In fact, 24 is only really 'heritage' in that it looks old and is uncomfortable. The actual carriage is newer than some of the WHR's modern carriages, being built at Boston Lodge in 2002.
It is a replica of one of the NWNGR (North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways) 'Summer Coaches' which were built by Ashbury, to the original full height rather than the cut-down condition in WHR days. The FR has two of these survivors from the old WHR, one of which, number 26, has been so comprehensibly rebuilt I'd be fascinated to know if there is anything at all of the 1894 vehicle remaining at all?
It might even be the case that this replica has got more original bits on it, because when it was being built them found some old NWGNR axleboxes in one of the stores at Boston Lodge which were fitted to the bogies along with authentic curly-spoked wheels.
The model was scratch built in styrene and in the same way as our model of WHR carriage 23 had each of the matchboard strips glued on separately.
I fashioned the top hat ventilators from various bits of styrene tube. I think they're probably a bit too tall and thin, but I didn't have many good pictures take from a high angle to judge their dimensions properly.
Today there is just such a picture in the official FR & WHR stock list book, so I may in future get round to making some shorter, fatter, replacements.
One the reasons Carr 24 was built as a replica was because very little was left in Carr 26. Originally the plan had been to rebuild 26 to original form, but with so little left, it was considered more sensible to build a replica - I believe the only original features of 26 are the footboards!
ReplyDeleteThe lamp tops were very tall when we built it. We took them off one winter and cut them down.
ReplyDelete