WHR Carriages

From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group

This page deals with carriages used on the modern Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) since 1997.

For train formations, see WHR Carriage Formations.

WHR Carriages (Pre Preservation) deals with the carriages of the original WHR and its predecessor the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways (NWNGR).

WHR Ltd Carriages deals with those carriages of the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway (WHHR).

Historic Carriages[edit]

Surviving and replica vehicles from the original WHR now normally used on the modern railway. Some other original and replica carriages exist based on the FR or WHHR.

  • Carriage 23 - NWNGR Summer Car, originally NWNG No.11. In WHR livery/condition
  • Carriage 24 - Replica of NWNGR Summer Car

Carriages built new for the WHR[edit]

As the WHR has had a shorter life compared to the FR it has been easier to standardise on carriage construction. All carriages have a mild steel box section underframe which has a stainless steel body frame welded onto it, which is then clad with wooden panels inside and out. Carriage 2090, the second batch and all subsequent carriages have double doors at one end of the carriage for disabled passengers, and passenger doors have been painted cream for contrast against the red bodyside panels for the benefit of partially sighted passengers, as required by accessibility regulations. Each carriage costs around £250,000 including the bogies for the now standard 13-metre design but service cars and first class carriages will have a higher cost of construction.

The first batch was constructed by Winson Engineering, Daventry in 1997/8. The second batch was constructed in-house at Boston Lodge between 2002 and 2009. Since 2013, ad-hoc carriages have been built by Boston Lodge and are listed as "3rd Generation" in the fleet table below for simplicity.

Service Cars[edit]

With buffet, toilet and guard's areas.

Semi Opens (3rd Class)[edit]

Closed Saloon Carriages (3rd Class)[edit]

Brake Carriages[edit]

With seating, toilet and storage area for luggage, bicycles etc.

Pullman 1st Class Carriages[edit]

Carriages originating elsewhere[edit]

  • Parry People Movers - railcars using flywheel power on demonstration/trial
  • Carriage 1001 (PW mess coach/brake, ex Royal Navy Upnor & Lodge Hill Railway via Welshpool & Llanfair)
  • Carriage 2060 - Romanian Carriage refurbished and regauged.

Future Carriages[edit]

Under construction[edit]

  • A replica of one of the NWNGR Ashbury brake composites of 1877.[1]

Planned[edit]

Previously planned[edit]

  • Carriages 2070 & 2071 (Disabled Access); construction was intended in the third batch, but as the second batch of 'standard' saloons have wider doors and wheelchair spaces, they can be considered to fulfill this role but with the numbering in line with the other saloons.

Ffestiniog Railway Carriages used on the WHR[edit]

To supplement the WHR carriages several modern FR carriages have been used in the main WHR carriage sets. Before the completion of the line through to Porthmadog these included Carriage 100, Carriage 101 and Carriage 113. After the completion of the WHR , the strengthening of WHR sets with FR carriages (originally at peak times) became commonplace. Currently 116 and 122 are considered "permanently" part of WHR sets, both having been allocated exclusively to the WHR since the beginning of 2011. For other carriages which have been used at various times since then see the lists below.

Out of season, shorter WHR services (between Porthmadog and Rhyd Ddu for example), FR carriage sets are used. Additionally, full trains of FR stock can be found in use on the WHR for special trains and at events.

Currently used on the WHR[edit]

Previously used on the WHR[edit]

  • Carriage 100 (1964)
  • Carriage 100 Used to provide additional first class accommodation on trains associated with the Royal Scotsman railtour.
  • Carriage 101 (returned to FR in 2009)
  • Carriage 104
  • Carriage 107
  • Carriage 108 operated on WHR when first built in 2013, moving to the FR at the end of the season.
  • Carriage 113 (returned to FR at the end of the 2016 season).
  • Carriage 117 (1977) moved for the 2010 season, returned at the end of 2010
  • Carriage 119 March to May 2017 to cover for 2047 which wasn't quite ready for service.
  • Carriage 119 (1980) moved in June 2009 in response to heavy passenger loadings after the opening to Hafod-y-Llyn, returned at the end of the 2010 season.
  • Carriage 120 (1980) moved in June 2009 in response to heavy passenger loadings after the opening to Hafod-y-Llyn, returned early 2010.
  • Carriage 123 temporarily formed part of F-Set in early 2014 whilst 24 was out for overhaul.
  • Carriage 150 Used to provide additional first class accommodation on trains associated with the Royal Scotsman railtour.
  • Carriage 1000 (Formerly Carriage 100) withdrawn and dismantled Feb 2010

Fleet table[edit]

A table containing all carriages in the modern fleet. Click [show] to open the table.

Key: In service Stored Scrapped Renumbered or repurposed Preserved elsewhere Under construction
Number Year built Sub-class Current facilities Former facilities Service status Notes
2010 2007/8 2nd generation WHR Service Car In service
2011 2011 1st generation WHR Service Car Third Open In service Converted from semi open 2020 in 2011
2020 1997 1st generation WHR Third Open Withdrawn Converted into Service Car and renumbered 2011 in 2011
2021 2002 2nd generation WHR Third Semi-open Third Open In service
2022 2002 2nd generation WHR Third Semi-open Third Open In service
2040 1997 1st generation WHR Third saloon In service
2041 1997 1st generation WHR Third saloon Withdrawn Converted into Third saloon/Guard/Toilet and renumbered 2091 in 2017
2042 1997 1st generation WHR Third saloon In service
2043 2006/7 2nd generation WHR Third saloon In service
2044 2006/7 2nd generation WHR Third saloon In service
2045 2006/7 2nd generation WHR Third saloon In service
2046 2013 3rd generation WHR Third saloon In service
2047 2016/17 3rd generation WHR Third saloon In service
2048 2020/21 3rd generation WHR Third saloon In service
2049 tbc 3rd generation WHR Third saloon Construction planned
2050 tbc 3rd generation WHR Third saloon Construction planned
2060 2007/9 Romanian Third saloon In service Romanian carriage refurbished and reguaged
2090 1997 1st generation WHR Third saloon/Guard/Toilet In service
2091 2017 1st generation WHR Third saloon/Guard/Toilet Third saloon In service Converted from 2041 in 2017.
2100 2008/9 2nd generation WHR Pullman Observation In service Named Glaslyn.
2115 1998 1st generation WHR Pullman Saloon In service Named Bodysgallen.
2152 2017/19 3rd generation WHR Pullman Observation In service Named Gwyrfai.

See also[edit]

References[edit]