Slate Waggons

From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group

An example of an unbraked 2-ton wooden slate waggon.

As noted in the Traveller's Guide (Blue Cover Early 2000s) this waggon is, in fact, a replica, rather than a restoration. The FR Heritage Group built it, using axleboxes and wheelsets recovered from other vehicles and a set of cast-iron bobbins (the spacers between the wooden rails) recovered from the time when wooden slate waggons were burnt in the Top Yard at Boston Lodge in the 1950s (they had no further use on the newly restored FR). All the timber was new and some has subsequently been replaced by FRHG members as a couple of rails, and one headstock had become rotten owing to the waggon being stored in the open for a period; it is now kept under cover. Having researched old photographs for a suitable vehicle, FRHG applied 475 as it is an authentic number for a waggon of this type.

An example of a restored slate waggon No. 639 (Un braked 2-ton)

Details taken from Boyd

Wheels = Curve spoke variety - possibly supplied by Hadfields Part of a batch 501 - 805 small iron waggon

Further examples

An example of a restored slate waggon No. 642 (2-ton un-ratcheted brake)

Further examples

An example of a restored slate waggon No. 1009 (2-ton brake)

Further examples

An example of a restored slate waggon No. 823 (Un-braked 3-ton)

Further examples
An example of a restored slate waggon No. 876 (Braked 3-ton)

Further examples

A page listing some of the all-metal slate waggons that have recently been photographed can be found at All-metal Slate waggons
Other related pages:

Rhosydd Quarry

Slate and the Festiniog Railway

Gravity Slate Trains

The Ffestiniog Slate Wag(g)on restoration team website

[edit]See also

• Wagons