Carriage 121 (1981)
| Carriage 121 (1981) | |
| Frames | Ex IoM R7 |
| Designation | 3rd Saloon |
| Seating | 35 |
| Length | 36ft 6ins |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Date Built | 1981 |
| 1988 | Pattern 88 Bogies fitted |
| 2005 | Withdrawn |
| Operating | Scrapped |
Contents |
[edit] Background
An "all steel" coach built by FR Co. at Boston Lodge in 1981.
Refitted 1988/90 under INCA programme with Pattern 88 bogies Beclawat windows and gas fired heating. Cabled and plumbed for Push Pull operation. Fitted with several types of seats as a trial for new seating type. Initially painted in the "Upside down" livery of Green and Cream.
Subsequently fitted with the new style red third class seats and painted in the push-pull livery of Green and Cream. Heating removed in 2003(??) and painted in current livery of Cream and Red.
This carriage had easily removeable seats and was therefore used as the Disco carriage for staff party trains with the seats being removed one afternoon, the disco built for the evening event and then the seats replaced early the next morning. The carriage can be seen in Disco Carriage mode at Easter 2003.
Unfortunately, it was destined to be the shortest lived of the new carriages.
Withdrawn from service in the Autumn of 2005. The underframe was used in the first of a new combined Guards Van / Toilet / Buffet Car "Service Vehicle" Carriage 124.
When the body was removed from the underframe, one of the ends was removed and sold on eBay in March 2006 to raise funds for tools at Boston Lodge. The following text and image was taken from the eBay listing:
Ffestiniog Railway Carriage End Vestibule. Recently removed from carriage No121 which is undergoing a heavy overhaul this carriage end would make a fine addition to any enthusiasts garden. This is a unique opportunity to aquire a piece of Ffestiniog history. (The other end vestibule was damaged on removal and cut for scrap). Proceeds go the Boston Lodge Tool fund. Buyer collects but we may be able to assist with transport by separate agreement.
The auction realised £102.
[edit] The Future
During March 2010 it was announced that the FR Society is to fund a new carriage; a twin to newly completed Carriage 103 which will carry the number 121. Fabrication of new bogies has already begun. Details of this Carriage are now included here.
