F.R.E.D.

What on earth is FRED? FRED, was and is once again the Festiniog Rolling stock Electrical Department.  FRED existed in the 80’s & 90’s and then sort of fizzled out. It was a group of volunteers that developed in my time on the full time staff doing projects like rewiring carriages with what it still referred to as “the new carriage electrical scheme” (blue plug scheme) and the push pull train.

It kind of fizzled out as the gang developed other interests and family life got in the way. There would be the occasional burst of activity like wiring the diesel Bill or rewiring Upnor Castle but for some time now since Ged Perks retired the routine stuff has been done by contractors.

Now were putting the band back together!

You can’t help but notice that last year with the fire risk we asked a lot of our diesel fleet and are likely to have to do so again. Asking a lot without some plan for TLC is asking for trouble. This has been recognised by management and a few of the old gang have been approached to do some of that TLC to the electrical side of the job. Initial approaches were to individuals but it quickly became apparent that we needed to reinvent some sort of cohesive group, hence the rebirth of FRED.

Apart from the need for a new name to include the Welsh Highland the group needs to recruit some more volunteers, get a tool kit together and sort out our workshop. That is a plus, as part of the Great Boston Lodge Rebuild we have a nice warm workshop, although at the moment it has more the look of a slightly tidied skip.

Initially, at least, we’ll be taking on specific projects. Whilst this will represent a major cost saving over using contractors the main reason is that railway vehicles have specific needs to both comply with the operational needs and safety requirements. This is an experience that we developed and have retained. I am reluctant to list the projects in the queue because when I do it seems to get longer as someone adds a CYJ to the end of it. As I type the list is: Sort Diesel #9’s battery charging, restore Criccieth Castles Deadman’s (these two are in hand), rewire Vale of Ffestiniog, rewire Moel Hebog, design and fit a Deadman’s to Harlech Castle.

Its very early days as we only got “volunteered” after this years bygones so I’ll report more in future magazines but for now I’d be delighted to hear from: –

• Anyone who would like to help – don’t have to be a sparky, we can teach
• A benevolent electrical wholesaler specialising in industrial equipment
• A benevolent electrical wholesaler who’d lets us do a trolley dash through the tool section

I can be contacted on pmartin@ffwhr.com