
From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
| Carriage 24 | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Replica NWNGR Summer Car No.24 Photo: Bruce_Brayne | |
| Built By | FR Co. |
| Wheels | Bogie |
| Seating | First x 6 , Third x 30 |
| Length | 30 ft. 0 in.; |
| Width | 6 ft. 0 in. |
| History | |
| Date Built | 2002 |
| Operating | WHR Heritage Fleet |
| Carriages | |
Contents |
[edit]Background
Two carriages have carried this number
- the prototype of the Centenary stock, built in 1964, and renumbered 104 in 1967. Details can be found here.
- a replica NWNGR "summer coach" built in 2002, which is dealt with on this page.
A Boston Lodge built replica of Carriage No. 23, but in its original 1894 NWNGR condition, apart from the provision of glazed doors; the donor expressed a specific preference for an "original" version of the NWNGR Ashbury "Summer coaches". It is numbered 24. The attention to detail extends to original pattern curly-spoked wheels; it was necessary to make a new pattern for the steel castings for these. The picture below showing the new underframe, and many wooden components for the body and roof, at Boston Lodge on February 24th 2002.
*Date: 24 February 2002 *Photo: Chris Jones)
The body was complete and in the final stages of paintwork and lettering by late July The bogies are as close as possible to the type originally fitted to no. 23 (which no longer has its original bogies - having been much modified for "ambulance" duties these were sold to the Bredgar & Wormshill Railway in the 1980s), including rivetted construction and genuine NWNGR axleboxes found in store at Boston Lodge, but with more substantial material used for the frames. The only significant design change is the addition of secondary suspension, for an improved ride.
No. 24 had its first runs on the FR (whose loading gauge is now able to take a full-height NWNGR vehicle), an evening test run to Blaenau Ffestiniog on August 19th 2002, followed by three days of revenue-earning service on the Porthmadog - Tan-y-Bwlch vintage shuttle service. It was moved to WHR (Caernarfon) on August 24th.
No. 24 went straight into service on the following day's Heritage Train service.
Despite their modest external size compared with the modern carriages, these vehicles had a deceptively large capacity of 56 passengers each, and are useful members of the fleet in addition to their Heritage value.
It is now rated at 42 seats, all 3rd class, carriage.
*Date: August 2004 *Photo: Bruce Brayne