Ffestiniog Railway ‘Carriage 23’ – Panelled Sides

Carriage 23 started its life as one of the Ashbury Summer Cars built for the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway with half height doors and matchboard sides. It subsequently passed to the Welsh Highland Railway and then to the Ffestiniog Railway who cut it down to fit the more restrictive loading gauge of the old Moelwyn Tunnel. In 1955 it was incorporated into the first FR passenger train to operate in preservation.

In the mid-1960s it was rebuilt with a new steel underframe, panelled sides and full height doors with droplights. It remained in this condition until the early 1990s, carrying most of the different corporate liveries of the time.  It was later rebuilt again, to return it to its traditional match-board condition albeit retaining the full height doors.

This latest 16mm scale laser-cut kit, has been produced in collaboration with William Curry combining his excellent scale drawings, and Resurgam Rolling Stock’s proven design and construction techniques for easy and accurate assembly. Available in MDF or Plywood, each kit includes individually glazed panels with droplight frames / and or window beading in full relief. There is full interior panel detail and bench seating is supplied. 3D printed door handles, grab-rails, and SLR Models 3D Printed Door Buffers are included as standard along with correct profile bogies, complete with steel wheelsets and bronze bearings.

In order to keep the beading as thin as possible, 0.6mm Polybak is used as standard on this kit, whether supplied in MDF or Plywood. Should you be looking to apply the varnished finish, please enquire for pricing with 0.4mm Plywood.

As of April 2025 these kits are available for 32mm using the prototypical pattern bogies, or 45mm gauge using the ’45mm Gauge Optimised Bogies’, with either allowing operation down to a 2ft 6in radius, but cutting a substantial chord in the process. Insulated wheels are also available if required. Please specify when ordering.

Couplings and decals are not supplied with the kit, but the correct decals for the respective liveries are available from Endon Valley Custom Decals.

Dimensions

Length Over Headstocks: 479mm

Roof Height ‘Carriage 23’: 121mm

Width Over Body: 96mm

Extreme Width: 109mm (Over Footboard)

Availability

At present it is planned the first kits will be available for dispatch in late-May, then at 28 days notice thereafter.

Price

Ffestiniog Railway Carriage 23 – Panelled Condition

MDF: £140.00 each + Postage

Plywood: £150.00 each + Postage

If you would like to place an order, please see our ‘Ordering Page