Chris Cooper builds
Lineside Hut Kit Ffestiniog Carriage No 21
FR21 is a replica of the original that was scrapped in the early 1960’s. It was built between 2013 and 2019. The original carriage was built as part of a pair (with 22) in 1897 by the Ashbury Carriage and Iron Company as a ‘Tourist Carriage’. It carries what the FR refer to as ‘early preservation era’ livery that many of the carriages wore in the 1960’s. The originals would have had the cream top half but either a plum/purple or oxide brown lower half.
The kit starts by building the body structure. Seen here with the side overlays just propped up for effect. These were painted separately as was bits of the body structure to produce the droplight windows etc. the sides were primed, then masked in half and painted cream, then green in stages.
Once this was finished the side overlays were attached to the body structure and the interior was added, then stained.
There were a lot of bits!!
Next came door handles from Brandbright and transfers from Endon Valley.
Bogies were fitted and the the roof was added with my usual elastic band and wooden runners method. There is the option to make the roof removable but I didn’t attempt this as the roof framework in the kit is so flimsy.
Final thing was to add the steps then have a test run.
The kit has produced a good representation of the replica 21, despite a major difference which I only realised after I had gone past the point of no return! If you look at the small windows either side of the doors on the real carriage (both original and replica) they are the same depth as the door windows. Not so with the kit. I have to admit I found this error very disappointing.
There were also some fitting issues with the floor and roof where things were not cut correctly and I had to make some alterations. The low grade quality of the ply for some of the components, particularly in the roof framework, make things more difficult to construct than they otherwise could be, but the kit is produced for a good price, and that is reflected in the materials used.
Overall a worthwhile project, and if the kit could be tweaked in a few small ways, one I would definitely recommend.
December 2020