Carriages 100 - 107
From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
In the 1960's the Festiniog Railway began construction of a series of, then, modern wooden-bodied carriages at Boston Lodge, using components manufactured by a company called Watson's, in Birkenhead. The design had been prepared by Fred Boughey a Boston Lodge volunteer who, at the time, still worked as a lecturer at a Technical College in Birkenhead. He was able to oversee the manufacture of the components. The design for this new Centenary stock was for a significantly larger carriage than all the previous designs, the restriction on height imposed by the orignal Rhiw Plas road bridge having been removed by road improvements. The profile was based on that of the restored former Lynton and Barnstaple Carriage 14 and this, combined with the spacious interiors caused these carriages to be given the affectionate nickname, "The Barns". Six were built, 100, 101, 103, 104, 105, 106 originally.
In 2004, when more carriages were required construction of two new coaches, to a similar design, was begun. They carry numbers 102 and 107.
In 2006 the original 100 was taken out of operational use, having served several seasons in the second set on the WHR and reached the end of its economic life. Rather than being immediately dismantled to release the underframe for another new build the carriage was renumbered 1000 and transferred to departmental stock to serve as a mess/riding vehicle for construction staff on Phase 4 of the WHR. The FR pattern bogies were released and returned to Boston Lodge for overhaul, being replaced under 1000 by a pair of SAR diamond frame pattern, as used on other WHR stock.
The number 100 was transferred to a new Barn, of updated design, constructed at Boston Lodge during 2005/6.
These carriages consist of
- Carriage 100 - Mark II - built 2005/06
- Carriage 100 - Mark I - built 1965, renumbered 1000 in 2006 when enter "departmental" stock
- Carriage 101 - built 1970
- Carriage 102 - built 2004/05
- Carriage 103 - built 1968
- Carriage 104 - built 1964
- Carriage 105 - built 1966/67
- Carriage 106 - built 1968
- Carriage 107 - built 2004/05
Carriages rebuilt from Tin Carr Design
- Carriage 124 - rebuilt 2006 on IOMR Frame R7