Carriage 111
| Carriage 111 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Fresh from the paintshop, 2015 | |
| Type | Observation First Brake Toilet |
| Seating | 11 x 1st |
| Home Railway | F&WHR |
| Original Railway | FR |
| Status | In use as P-Way mess vehicle |
| History | |
| Built by | Boston Lodge |
| Built | 1986 - 1990 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 36 ft 6 in |
| Frames | Ex IoM R5 |
| Carriages | |
Carriage 111 is an observation first and driving trailer built in 1989/90 as part of the Push Pull project. It has now been replaced in passenger service and cascaded to permanent way work. This carriage was built as an Observation Car, Driving Trailer, Lavatory and Guard's area for the Ffestiniog Railway's Push Pull Set. As built the carriage carried the green and cream livery used for this set, but has since been repainted into the railway's standard maroon and cream.
Construction[edit]
Carriage 111 was constructed in Boston Lodge Works during 1989 and into 1990.
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In Passenger Service[edit]
The carriage entered service during the 1990 Gala without the toilet or central heating fitted and with temporary third class seating. At the Gala ran in push-pull mode with Carriage 121 (1981) and Carriage 117 (1977) with Conway Castle in the Green and Cream livery for the first time. Following this Gala the carriage was completed as a First Class Observation carriage, including the vacuum style lavatory and gas-fired central heating.
In early 2000s the vacuum style lavatory was replaced with a gravity discharge type and heating replaced with diesel fired warm air heating. This also coincided with the livery changing to the standard fleet Maroon and Cream.
At the end of 2007 main season, 111 was withdrawn for refurbishment. The interior was upgraded to give a better ambiance including teak panelling and decorative ceiling. The outside was derusted as much as possible prior to a repaint. The repaint included changing the doors to be all cream.
111 was given a further repaint in 2015. The doors reverted from being entirely cream to having the lower sections maroon.
In Departmental Use[edit]
111 was withdrawn from the passenger stock after the introduction of Carriage 150 and its associated service car, Carriage 125 at May Bank Holiday 2016. The decision for withdrawal was taken as there is limited seating and the rear view is obstructed by the driving compartment, in addition to the Push Pull system falling out of use. It has since become part of the departmental fleet, with both its body and bogies remaining intact. At some point in the future this carriage will be repainted into the permanent way department 'lineside' livery (as with Carriage 1111), better suiting its role as a mess car.