Template:Featured picture/November 2009

The Wickham was built as a standard gauge trolley by D Wickham & Co Ltd in Ware, Hertfordshire, builder's number 1543 of 1934, for the London & North Eastern Railway. Delivered to York, it was a Type 17, fitted with a JAP 1100 petrol engine. It was obtained from British Railways in 1962 and regauged for use on the FR. It had not been seen in action on the railway for many years and in 2006 was reported as under restoration somewhere in southern England, but in 2010 it returned to the FR in an improved condition with larger windows in the ends and painted green. This vehicle is notoriously said to be among the faster on the line and is recorded as travelling about 1965 from Dduallt to Minffordd in twentyfive minutes, including from Tan y Bwlch to Penrhyn Crossing in ten minutes, with Ron Lester driving. It is seen here near Coed y Bleiddiau in 1965. Photo credit: Gerry Horrocks Recently featured: K1 – Carriage 22 – Tan y Bwlch