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From this month's featured article James Spooner was the second Double Fairlie to be built for the Festiniog Railway. It was supplied by the Avonside Engine Company of Bristol. Featuring a number of design improvements over the first FR Fairlie, Little Wonder, this locomotive set the design pattern for the future FR double engines. Gradually rebuilt to take account of improvements brought in on subsequent double engines, it continued to work on the FR until the late 1920s. An attempt to repair the boiler failed and it was later condemned. The major components were mostly scrapped but some of the locomotive survived around Boston Lodge with various parts being incorporated as spares into the other locomotives. James Spooner was supplied by the Avonside Engine Company of Bristol (works Nos. 929/930 - Note it has two works number as it is a double engine) to the design of George Percival Spooner, James Spooner's grandson. The locomotive featured a number of design improvements over Little Wonder, the first FR Fairlie. These included a revised bogie design that better accounted for the weight of the cylinders and a more conventional firebox arrangement. The design of this locomotive formed the template for the future FR Fairlies. As built it had an open cab and prominent bells mounted on the forward part of the boiler at each end. The bells were mounted atop sandpots. (more...) Recently featured: Prince Bill Broadbent Livingston Thompson Purpose Festipedia is dedicated to recording the history of the Festiniog Railway from the 19th Century to the present day. There is a user friendly index to help you find your way around the main categories. You will also find much detail on the Welsh Highland Railway

Contributing to Festipedia A wiki is a collaboratively edited website. All users can edit any page. You have complete freedom to add to, edit or delete the work of previous authors. It is easy to create new pages, link to wiki pages and format the text on pages. There is a full help system so that you can find out how to do things. You will find it similar to Wikipedia. There is a recent changes page listing all pages that have changed recently. There is also a discussion page where contributors can discuss possible changes to Festipedia, as well as a discussion page for each article. First time visitors If this is your first visit to Festipedia you may find it useful to log in first. That will allow you to set up your username and decide how certain features should work. All contributors to Festipedia are encouraged to log in. If you know little or nothing about the Festiniog Railway then History of the FR is a good place to start. You can also choose from the list in the banner at the head of this page. Returning visitors If you have visited Festipedia before, you may want to visit the community portal for the latest news including information on updates to the wiki software.

This month's featured picture Carriage 26 is an ex-NWNGR Summer Carriage now operating on the FR. Rebodied in 1986, it bears little resemblance to its original appearance. Built in 1894 by the Ashbury Carriage and Iron Company, Manchester. This coach was built for the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways as a "Summer Coach" and numbered 11. It had half height doors and dimensions were Length: 29'11" Width: 6' Height:7'5". In 1922 the NWNGR became part of the Welsh Highland Railway and the carriage was numbered 26 in the combined F&WHR series. This coach, with others, was cut down in height to facilitate through working the FR's old Moelwyn Tunnel to Blaenau Ffestiniog. The picture shows sections of the roof in Minffordd Yard in July 1990, following a rebuild. Recently featured: Charles Easton Spooner James Spooner Mountaineer new build Rules for Contributions The rules for contributions are simple: Do not post copyright material unless you have permission from the copyright owner Do not post personal details of living individuals (address, telephone number, email address, etc.) unless you have their permission to do so Keep on topic - you can put anything you want on your user pages but articles should be about the Ffestiniog Railway or related subjects Be courteous Do not delete anything unless it needs to be deleted Where possible please record the sources of your information Please record a comment on the change you have made in the box at the bottom of the page No obscene language Abusive or libellous postings are banned If you want to notify us of a possible copyright infringement, please use the Contact Us option in the box in the top left of the page. We have voluntary editors that look after Festipedia. They can be contacted via email or by using their User pages. Response may not be immediate, but they will reply, as long as you leave a contact point!!