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'''4930 Hagley Hall''' is a '''GWR Collett 4900 Hall Class''' locomotive. The Hall was a mixed traffic locomotive, serving a similar role on the GWR to that carried out by the Stanier ‘Black 5’ on the LMS. Stanier worked for the GWR before moving to the LMS, and the Black 5 drew on many of the Hall's design features. Like the Black 5, the Hall was rated 5MT by BR post-nationalisation, although its wide cylinders meant it was mainly restricted to ex-GWR routes.
A total of 258 'Collett' Halls were built between 1928 and 1943. 11 were preserved, although one (4942 ''Maindy Hall'') has since been converted into the 'Saint' 2999 ''Lady of Legend''. 4930 Hagley Hall is the second oldest surviving example and {{as of|2022|lc="y"}}, the oldest in steam. <ref group="note">The oldest, 4920 Dumbleton Hall, is on static display at Warner Brothers Studio Tours, Tokyo</ref> 4930's sister locomotive [[GWR 4936 Kinlet Hall|4936 Kinlet Hall]] has visited the SVR on several occasions.
Collett's successor Frederick Hawksworth produced a modified version of the design, of which a further 71 were built by the GWR and BR up to 1950. The 6959 'Modified Hall' Class included a new 'straight-sided' tender (later also re-fitted to some early Collett Halls). Seven Modified Halls were preserved, including former SVR resident [[6960|6960 Raveningham Hall]], although one (7927 ''Willington Hall'') is being used as the donor for the 'Grange' and 'County' re-creation projects.
SVR policy in the earliest years of preservation was that locomotives should be acquired by individuals or groups rather than the railway itself. However following the incorporation of [[SVR(H)]] in March 1972 at the instigation of [[Sir Gerald Nabarro]], SVR News announced in summer 1972 that the company was in the course of acquiring 4930 Hagley Hall from Barry. The indicative cost including purchase and restoration was given as £4,000. A preserved Hawksworth 4,000 gallon tender, no 2740, had already been acquired from Swindon for use with the locomotive.<ref>SVR News 24</ref> At the time the deal was the subject of a disagreement between Nabarro and [[Richard Dunn]] who had suggested it should be a private purchase, and was also badly received by the railway's volunteers; not least because the locomotive was seen as a vanity purchase being too heavy to run on the SVR at that time.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 181.</ref><ref group="note">Two other 'overweight' locomotives had also arrived around that time. [[The Earl of Lindsay|Viscount Garnock]]'s [[61994 The Great Marquess|3442 The Great Marquess]] had been described as being capable or running on the railway, although it clearly was not, while [[BR Standard Class 7 70000 Britannia|70000 Britannia]] was not allowed to cross [[Victoria Bridge]] with a full boiler.</ref>
Having been bought by SVR(H) in June 1972, 4930 was became the 29th locomotive to leave Barry, moved from Barry there to [[Bewdley Down Yard]] by rail, and arriving on 6 January 1973in a convoy which also included [[GWR 4141|4141]], [[GWR Large Prairie 5164|5164]], and [[GWR 7819 Hinton Manor|7819 Hinton Manor]]. A six-year restoration began, initially at Bewdley. The boiler had been lifted by autumn 1972,<ref>SVR News 29</ref> and was moved during the 'big lift' of five boilers on 3 May 1976.<ref>SVR News 40</ref> Around that time the SVR Board confirmed that funds would be made available to complete the restoration, and in autumn 1977 a committee of five members was set up to monitor the expenditure.<ref>SVR News 45, General Manager's Notes</ref>
In winter 1977 4930 moved to [[Bridgnorth Loco Works]] where the restoration would be completed.<ref>SVR News 46</ref> After that time much of the restoration was carried out by the late Ray Tranter; his work and that of Dave Reynolds on [[46521]] being described by Chief Engineer [[Alun Rees]] as "The nearest which the Locomotive Department has come to one-man projects". By spring 1979 the mechanical work was complete with the locomotive awaiting completion of the boiler.<ref>SVR News 51</ref>
4930 was due to attend [[Rocket 150]] at Rainhill in 1980, but two weeks before the event was determined to be out of gauge for the platforms at Rainhill and Earlestown, with Didcot's 5051 ''Drysllwyn Castle'' (a.k.a. ''Earl Bathurst'') attending instead.<ref>SVR News 56</ref> However the locomotive made a number of other main line appearances in the next few years as listed below.
In late 1983 Brian Thomas, then owner of Hawksworth Modified Hall [[6960|6960 Raveningham Hall]], agreed to a temporary tender swap for filming purposes. 4930 was fitted with 6960's Collett 'step-sided' tender, appropriate for an original Hall, while 6960 was fitted with 4930's straight-sided Hawksworth tender.<ref>SVR News 70</ref> The following year, 4930 hauled the official reopening train for [[Kidderminster|[Kidderminster Town Station]] on 30 July 1984. Shortly after the opening day 4930 suffered several burst 'small tubes', which were replaced in time for a return to traffic just before the autumn '[[Autumn Steam Gala|Enthusiasts' Weekend]]'.
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4930's last main line duty was two days of Andover – Ludgershall steam specials in March 1986. No further trips were envisaged as the seven-year main line boiler ticket was due to expire later that year.<ref>SVR News 80</ref> A further three years of home use might have been expected, but 4930 was withdrawn from service in October 1986 following the extensive failure of a number of steel stays on the firebox doorplate.<ref>SVR News 83</ref>
===Storage===
The locomotive moved in steam for the first time within the MPD yard on 11 May 2022.<ref>SVR News 216, 218</ref><ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blmay22 Branch Lines May 2022]</ref> On 22 June 2022 the locomotive was signed off to begin line testing, beginning with a run to Hampton Loade paired with visiting locomotive 2999 ''Lady of Legend'' and returning solo. Further light engine and loaded test runs took place in July and August, with the locomotive painting also being completed in GWR lined green with small GWR logo on the tender.
The final cost of the overhaul was estimated to be around £1.3m.<ref>Autumn Steam Gala 2022 Souvenir Programme</ref> A comprehensive record of the overhaul can be found on the news section of the [http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of Hagley Hall web site].
The relaunch of 4930 Hagley Hall took place on Friday 9 September 2022, with around 200 invited guests attending a dedication ceremony at Kidderminster and travelling on two return trips to Bridgnorth, the first official passenger carrying journeys by the locomotive since October 1986.
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It initially saw only sparing use. The engine was run in from Bridgnorth as this makes correction of teething problems easier. 2022 saw a dry summer and autumn, and the loco was withdrawn from use during the [[Autumn Steam Gala]] due to starting fires: remedial spark arrestor modifications and testing saw it available for traffic again in November. A comprehensive record cold spell before [[Christmas services|Christmas]] meant that some 'Steam in Lights' trains were rescheduled to run in the evenings after Christmas, meaning for operational efficiency 75069 (already equipped with lighting) ran instead of 4930 on the overhaul can be found on daytime trains too. Then, in 2023 the news section SVR reduced services due to cost of living problems, with few days when services started from Bridgnorth. On those, such as the [[Step Back to the 1940s]] weekends, 4930 continuing its running in and glitches still being ironed out. The loco had however still run under 1,200 miles approaching a year in traffic. It then started to see more regular use, as running in was completed<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of Hagley Hall web site, 8 July 2023]</ref>.
===Ownership and support===
