FR carriage liveries

The Ffestiniog Railway has used many carriage liveries throughout its history.

Livery history

Early liveries

The first proper passenger coaches on the Festiniog arrived early in 1864. These eight small four wheeled coaches were built by Brown & Marshalls of Birmingham. It is likely the running gear was produced at Boston Lodge. These coaches are know as "Small Birminghams" or later on "Bug Boxes".

They were supplemented in 1868 by six more coaches built by Ashbury Railway Carriage and Iron Co. There were also three 4 wheeled brake vans, most likely built at Boston Lodge.

It's always difficult to judge colour on black and white photos. The early livery for these coaches is described as "Royal Purple", "Purple lake", or "Victoria Lake" in the paint stocks. This is a purple brown colour used by the LNWR, L&Y and North Staffordshire Railways. All good candidates for influencing FR policy at the time. The colour appears uniform all over the body apart from the roof, and there doesn't seem to be much variation between 1st and 3rd class vehicles as Boyd suggests. The exception seems to be 1st class Ashbury No10. Perhaps this vehicle has been freshly varnished in the photo

The roof starts off white but are discoloured by the exhaust of the loco. There are a few other interesting details to be seen. The lining doesn't always show up well, but it appears the beading around the panels both on the sides and end is picked out, probably in gold.

The class is sign written in shaded letting on the doors with the company crest on the lower middle panel. Underneath that is the vehicle number. 1st class coaches also carry two stars either side of the crest.

The brake vans are less well turned out. They appear to be the same colour as the coaches, but don't carry any lining or crests. They simply say "F.R.C. Guard's Van" and then the number underneath in plain lettering. The vans are numbered in a separate series to the coaches.

This livery appears to be carried until the first bogie coaches arrive in 1872.

Victorian ornament

In 1872 the bodies for two new carriages (15 and 16) were ordered from Brown, Marshalls & Co Ltd of Birmingham. These new carriages would be substantially different from what came before. The bodies would be 35ft long and carried on bogies at each end. They would be the first revenue earning bogie carriages in the British Isles.

The railway was approaching it's peak in terms of traffic, and had become increasingly famous in the engineering world with the introduction of articulated locos. This is reflected in the ornate livery these two carriages carried.

Luckily there are a few photos showing these carriages in great detail. The main livery is still the dark purple brown colour, but the upper sides are now ivory. The ivory panels are lined in gold, whilst the lower and end panels are lined in gold edged with red. Further white lines are added between panels. The headstocks are also picked out in white and red. The garter crest is carried on the first class door with the vehicle number inside. The company monogram is also carried either side.

In 1873 three new bogie brake vans were also purchased from the same manufacturer. These are also delivered in the same two tone livery. Pictures are scarce but you can make out the elaborate lining on the rear headstock. So it is possible they were equally well turned out.

The 4 wheeled carriages are repainted to match but again it is difficult to see how they are lined. They would probably have a least had the beading picked out in gold and red.

Sadly this livery didn't last long, and when the next batch of carriages arrive in 1876, they appear in a more simple paint scheme.

Simplification

In the last section we saw the FR develop a very elaborate livery. Unsurprisingly this didn't last. Perhaps the white sides were too difficult to keep clean, or maybe tastes changed. Either way by 1876 things had started to change. Two more coaches were ordered, again from Brown, Marshalls & Co. These were slightly more conventional in construction with a wooden body on top of a metal frame. Rather than the frame being integral to the body. Numbered 17 and 18 these two coaches with their attractive tumblehome body sides are known as "bowsiders".

The were delivered in a somewhat toned down livery that is recreated on 18 today. The colours are still purple brown and white but only some panels on the upper body sides are picked out in white. They are lined in gold and red on the sides and head stocks, but there is a simple white lining on the ends.

The style of signwriting has also changed. It now just says "Third" rather than "Third Class". The garter crest and monograms are still applied although locations vary.

Again various vehicles are repainted in this style but there is yet another change three years later.

Three years after the last pair of passenger carriages were delivered, two more arrived in 1879 (19 and 20)). These were purchased from the Gloucester Wagon Company this time, and were similar in style to the previous pair of bowsiders. In 1880 another pair of larger brake vans were also delivered from Brown, Marshalls, & Co.

The works photo of carriage number 20 shows us that once again the livery was altered. The wire panels are now completely gone. The coach now carries the purple brown colour all over apart from the white roof. The lining on the sides is gold edged with red, and just white on the ends. Note the full length footboard with elaborate lining between the brackets. This appears to have been removed in service.

The crest is carried on the lower panels while the monogram can be seen between the windows. The vehicle isn't numbered in the photo but it would be added in the lower left corner of the first panel.

It seems that with the arrival of these two coaches the Festiniog Railway finally settled on a livery. It was likely most of the passenger stock was painted like this until the end of the century.

New livery for a new century

The death of Charles Easton Spooner in 1889 really did mark end of an era for the railway. The family has been associated with the railway right from the start. They had been at the heart of the technical developments that had made it so famous. Around the same time slate traffic started to decline, and there was now increased competition from the LNWR and GWR.

Through the 1890s passenger traffic still remained strong and attempts were made to improve the rolling stock. The Regulation of the Railways Act 1889 forced the railway to equip passenger trains with continuous brakes. So by 1893 all passenger stock had vacuum brakes. The 3rd class coaches were re-upholstered, and quarrymans coaches refurbished. Two new coaches were purchased from Ashbury Railway Carriage and Iron Company Ltd 1897/8 (21 and 22)). There are referred to in the minutes as being for quarrymen, however in service they appear in normal trains as well. The doors are labeled "3rd class" which probably suggest they weren't exclusively for quarrymen. They are also painted in a two tone livery with a light coloured upper half.

It's probably around this time that rolling stock was painted into a deep red livery that lasted until the early 1920s. Colourised postcards from around the turn of the century frequently show red coaches. The loco livery had also recently changed from green to Indian red as well.

A couple of photos from 1924 show this livery well. The lining is much simplified and there just seems to be a single straw or gold line around the beading. Headstocks and solebars are still lined but, there are no white lines on the end panels. The lettering now says "3rd" and "1st" rather than "Third" and "First". Also some compartments are labelled "smoking" on the windows.

It's possible the ends are different colour although this could just be the light.

In the second photo the recently rebuilt Van 2 appears to have no lining, however you can just about make out the "3rd" on one of the doors. When this vehicle was rebuilt in the 1990s, red paint was found under green. A strong clue that coaches were red around this time.

Changes in the 1920s

During this period the FR faced an uphill struggle. A competing bus service started in 1924, the slate trade was struggling to pick up after the war, and the railway now under new management was badly in need of investment. Boston Lodge was also now providing services to the newly opened WHR. By 1925 the railway was under the control of Colonel H.F. Stephens and part of his light railway empire. He was Chairman, Loco Superintendent and Engineer. Although he took a day-to-day interest in the FR from his office in Kent it isn’t clear how much influence he had. Around this time though it seems there was some attempt to improve the condition of the carriage fleet. The railway still had skilled painters until 1927 but a simpler and more cost-effective approach was adopted.

Elaborate lining was done away with, vehicle sides were now painted all over dark green, ends and solebars were red, and metal work painted black. Letting was also simplified but this doesn’t always seem to be uniform. Class designations were now done with small enamel plates. Some vehicles carried the letters “FR” in white and had the vehicle number also in white in the lower corners. Interestingly though some vehicles also still carry the garter crest including the two rebuilt passenger brake vans 4 and 5 and occasionally black numbers are also seen. No doubt this was a drastic improvement at the time.

Versions of this livery persisted through to the end of passenger services and even during the early revival years. It is clear though that the quality of materials and work was not as good as previously. A lot of carriages seem to deteriorate within a few years of painting and by the early 30s the fleet often looks quite tired.

1930s variety

Whilst Colonel Stephens is credited with rejuvenating the Festiniog Railway on a shoestring budget after the first world war. He passed away in 1931. His successor Evan Robert Davies recognised the potential of tourism to counteract the decline in other traffic. Between 1930 and 1934 passenger figures grew from 10,000 to 55,000 per year. The railway was marketed extensively, advertising circular tours via the LNWR and WHR. It is around this time that the famous “Festiniog Toy Railway” poster were produced, and perhaps that is what inspired the new brightly coloured liveries. Confusingly there is quite a lot of variation but it seems there were two distinct liveries at this time. The well known and previously covered 1920s green, and a new bright yellow livery. The railway ceased winter services in 1930 so it is likely the first vehicles were painted in this livery during winter 1932/3.

From surviving evidence particularly on Van 2 the main body colour is bright yellow, whilst the other darker colour appears to be red but a darker colour than the brick red previously used on the ends. Body framing or beading is usually picked out in the darker colour. Sometimes solebars and headstocks are too but it seems to change depending on the vehicle. The body ends are sometimes also in the brick red colour, particularly on bug boxes. Lettering is in black and the class designations are still done with small enamel plates. Another change is window beading being painted white rather than varnished, this is also seen on green coaches. It seems to have been the intention to have trains in uniform liveries initially but as traffic increases trains sets can be mishmash of green and yellow stock.

There does also seem to be some experimentation with other ideas around this time too. One open bug box is seen in what looks like green but with white beading. One bowsider is also painted in a dark colour all over but with lighter waist panels. Some vehicles also appear brighter than others, this could be just down to weathering however summer car 23 in particular looks very bright.

By 1936 this livery appears to be a dying breed with most vehicles reverting to green until the end of passenger services. Bringing to an end a brief but colourful period in the railway's history.

References

This article was originally based on a series of posts appearing on the Festiniog Railway Heritage Group Facebook page: