There has been a lot of secretive work going on here that, whilst I have leaked snippets, I have had to keep mostly to myself.  With the secrecy done with I can reveal a little more. Since the beginning of the year I have been working on a presentation model of Festiniog Railway Observation coach 102 as a commission to be presented to the retiring Carriage Works Manager at Boston Lodge Works.

Just to make life tricky a) there are no drawings of 102 despite it being a pretty recent build and b) the font of all knowledge is also the planned recipient, so I could hardly do my usual walk into the carriage works and go, “ere Norm tell me all about 102”.  Some walking on eggshells and pussy footing around was required.

102 pulled out by Moelwyn

Luckily, I am able to pull some strings having been volunteer for 40 years. A word with the Loco Manager got the coach moved in the Christmas shunt to be accessible. Just on one end of a stored set rather than in the middle was what I hoped for, but Phil played a blinder with it spending Christmas and New Year on the centre road of the new Heritage Shed with diesel Moelwyn attached. Continue reading →