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.

The Colonel Stephens Livery

In the 1920s, the elaborate liveries of the Victorian era were replaced with a simple scheme of dark green with red end panels. It became known as the ‘Colonel Stephens’ livery, after the General Manager of the Ffestiniog Railway who ran it from 1925 until his passing in 1931. The colour scheme was used until the end of passenger operations in 1939, sometimes alongside other colours such as yellow, used in the mid 1930s.

The dark green with red ends was applied to carriage No.20 once again from 2005 until 2024, as depicted by GR-623B.