Carriage 18
| Carriage 18 | |
|---|---|
 In Victorian livery. | |
| Type | Compartment Composite |
| Seating | 6 x 1st, 30 x 3rd |
| Home Railway | FR |
| Status | In service, Heritage Fleet |
| History | |
| Built by | Brown, Marshalls and Co. Ltd. |
| Built | 1876 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 34 ft 7 in |
| Width | 6 ft 0 in |
| Body Length | 32 ft 3 in |
| Height | 7 ft 8 in |
| Frames | Iron |
| Wheelbase | 25 ft 6 in |
| Carriages | |
Carriage 18 is one of a pair of carriages built for the FR in 1876.
Background[edit]
Carriage 18 is one of the first pair of carriages (the other is 17) in the group collectively known as the "Bowsiders" because of the shape of their sides. These coaches were supplied to the Festiniog Railway by two builders in 1876 and 1879.
Built by Brown, Marshalls and Co. Ltd., at Adderley Park, Birmingham; to G. P. Spooner's design with Wrought iron frames, but not perpetuating the iron body bracing of Nos. 15 & 16, the running gear was provided by Boston Lodge. This time only six compartments were specified, the bodies being raised so as to increase the height in the end compartments. Unlike the early coaches, the sides were waisted-in at the bottoms. Hence the term Bowsider. They again featured end balconies. Arrangement: 3rd/3rd/1st/2nd/3rd/3rd. Later 3rd/3rd/1st/3rd/3rd/3rd.) 44 passengers.
Note that the easy way to tell between these pairs is that 17 & 18 have only two wide panels, on either side of the first class windows, but 19 & 20 have three panels for two first class compartments.
Post Preservation[edit]
It was originally restored in 1957, carrying green and ivory livery. It took longer to rebuild this carriage than 17 and 20 as parts had been used in the rebuilds of those two carriages. At this time it lost the wooden masking on the frames in order to prevent the iron work becoming water logged. By 1968 it was repainted in varnished livery with yellow panels either side of the 1st class compartment, much of the beading was also removed.
Later liveries included maroon and two tone maroon and cream.
It had a major rebuild to "original" condition in 2003. This included the restoration of the second class compartment and painting in original "L & Y Purple Brown and white with gold leaf lining", aka "Victorian" livery, for use in The 1870's Train.
The carriage received a full repaint in 2023, retaining the "Victorian" livery.