Carriage 26
From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
| Carriage 26 | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Martin Ellis | |
| Built By | Ashbury Railway Carriage & Iron Co |
| Wheels | Bogie |
| Seating | 42 Third |
| Length | 30 ft |
| Body Width | 6 ft |
| History | |
| Date Built | 1894 |
| Operating | FR |
| Carriages | |
Contents |
[edit]Background
This carriage has carried the following numbers
- NWNGR 12
- WHR & FR 26
Rebodied in 1986, it bears little resemblence to its original appearance.
Built in 1894 by Ashbury Carriage & Wagon Co, Manchester. This carriage was one of a number of Summer cars with half length doors, built for the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway. It was identical to Carriage 23. On creation of the Welsh Highland Railway, it passed into WHR stock. Sold by demolition contractor George Cohen to a farmer for use as a hen house in 1942, the carriage body was acquired by the Festiniog Railway in 1959. These carriages 23 and 26 may be distinguished as former NWNGR vehicles by the double plumb-bobs on the couplers: the FR type has a single plumb-bob. Otherwise ex-NWNG 26 is similar to FR 22.
The Carriage acquired full length doors in 1965 and was painted in a blue and silver livery in 1977, to celebrate the silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It was given a completely new body similar to Carriage 22 in 1986.
*Date: Unknown *Photo: Martin Ellis
In September 2005, carriage 26 visited the Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) for the 2005 Superpower Event, to replace Carriage 23 on F-set, whilst Carriage 23 was formed into the Colonel Stephens set.
It was fully repainted in the winter of 2005, with black rather than maroon ends.
*Date: 2005 *Photo: Bruce Brayne
*Date: 2008 *Photo:Colin Lea