Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways put the world’s oldest surviving narrow gauge steam locomotive, Princess, on show at London’s Paddington Station in 2013 to mark its 150th birthday.
The visit proved a great success, the loco being admired by thousands of people each day.
This year, the pioneering Welsh line is celebrating 150 years of passenger services and, to mark the occasion, brand new Pullman observation carriage 150 will be on display on platforms 8 and 9 at London Paddington from June 8-27.
The carriage is a development of Welsh Highland Pullman observation car Glaslyn, named by the Queen in 2010 and will spend most of this year touring the UK to promote the railway before entering service in 2016. The name of the carriage has yet to be announced.
Back in 1865, creature comforts were in short supply. Hard wooden seats were the order of the day and while the early carriages had roofs, many of them had no doors let alone such luxuries as glass in the windows or heating.
Members of the public can inspect this new £250,000 luxury carriage, designed and built by craftsmen at the railway’s own workshops in North Wales, to see just how the passenger experience has improved in the last century and a half.
Staff and volunteers will be at Paddington throughout the visit to answer questions about the beautiful carriage and the 40 miles of railway on which it operates through some of the finest scenery in Europe.
Picture caption:
The brand new Pullman observation carriage 150 from Ffestiniog ad Welsh Highland Railways which is on display at London Paddington Station during June.
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