A Brief History Of The Bowsider Coach

The Ffestiniog Railway operated two pairs of bogie coaches, numbered 17-20 and built by Brown Marshalls & Co and Gloucester Wagon Co. They were known as ‘Bowsiders’ because of the tumblehome shape of their sides. Numbers 17 and 18, built in 1876, are a shorter model with one 1st class compartment. Numbers 19 and 20, built in 1879, are longer with two 1st class compartments. All four are still in service on the Ffestiniog Railway today.

Red & Cream Livery

The red and cream livery was first applied to a rake of carriages in 1987 for the ‘Mountain Prince’ train service. Carriage 20 was the first Bowsider to appear in this livery.

Carriages 17 and 18 had cream applied to the full upper half of the carriage. 17 had the mouldings reinstated in 1990 as depicted by GR-602A. 18 continued to have cream across the upper half throughout its time in the scheme, as represented by GR-602B. Note the ‘Brown Marshalls & Co. Ltd’ builders plate printed on the ends of the carriage.

All four Bowsiders were repainted into historic liveries in the 2000s, but the red and cream colour scheme can still be seen today on the more modern carriages.