In 1873 when the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways’ (FfWHR) curly roof van was originally built, a daughter would never have been allowed to follow in her father's footsteps and work at a carriage works let alone been allowed to paint it.

This year father and daughter signwriting team Glenn Williams and Sarah have lined the curly roof van together.

Glenn, who joined the carriage works in 2000 on a lottery funded apprenticeship to learn from craftsmen at the Boston Lodge Works, said: “I am very proud of Sarah picking up the skills and keeping this craft in our family.”

Sarah, who joined the railway during ‘Young Volunteers Week’ in 2016, said: “I was one of the groups that joined the carriage works that week, so at just 14 I did the lettering on ‘166’ and ’99 van’.

“I realised this was the job dad did. The next summer I volunteered again and at 15 did my first lining work with dad on Lilla, I was taught to look at the old photos and plan exactly where to paint.”

In 2021 Sarah joined the staff in the Boston Lodge Carriage Works. She is currently lining and putting gold leaf on ‘19’, alone for the first time. It is the same carriage Glen worked on solo during its last refurbishment in 2007.

Glen added: “Gold leafing takes patience. We will use 23 books of gold leaf on ‘19’ during the job. Sarah will be working on this for another few weeks yet.”

Visitors to the FfWHR will be able to see their handiwork at the ‘Bygones’ event this weekend (4-6 October).