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==80972 in service==
80972 was allocated to [[Shrewsbury]], where it spent most of its working life as the District Civil Engineers Engineer's mobile offices,<ref name=SVR155>SVR News 155 'New Arrivals' ([[Hugh McQuade]])</ref> also referred to as the Area Manager's saloon. It made regular trips on the Severn Valley branch and the Cambrian line, where it was used for inspection duties such as signal-sighting trips by the Salop S&T Department. Traction was normally provided by an Ivatt 2-6-0 'Mickey Mouse' or a GW Mogul,<ref name=SVR154>Letter in SVR News 154</ref>, although on one occasion it was photographed at Longville on the Much Wenlock branch behind future SVR resident [[5764]].<ref name=SVR155/> When not in use, it was housed in its own shed at Burnt Mill Siding, just on the Severn Valley branch beyond [[List of signal boxes#List of historical Signal Boxes and Ground Frames|Burnt Mill Junction]].<ref name=SVR154/>
==80972 in preservation==
In February 2007 it underwent an overhaul. New upholstery and carpets were fitted, the four settees being re-covered within the vehicle as they cannot be extracted without removing windows. Other work included the installation of stainless steel roof tanks for the lavatory and kitchen, and repairs to floor joists and one table to remedy breakages inherited when the vehicle was purchased.<ref>SVR News 158</ref> Following the [[2007 Storm Damage]], SVR Patron HRH The Duke of Gloucester visited the SVR on 3 October and 80972 was used to form a 'royal train' hauled by [[4566]] between Kidderminster and Bewdley, the only section of line in use at the time.
Further internal work was carried out in 2009 on both 80972 and sister coach 80979 [[GWR 80969 Inspection Saloon|80969]] to bring them up to the same standard. Items fitted to 80972 to match those in 80979 80969 included two cup holders manufactured in-house, an Iroko tray fitted over the heater covers to prevent cups and wine glasses placed there by guests sliding off when the locomotive brakes, and small mats let into the carpet at the four doorways. The ceiling cladding around the water tank in the kitchen also received attention.<ref>SVR News 168</ref>
80972 is used as an Observation Car, normally being attached to the end of a rake of carriages for private hire or ‘cream tea’ specials. For the 2017 [[Christmas services]] it became known as the "Shrewsbury Saloon". It seats up to 23 people and is furnished with armchairs, settees and tables in the two saloons, which are separated by a corridor off which are found a toilet, small kitchen and guard’s office. It is finished in plain BR(W) chocolate and cream livery with no insignia, and is numbered W80972W (BR practice was to include a prefix showing the area to which the carriage was allocated and a suffix for inherited carriages indicating the company of origin).
