Since the FR re-organised the numbering of its heritage carriage fleet in 2005 many Ffestophiles have stubbornly continued to refer to this 1880 veteran as number 11.
It was built by Brown, Marshalls as a brake and luggage van and rebuilt with passenger accommodation in 1929 / 1930.
In the early days of the revival it was turned around and windows cut in one end to become the FR's first observation carr, running as lucrative pairing with its sister vehicle, number 12. (Passengers paid extra for the first class fare to ride in 11 then handed over more cash to buy refreshments from the buffet counter in 12 which could be accessed through the end doors in the guards compartments which ran back to back.)
Our model is definitely called carriage 11. It was scratch-built in styrene to replace our first version which utilised a vintage whitemetal GEM kit.
It is one of the items of stock which betray Dduallt's heritage as a layout that originally had a nominal era of 1988 which has since morphed into 1988 - the present.
This was the year when the ubiquitous cherry red livery began to give way to the two-tone maroon and cream design. 11 was still in all-over red and in front-line service as the observation carr on the third passenger set.
In the last couple of years it has been given some TLC and returned to its 1950's green and ivory livery and I have a long-standing intention to build a third model of it in its current guise for use on heritage services on Bron Hebog.
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