Llanberis Lake

Does anyone know who built the coaches on the Llanberis Lake Railway? I thought at first they may have been Keef built but I have Raymond Tisdale at the back of my mind for some reason, though I can't find a rolling stock company of that name.

I'm also curious as to the status of Llanelli, is she out of use?

 

ISTR that some, at least, were built by Tisdale's in Kenilworth. They were a scaled down and simplified copy of the John Bate-designed Talyllyn standard carriages. I was told that the John Bate was none too impressed at them using the design without permission!
Tisdale's built the TR bodies under contract on underframes made by Midland Furnace Co. The TR carriage bodies were a new venture for Tisdale's, who normally did commercial joinery for buildings. I don't think they exist any longer.

 

I knew there would be a story, thank you! We're looking to tender to replace our coaches in the next couple of years and always liked the Llanberis design - I can see why now!

 

"Sawdust", of Beavertail Observation car and LNERCA fame built two* teak disabled coaches for the Fairbourne Railway around 20 years ago and might be interested in quoting you. I'm not familiar with the TR coaches but I'd certainly recommend building wooden franed coaches ab the rattle and bang a lot less than steel framed/wood panelled or all steel.

*Some may be wondering about the two, having only ever seen one. They were delivered as flat pack kits but only one got assembled as it was decided that we didn't need two disabled coaches after all. The second us getting thought about again as a special saloon of some sort (we've always hankered after a bar car!), but needs an underframe building first. 2022 may well see it happen at last.

 

Who's "we" in this context? As in which railway?

 

We in this context is a small group taking on a project in South Wales, which we'd hoped would be public by now but due to Covid-19 isn't quite there yet

 

The director of Tisaldes is long retired now, and makes beautiful models of buildings of interest to him and his wife

 

Spud, PM'd you,

 

Ask the Ffestiniog Railway - they won't neccessarily be the cheapeat but the quality is good. Therefore they will last well.