Wickham
Not a locomotive, but a line car.
Originally built by D Wickham & Co Ltd in Ware, Hertfordshire, as a standard gauge Type 17 gang trolley, Works No. 1543, for the London & North Eastern Railway. It was despatched from Wickham's works on 27 June 1934 and was delivered to York, originally fitted with a JAP 1100 petrol engine (Numbered Number LTZ/D 38682/S). During its LNER and later British Railways career it had the running numbers 399 & 900492.
It was obtained from British Railways in 1962 and regauged for use on the FR.
The following mileage data is from the relevant FR magazines.
1962-1965 – 2,404 Miles, 1966 – 2,353 Miles, 1967 – 2, 739 Miles, 1968 – 917 Miles, 1969 – 1,774 Miles, 1972 – 11 Miles, 1973 – 14 Miles, 1990 – 11 Miles
This vehicle was notoriously said to be among the faster on the line and is reputed, in 1965, as travelling from Dduallt to Minffordd in twenty five minutes, including completing from Tan y Bwlch to Penrhyn Crossing in ten minutes, with Ron Lester driving. The respective current "timetable" times being approximately 40minutes and 14minutes
The Wickham eventually ended up out of use and stored at Glan y Pwll where it was on show during a event in 1998. An initial start on an overhaul / restoration was begun at Glan y Pwll but this was not completed and in late 2003 it was moved away from the line to a member’s home in the West Country for restoration.
The vehcle made a triumphant return to the FR for the Quirks & Curiosities event from 30 April to 2 May 2010, fitted with completely new bodywork.
Two photographs of the subsequent gravity works train can be found here
[edit] See also
- Wickham of Ware - a history of D.Wickham & Co Ltd, Railcar Manufacturers by Loxley Ford & James Cooper, The Rockingham Press, 2003
- The Wickham Works List by Keith Gunner & Mike Kennard, Dennis Duck Publications 2004.
- FR Locomotives
