Changes

By spring 1984 it had been decided that Hinton Manor would take part in the following year's GWR 150 celebrations, starting with an excursion double-headed with 6000 King George V from Bristol to Plymouth on Easter Sunday 7 April and the return leg on the Bank Holiday Monday. The overhaul now had a tight timetable and was once again led by Ray Tranter. Dismantling began in earnest, with the boiler lift taking place on 27 August. The boiler was completely re-tubed, and all the side stays and two crown stays in the firebox renewed. Other firebox repairs included some copper inserts and attention to the throat plate. In the meantime the frames were stripped down to component parts. All the axle boxes received new crown bushes and were metalled and machined. The motion and brake gear were completely overhauled. New valves were fitted and new pistons after the cylinders had been re-bored. On 23 February 1985 the boiler was lifted back onto the frames. The successful steam test took place on 8 March with Hinton Manor piloting [[6960|6960 Raveningham Hall]]. The overhaul had broken two records for the Railway, the fastest overhaul ever carried out (taking only nine months) and the quickest steaming of an overhauled locomotive after the boiler was replaced in the frames (twelve days).<ref name=SVR80/> It was during this overhaul that 7819 was christened "Trant's Babby" by the MPD staff, because of the care and attention that he lavished upon her.<ref name=SVR162>SVR News 162, "Ray Tranter's Dream, a tribute", Martin White</ref>

After final painting (in BR black lined livery, with early crest and red backed name and number plates) and test running, Hinton Manor left Bridgnorth for Hereford on Saturday 6 April 1985 to join up with the King and continue to Bristol. On the way there a hot box was found on the tender, so on arrival at Hereford a call was made and a tender axle box bearing was removed from 3205 (not in traffic at that time) and rushed to Hereford by road. Attempts to remove the faulty bearing ran out of time so the replacement bearing and tools were thrown in the support coach. Both locomotives then continued to Bristol for the overnight stop, where the troublesome box now appeared to be running satisfactorily. During the following day's run from Bristol to Plymouth the King suffered a similar hot box and was failed at Taunton. 7819 continued over the Devon banks banked by two class 37s but suffered another hot tender axle box and was failed in turn at Exeter. While there, the announcement was made that [[4930 |4930 Hagley Hall]] was being dispatched from the SVR to travel overnight to Plymouth to provide some steam haulage on the return leg. Ray Tranter and others then decided to try to install the spare bearing in the yard at Exeter so Hinton Manor could also participate. The job was completed with the aid of hydraulic jacks brought up from Plymouth, allowing Hinton Manor and support coach [[GWR 6913 Brake Composite|6913]] to leave for Plymouth late on Sunday night where they were joined by Hagley Hall at around 4:00am. On the Bank Holiday Monday return, the SVR locos successfully climbed the South Devon Banks with their 485 ton train and reached Bristol nine minutes ahead of time.<ref name=SVR162/>