Difference between revisions of "GWR 4930 Hagley Hall"

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{{Infobox GWR steam loco
 
{{Infobox GWR steam loco
|image      = 4930_20131006.jpg
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|image      = 4930_Bridgnorth_20220909.jpg
|caption    = 4930 Hagley Hall prior to the 2013 tender exchange
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|caption    = 4930 Hagley Hall on relaunch day, 9 September 2022
 
|construc  = GWR Swindon Works
 
|construc  = GWR Swindon Works
 
|wheels    = 4-6-0
 
|wheels    = 4-6-0
 
|rating    = GWR: D, BR: 5MT
 
|rating    = GWR: D, BR: 5MT
 
|axleload  = GWR: Red
 
|axleload  = GWR: Red
|status    = Under overhaul
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|status    = Operational
 
|locono    = 4930
 
|locono    = 4930
 
|designed  = Charles Collett
 
|designed  = Charles Collett
Line 18: Line 18:
 
|events3    = First steamed in preservation
 
|events3    = First steamed in preservation
 
|years4    = 1986
 
|years4    = 1986
|events4    = Withdrawn for overhaul
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|events4    = Withdrawn
 +
|years5    = 2013-2022
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|events5    = Overhaul
 
|length    = 63ft 0¼"
 
|length    = 63ft 0¼"
 
|weight    = 75t 0cwt
 
|weight    = 75t 0cwt
 
|power      = 27,275 lb
 
|power      = 27,275 lb
 
|pressure  = 225 lb/sq in}}
 
|pressure  = 225 lb/sq in}}
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.
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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.
  
==4930 Hagley Hall in Service==
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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. 4930's sister locomotive [[GWR 4936 Kinlet Hall|4936 Kinlet Hall]] has visited the SVR on several occasions. 
4930 was built in May 1929 at the GWR’s Swindon Works and entered service at the [[Wolverhampton#Wolverhampton Railway Works | Wolverhampton Stafford Road Depot]].  As well as Wolverhampton’s Stafford Road and Oxley depots, other pre-War shed allocations included Chester, Tyseley and Leamington as well as brief periods in the south west.
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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.
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==4930 Hagley Hall in service==
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4930 was built in May 1929 at the GWR’s Swindon Works as part of Lot 254, at a total cost of £5,151 including the GWR's newly introduced ATC gear. It entered service at the [[Wolverhampton#Wolverhampton Railway Works | Wolverhampton Stafford Road Depot]].  As well as Wolverhampton’s Stafford Road and Oxley depots, other pre-War shed allocations included Chester, Tyseley and Leamington as well as brief periods in the south west.
  
 
In 1948, 4930 was shedded at Tyseley, but the remainder of her post-War service was mainly spent in the south west, with allocations to Bristol St Phillips Marsh, Weymouth (August 1950), Bristol Bath Road, Westbury, Taunton (March 1959) and Exeter. Final allocations were to London’s Old Oak Common and Swindon.
 
In 1948, 4930 was shedded at Tyseley, but the remainder of her post-War service was mainly spent in the south west, with allocations to Bristol St Phillips Marsh, Weymouth (August 1950), Bristol Bath Road, Westbury, Taunton (March 1959) and Exeter. Final allocations were to London’s Old Oak Common and Swindon.
 
   
 
   
In Adrian Vaughan’s biography ‘Signalman’s Twilight’, he recounts that on 29 June 1963 4930 was the only spare locomotive available to replace a Western class diesel which failed near Swindon when working a Milford Haven to Paddington express.  Supposedly restricted to working low class goods services due to her run-down condition, Hagley Hall was nevertheless timed at 82mph passing Didcot and covered the 53 miles from Didcot to Paddington in 45 minutes.<ref>Signalman’s Twilight, Adrian Vaughan, Chapter 12</ref> Following this swansong, 4930 was withdrawn from service by BR in December 1963 after a working life of 1,295,236 miles. The locomotive was acquired by [[Barry Scrapyard | Woodham Brothers scrap yard]] at Barry in May 1964.  [[Viscount Cobham]] obtained one of the original 'Hagley Hall' nameplates from Lord Beeching, which he lent to the [[Richard Dunn]] to have copies cast in preparation for the locomotive's recovery from Barry and subsequent restoration.<ref>SVR News 43, "Viscount Cobham", Obituary by R.H. Dunn</ref>
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GWR records show that 4930 received a new boiler, no C.8227, at Swindon during its final heavy general repair at Swindon on 13 April 1961 at 1,217,568 miles.
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4930 was photographed on 1 June 1963 at the head of a parcels train approaching Hereford.<ref>Photo in SVR News 36</ref> Later that month, Adrian Vaughan’s biography ‘Signalman’s Twilight’ recounts that on 29 June 1963 4930 was the only spare locomotive available to replace a Western class diesel which failed near Swindon when working a Milford Haven to Paddington express.  Supposedly restricted to working low class goods services due to her run-down condition, Hagley Hall was nevertheless timed at 82mph passing Didcot and covered the 53 miles from Didcot to Paddington in 45 minutes.<ref>Signalman’s Twilight, Adrian Vaughan, Chapter 12</ref> Following this swansong, 4930 was withdrawn from service by BR on 2 December 1963 after a working life of 1,295,236 miles, an average of about 100 miles per day over the locomotive's working life.<ref>[http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=4930&loco=4930 BR database. Stephenson Loco Society records have November 1963] (Retrieved 18 November 2019)</ref>  
  
==4930 Hagley Hall in Preservation==
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The locomotive was acquired by [[Barry Scrapyard | Woodham Brothers scrap yard]] on 30 April 1964 and delivered to Barry in May of that year. [[Viscount Cobham]] obtained one of the original 'Hagley Hall' nameplates from Lord Beeching, which he lent to the [[Richard Dunn]] to have copies cast in preparation for the locomotive's recovery from Barry and subsequent restoration.<ref>SVR News 43, "Viscount Cobham", Obituary by R.H. Dunn</ref>
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==4930 Hagley Hall in preservation==
 
===Arrival at the SVR===
 
===Arrival at the SVR===
4930 was bought by SVR(H) in June 1972 and was moved from Barry to Bewdley by rail, arriving on 6th January 1973.  A six year restoration began, initially at Bewdley and completed at Bridgnorth. A portion of the restoration was led by the late Ray Tranter.
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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>
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Having been bought by SVR(H) in June 1972, 4930 became the 29th locomotive to leave Barry, moved from there to [[Bewdley Down Yard]] by rail, and arriving on 6 January 1973 in 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>
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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> 
 
   
 
   
 
===First boiler ticket===
 
===First boiler ticket===
Restoration was completed in August 1979 when test running was undertaken.  A month later 4930 fully entered service and on 22 September made her main line debut, working double-headed with fellow SVR locomotive LMS 5000 from Hereford to Chester and return with the SVRA “The Inter-City” charter.
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During summer 1979, attention switched to restoration of the Hawksworth tender, with 4930's main line debut provisionally scheduled for September 1979. Restoration was completed in August 1979 when test running was undertaken.  A month later 4930 fully entered service and on 22 September 1979 made her main line debut, working double-headed with fellow SVR locomotive LMS 5000 from Hereford to Chester and return with the [[SVRA]] “The Inter-City” charter.<ref>SVR News 53</ref>
  
4930 hauled the official reopening train for Kidderminster Town Station on 30th July 1984. She made a number of other [[The Severn Valley Railway on the main line | mainline appearances]], notably a storming double-headed run with 7819 Hinton Manor over the South Devon banks during the GWR 150 celebrations in 1985. A full list of those appearances is as follows:
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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.
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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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<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
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File:4930 HAGLEY HALL at Wistanstow.jpg | Welsh Marches Express 26 Feb 1983
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File:Opening train - geograph.org.uk - 248546.jpg | Kidderminster opening July 1984
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File:Hagley Hall arrives from Ludgershall - geograph.org.uk - 2470163.jpg|Hagley Hall at Andover in 1986.
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</gallery>
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4930 made a number of other [[The Severn Valley Railway on the main line | mainline appearances]]. Most notably, [[GWR 7819 Hinton Manor|7819 Hinton Manor]] and [[Steam Locomotives visiting the SVR for galas|6000 King George V]] were due to complete a two-day return trip to Plymouth and back as part of the GWR 150 celebrations in April 1985. The King failed with a 'hot box' during the first day. 4930 made a light engine move overnight from Bridgnorth to Plymouth, joining 7819 for a storming double-headed run back over the South Devon banks the following day.<ref>SVR News 76</ref><ref group="note">7819 had also failed with a hot box on the first day, the excursion being completed with diesel haulage. Fortunately spare parts were available and 7819 was repaired at Exeter with tools borrowed from BR, before also moving light engine to Plymouth.</ref>
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A full list of 4930's main line appearances is as follows:
  
 
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
 
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
Line 84: Line 110:
 
|22 Mar 1986||Tiddly Dyke Tour(s) || Andover - Ludgershall (5 x return) ||  || [http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/860322ty.htm SBJ] ||80-4
 
|22 Mar 1986||Tiddly Dyke Tour(s) || Andover - Ludgershall (5 x return) ||  || [http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/860322ty.htm SBJ] ||80-4
 
|-
 
|-
|23 Mar 1986||Sunday Steam Specials || Andover - Ludgershall (6 x return) || 4930 last main line appearance ||  ||80-4
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|23 Mar 1986||Sunday Steam Specials || Andover - Ludgershall (6 x return) || 4930 last main line appearance. £600 of tickets at £4.60 were also sold for the Sunday night ECS working to Bristol (alight at Salisbury).<ref>Steam Railway Magazine No 74</ref> ||  ||80-4
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
4930 was withdrawn from service in October 1986 following failure of several boiler stays.  Mileage completed during her first (and so far only) boiler ticket was as follows:
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<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
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</gallery>
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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>
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===Storage===
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4930 did not steam between 1986 and 2022, the longest period any current locomotive has spent ‘out of ticket’ after working at the SVR. The intervening years were initially spent in store in the headshunt at Bridgnorth, with little activity on the locomotive taking placeIn late 1996 Raveningham Hall acquired new owners and left the railway, ending the 'temporary' tender swap and resulting in Hagley Hall being reunited with its incorrect Hawksworth tender.
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In early 1999 the Swindon Steam Museum contacted the SVR to ask if 4930 could be placed on loan as a static exhibit at the Designer Shopping Complex (sited on the former GWR Swindon Works), taking the place of former SVR Resident [[GWR 3717 City of Truro|City of Truro]] which was returning to the [[National Railway Museum]]. In April 1999 the SVR(H) Board agreed and a cosmetic restoration began at Bridgnorth. This began with steam cleaning the lower works and reinstalling a number of fittings which had been removed for storage. The locomotive was also repainted in GWR Hawksworth-era livery as appropriate for its tender. The work was completed on 20 May 1999, with 4930 moving by rail to Kidderminster and then by road to Swindon, arriving on 25 May 1999. The loan was then expected to be for 'at least two years'.<ref>SVR News 130</ref>
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The move to Swindon stimulated interest among the working members for an eventual return to steam. Being company-owned, 4930 had no separate owning organisation to provide stimulus and support for this. A "Hagley Hall Restoration Group" was therefore established, with the approval of SVR(H) and the support of the [[SVRA]], and intended to be made up principally of the younger generation of working members. The first open meeting was held on 25 July 1999, just two months after 4930's move to Swindon.  The group quickly morphed into the [[Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall]] and began fund raising.<ref>SVR News 190, 207</ref>
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At the end of 2005 the SVR received the necessary funding to enable the construction of the new [[The Engine House | Engine House]] at [[Highley]] to take place, with 4930 intended to be 'the prime exhibit'.<ref>SVR News 152, 156</ref> With construction almost complete, 4930 left Swindon on 7 June 2007, spending a day ''en route'' at the real Hagley Hall courtesy of Lord and Lady Cobham, probably the only time a Hall class locomotive has visited the hall after which it was named.<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/pages/4930_returns_home.html Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall - The Journey Home]</ref> However the [[2007 Storm Damage | freak storm damage]] on 19 June meant 4930's move into the Engine House was delayed until March 2008, where the locomotive would spend the next five years.
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<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
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4930_Highley_20120512.jpg | 4930 Hagley Hall in the Engine House, 12 May 2012
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</gallery>
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===Overhaul and second boiler ticket===
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An [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC#Share offers|SVR(H) share offer in 2012]] sought to raise £4m for a various projects including the [[Bridgnorth#Bridgnorth_Development_Project|Bridgnorth Station Development]] and the overhaul of Hagley Hall. The 'futuristic' design of the former proposal was not well received, with only £2m being raised by the close of the offer in 2013. Nevertheless, 4930’s long-awaited overhaul began with a move to Bridgnorth on 6 October 2013. Two days later 4930 was again paired with the correct Collett style tender after a permanent exchange of tenders was agreed with the custodians of [[6990 Witherslack Hall]]. The Collett tender, which was described in SVR News as "''…in similar poor condition to the Hawksworth one''" was moved into the Bridgnorth Works where the Friends of Hagley Hall and other volunteers could begin dismantling it. The tender tank was considered beyond repair and quotes were obtained for constructing a new one.<ref>SVR News 184</ref> The contractors Adam Dalgleish Engineering completed the new tender tank in July 2015, retaining it in storage until needed by the SVR.<ref>Friends of Hagley Hall News page</ref>
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<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
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4930_20131006.jpg | 4930 Hagley Hall with Hawksworth tender leaving Highley on 6 October 2013
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</gallery>
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During 2014 the [[Charitable Trust]] secured a £95,000 grant from the The [[:Category:Lottery funding#National_Lottery_Heritage_Fund|National Heritage Fund]] towards the overhaul of 4930, which would be used to fund the cost of apprentices working on the loco as part of their training. The tender tank was removed using the [[Cowans Sheldon 30-ton steam crane RS 1087|30-ton steam crane]], and the tender wheelsets were sent to South Devon Railway for new tyres to be fitted. Work on the tender chassis then started, by a combination of the paid staff and Friends' junior members.<ref>SVR News 185, 186, 187, 188</ref>
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During 2015 work was again mainly focussed on the tender chassis. By spring, fabrication of a new tender tank was under way at Adam Dalgleish Engineering and the wheelsets were returned. By the end of the year the locomotive's boiler has been removed, mostly by volunteer labour, to allow volunteer work to begin on the boiler, and also to allow a more detailed examination of the severely-corroded exhaust passages.<ref>SVR News 189, 190, 191, 192</ref>
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2016 again saw much of the work on the tender chassis. On the locomotive, stripping the main cylinder block revealed a number of areas which had suffered severe corrosion. Later that year the insurance test for the 30-ton steam crane was used as an opportunity to remove the cylinder block to allow it to be split and examined more closely.<ref>SVR News 193, 194, 195, 196</ref> The new tender tank was delivered to the SVR on 24 October 2016.
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By early 2017 the cylinder block was found to have been previously patched, and was considered beyond repair. The decision was therefore taken that a new cylinder block would be required. Stafford Road Design Ltd were appointed to design the polystyrene patterns using for casting replacement cylinder. The casting by Shakespeare Foundry in Preston, Lancashire would be the first cylinders to be cast for a Hall in more than 50 years. Work in earnest on the locomotive overhaul was expected to begin by the end of the year.<ref>SVR News 197</ref> In March 2017 the Friends, in partnership with Severn Valley Engineering Services, formulated a detailed programme for completion of the overhaul. This "''2020 Vision''" envisaged a return to steam in 2020.<ref name=FOHHN>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of Hagley Hall News update 7 March 2017 '4930 Our 2020 VISION']</ref>
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In early 2018 lack of available space in the SVR's boiler shop resulted in a decision to sub-contract out the boiler overhaul.<ref group="note">Boilers for the 42968, 82045 and 4150 were all in progress. 4930's boiler was selected for sub-contracting because as a company loco, no negotiation with an owning group was needed. Also Heritage Lottery money and fundraising support from the Friends was available.</ref> On 9 April 2018 the boiler departed for Northern Steam Engineering Ltd. at Stockton, for overhaul.<ref>SVR News 203</ref>. The driving wheels were also sent to the South Devon Railway in 2018 for fitting of new tyres.
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By the start of 2019, the tender had become a fully wheeled chassis, with the new tank being fitted in March.<ref name=FOHHN/> The locomotive frames had been fitted onto new stands which had been sourced to avoid extended use of the works' jacks and to ensure the new cylinders could be fitted without movement in the frames. A number of further issued had been encountered including a cracked boiler crown, cracked expansion slides on the boiler sides, and a cracked vacuum cylinder on the tender.<ref>SVR News 205</ref> The new cylinder blocks had been machined by Harco Engineering and were returned to Bridgnorth on 14 June 2019<ref>Railway Magazine, July 2019, p.72</ref> where they were trial fitted. A new drag box was designed, manufactured and fitted over a period of around three months.
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By Q3 of 2019 the plan for 4930 was for the boiler to be completed and returned to Bridgnorth in Q4 of 2019, the loco to be re-wheeled in the first half of 2020, followed by boiler installation and completion of the final fitting out leading to a steaming date in the latter part of 2020.<ref>SVR News 207</ref>. Unfortunately 2020 progress was significantly affected by the [[2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic]] which meant for some months no work could carried out, or work only carried out by small numbers of paid staff. The boiler was eventually returned from Northern Steam Engineering just before Christmas 2020.<ref>SVR News 213</ref>
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In spring 2021 the frames were moved onto the works' jacks and raised so that the locomotive could be re-wheeled.<ref>SVR News 214</ref> The boiler was steam tested on 15 September and trial fitted into the frames in October. On 8 December the lagged and almost fully clad boiler was refitted to the frames and the locomotive moved back from the boiler shop to the works for fitting out and painting. The plan had been to have the locomotive complete before the 3-month closure of the works for fitting a new roof. In the end this was not quite possible, with the last stages being completed in the MPD yard.
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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.
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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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<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
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4930_Eardington_20220909.jpg | The inaugural relaunch day train on Eardington Bank
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</gallery>
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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].
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===Ownership and support===
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4930 is owned by SVR(H), but has its own support group, the [[Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall | Friends of Hagley Hall]]. By September 2016 the Friends had raised over £110,000 towards the overhaul.<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of Hagley Hall web site]</ref> In addition, thanks to a [[:Category:Lottery funding#National_Lottery_Heritage_Fund|Heritage Lottery Fund]] grant in February 2014 of £95,000 to the [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd]], apprentices from the Heritage Skills Training Academy playing an active part in this work.<ref>[http://svrtrust.org.uk/our-projects/hagley-hall.html Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust website] (Retrieved 15 February 2017)</ref> In all the Charitable Trust was the conduit for nearly £800,000 of funds for the second overhaul<ref>Charitable Trust accounts to 30 June 2021, p. 6, </ref>.
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===Mileage===
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Mileage recorded during the first boiler ticket was as follows:
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
! <b>Year</b> !! style="text-align:right;" | <b>Mileage</b>  
 
! <b>Year</b> !! style="text-align:right;" | <b>Mileage</b>  
Line 110: Line 191:
 
| <b>Total</b> || style="text-align:right;" | 33,213
 
| <b>Total</b> || style="text-align:right;" | 33,213
 
|}
 
|}
 
<Gallery>
 
File:4930 HAGLEY HALL at Wistanstow.jpg | Welsh Marches Express 26 Feb 1983
 
File:Opening train - geograph.org.uk - 248546.jpg | Kidderminster opening July 1984
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Current status===
 
4930 has not steamed since 1986, the longest period any current locomotive has spent ‘out of ticket’ after working at the SVR. The intervening years were initially spent in store at Bridgnorth.  Following a cosmetic restoration in 1999, 4936 was placed on loan as a static exhibit at the Designer Shopping Complex (sited on the former GWR Swindon Works). 
 
 
On 7/8 June 2007, 4930 returned from Swindon with the intention of featuring in the new [[The Engine House | Engine House]] at [[Highley]].  En route 4936 spent a day at the real Hagley Hall courtesy of Lord and Lady Cobham, probably the only time a Hall class locomotive has visited the hall after which it was named.<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/pages/4930_returns_home.html Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall - The Journey Home]</ref>  The move into the Engine House was then delayed until 2008 by the [[2007 Storm Damage | storm damage in 2007]]. 
 
 
4930’s long-awaited overhaul began with a move from the Engine House to [[Bridgnorth Loco Works]] on 6 October 2013. In March 2017 the [[Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall | Friends of Hagley Hall]], in partnership with Severn Valley Engineering Services, formulated a detailed programme for completion of the overhaul.  This "''2020 Vision''" envisages a return to steam in 2020.<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of Hagley Hall News update 7 March 2017 '4930 Our 2020 VISION']</ref> 
 
*As part of the overhaul, 4930 will run with the correct Collett style tender rather than her previous Hawksworth style one, following an exchange with the custodians of [[6990 Witherslack Hall]] on 8 October 2013.  In 2017 the new tender tank was delivered for work on restoring the tender to continue. By March 2019 the new tender tank was fitted to the refurbished and rewheeled tender chassis.
 
*By August 2015 the boiler had been lifted from the frames. On 10 April 2018 it departed from Bridgnorth by road for the workshops of Northern Steam Engineering Ltd. at Stockton, where overhaul commenced. 
 
*The cylinder block was removed and examined. This revealed that the cylinders had been previously patched, and were therefore considered beyond repair. New cylinder blocks were produced: 3D Computer Aided Design work by Stafford Road Design Ltd., casting by Shakespeare Foundry in Preston, Lancashire and machining by Harco Engineering. Machined cylinders returned to Bridgnorth on 24 June 2019.<ref>Railway Magazine, July 2019, p.72</ref>
 
*The driving wheels were removed from the frames on 14 July 2018, so they could be sent to the South Devon Railway for fitting new tyres.
 
 
Updates on 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].
 
 
4930 is owned by SVR(H), but has its own support group, the [[Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall | Friends of Hagley Hall]]. By September 2016 the Friends had raised over £110,000 towards the overhaul.<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of Hagley Hall web site]</ref> In addition, thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant in February 2014 of £95,000 to the [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd]], apprentices from the Heritage Skills Training Academy are playing an active part in this work.<ref>[http://svrtrust.org.uk/our-projects/hagley-hall.html Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust website] (Retrieved 15 February 2017)</ref>
 
 
4930’s sister locomotive [[GWR 4936 Kinlet Hall|4936 Kinlet Hall]] has visited the SVR on several occasions.
 
  
 
==Local connection==
 
==Local connection==
 
 
Following the GWR's policy of naming locomotives after locations near its lines, 4930 is named after the country house of Hagley Hall, located five miles from [[Kidderminster]]. Whilst being transported by road from the Designer Shopping Complex in Swindon back to the Engine House at Highley in June 2007, the locomotive briefly visited the estate. The country house is the home of Viscount Cobham, and in 2012 the 12th Viscount Cobham accepted an invitation to become patron of the Friends of Hagley Hall.<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall - News (November 2012)]</ref> In March 2013, one of the original nameplates off the locomotive was permanently loaned for display in the Engine House by Viscount Cobham.<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall - News (March 2013)]</ref>
 
Following the GWR's policy of naming locomotives after locations near its lines, 4930 is named after the country house of Hagley Hall, located five miles from [[Kidderminster]]. Whilst being transported by road from the Designer Shopping Complex in Swindon back to the Engine House at Highley in June 2007, the locomotive briefly visited the estate. The country house is the home of Viscount Cobham, and in 2012 the 12th Viscount Cobham accepted an invitation to become patron of the Friends of Hagley Hall.<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall - News (November 2012)]</ref> In March 2013, one of the original nameplates off the locomotive was permanently loaned for display in the Engine House by Viscount Cobham.<ref>[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/news/news.html Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall - News (March 2013)]</ref>
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
[[Steam Locomotives]]<br>
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*[[Steam Locomotives]]
[[List of preservation groups]]<br>
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*[[List of preservation groups]]
[[The Severn Valley Railway on the main line]]<br>
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*[[The Severn Valley Railway on the main line]]
[[Rolling stock currently under restoration]]
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==Notes==
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<references group="note"/>    
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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==Links==
 
==Links==
[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/ Friends of Hagley Hall] Retrieved 23 January 2015<br>
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*[http://www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk/ Friends of Hagley Hall website]  
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_4900_Class GWR 4900 Class on Wikipedia]
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*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_4900_Class GWR 4900 Class on Wikipedia]
  
 
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[[Category:Operational steam locomotives]]
 
[[Category:Locomotives at Bridgnorth]]
 
[[Category:Locomotives at Bridgnorth]]
 
[[Category: Rolling stock owned by SVR(H)]]
 
[[Category: Rolling stock owned by SVR(H)]]
[[Category:Lottery funding]]
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[[Category:Lottery funding]]
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[[Category:Featured articles]]

Revision as of 15:06, 11 January 2023

GWRGreat Western Railway 4930 Hagley Hall
4930 Bridgnorth 20220909.jpg
4930 Hagley Hall on relaunch day, 9 September 2022
Built By GWRGreat Western Railway Swindon Works
Configuration 4-6-0
Power class GWRGreat Western Railway: D, BRBritish Rail or British Railways: 5MTThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic.
Axle load class GWRGreat Western Railway: Red
Status Operational
Loco Number 4930
History
Built 1929
Designed By Charles CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941
Type GWRGreat Western Railway 4900
1972 Purchased by SVRSevern Valley Railway(H)
1973 Arrived on SVRSevern Valley Railway
1979 First steamed in preservation
1986 Withdrawn
2013-2022 Overhaul
Technical
Length 63ft 0¼"
Weight 75t 0cwt
Tractive effort 27,275 lb
Pressure 225 lb/sq in

Steam Locomotives

4930 Hagley Hall is a GWRGreat Western Railway CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941 4900 Hall Class locomotive. The Hall was a mixed traffic locomotive, serving a similar role on the GWRGreat Western Railway to that carried out by the StanierWilliam Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944 ‘Black 5’ on the LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway. StanierWilliam Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944 worked for the GWRGreat Western Railway before moving to the LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway, and the Black 5 drew on many of the Hall's design features. Like the Black 5, the Hall was rated 5MTThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic. by BRBritish Rail or British Railways post-nationalisation, although its wide cylinders meant it was mainly restricted to ex-GWRGreat Western Railway routes.

A total of 258 'CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941' 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, the oldest in steam. 4930's sister locomotive 4936 Kinlet Hall has visited the SVRSevern Valley Railway on several occasions.

CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941's successor Frederick HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948 produced a modified version of the design, of which a further 71 were built by the GWRGreat Western Railway and BRBritish Rail or British Railways up to 1950. The 6959 'Modified Hall' Class included a new 'straight-sided' tender (later also re-fitted to some early CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941 Halls). Seven Modified Halls were preserved, including former SVRSevern Valley Railway resident 6960 Raveningham Hall, although one (7927 Willington Hall) is being used as the donor for the 'Grange' and 'County' re-creation projects.

4930 Hagley Hall in service

4930 was built in May 1929 at the GWRGreat Western Railway’s Swindon Works as part of Lot 254, at a total cost of £5,151 including the GWRGreat Western Railway's newly introduced ATCAutomatic Train Control, a form of limited cab signalling developed by the GWR in 1906, superseded by BR's Automatic Warning System gear. It entered service at the Wolverhampton Stafford Road Depot. As well as Wolverhampton’s Stafford Road and Oxley depots, other pre-War shed allocations included Chester, Tyseley and Leamington as well as brief periods in the south west.

In 1948, 4930 was shedded at Tyseley, but the remainder of her post-War service was mainly spent in the south west, with allocations to Bristol St Phillips Marsh, Weymouth (August 1950), Bristol Bath Road, Westbury, Taunton (March 1959) and Exeter. Final allocations were to London’s Old Oak Common and Swindon.

GWRGreat Western Railway records show that 4930 received a new boiler, no C.8227, at Swindon during its final heavy general repair at Swindon on 13 April 1961 at 1,217,568 miles.

4930 was photographed on 1 June 1963 at the head of a parcels train approaching Hereford.[1] Later that month, Adrian Vaughan’s biography ‘Signalman’s Twilight’ recounts that on 29 June 1963 4930 was the only spare locomotive available to replace a Western class diesel which failed near Swindon when working a Milford Haven to Paddington express. Supposedly restricted to working low class goods services due to her run-down condition, Hagley Hall was nevertheless timed at 82mph passing Didcot and covered the 53 miles from Didcot to Paddington in 45 minutes.[2] Following this swansong, 4930 was withdrawn from service by BRBritish Rail or British Railways on 2 December 1963 after a working life of 1,295,236 miles, an average of about 100 miles per day over the locomotive's working life.[3]

The locomotive was acquired by Woodham Brothers scrap yard on 30 April 1964 and delivered to BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. in May of that year. Viscount Cobham obtained one of the original 'Hagley Hall' nameplates from Lord Beeching, which he lent to the Richard Dunn to have copies cast in preparation for the locomotive's recovery from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. and subsequent restoration.[4]

4930 Hagley Hall in preservation

Arrival at the SVRSevern Valley Railway

SVRSevern Valley Railway 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, SVRSevern Valley Railway News announced in summer 1972 that the company was in the course of acquiring 4930 Hagley Hall from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation.. The indicative cost including purchase and restoration was given as £4,000. A preserved HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948 4,000 gallon tender, no 2740, had already been acquired from Swindon for use with the locomotive.[5] 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 SVRSevern Valley Railway at that time.[6][note 1]

Having been bought by SVRSevern Valley Railway(H) in June 1972, 4930 became the 29th locomotive to leave BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation., moved from there to Bewdley Down Yard by rail, and arriving on 6 January 1973 in a convoy which also included 4141, 5164, and 7819 Hinton Manor. A six-year restoration began, initially at Bewdley. The boiler had been lifted by autumn 1972,[7] and was moved during the 'big lift' of five boilers on 3 May 1976.[8] Around that time the SVRSevern Valley Railway 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.[9]

In winter 1977 4930 moved to Bridgnorth Loco Works where the restoration would be completed.[10] 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.[11]

First boiler ticket

During summer 1979, attention switched to restoration of the HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948 tender, with 4930's main line debut provisionally scheduled for September 1979. Restoration was completed in August 1979 when test running was undertaken. A month later 4930 fully entered service and on 22 September 1979 made her main line debut, working double-headed with fellow SVRSevern Valley Railway locomotive LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway 5000 from Hereford to Chester and return with the SVRA “The Inter-City” charter.[12]

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.[13] 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 HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948 Modified Hall 6960 Raveningham Hall, agreed to a temporary tender swap for filming purposes. 4930 was fitted with 6960's CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941 'step-sided' tender, appropriate for an original Hall, while 6960 was fitted with 4930's straight-sided HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948 tender.[14] The following year, 4930 hauled the official reopening train for 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 'Enthusiasts' Weekend'.

4930 made a number of other mainline appearances. Most notably, 7819 Hinton Manor and 6000 King George V were due to complete a two-day return trip to Plymouth and back as part of the GWRGreat Western Railway 150 celebrations in April 1985. The King failed with a 'hot box' during the first day. 4930 made a light engine move overnight from Bridgnorth to Plymouth, joining 7819 for a storming double-headed run back over the South Devon banks the following day.[15][note 2]

A full list of 4930's main line appearances is as follows:

Date Tour name Route Notes Web SVRSevern Valley Railway News
22 Sep 1979 Inter-City Hereford - Chester - Hereford D/H with 45000. 4930 first main line run SBJ 53-12
04 Oct 1980 Deeside Venturer Newport - Hereford - Newport SBJ 56-12
14 Feb 1981 Welsh Marches Express Hereford - Newport - Hereford SBJ 60-30
14 Mar 1981 Welsh Marches Express Hereford - Newport - Hereford SBJ 59-24
?? Oct 1981 Welsh Marches Pullman 4930 worked 2 tours in October 1981 (SVRSevern Valley Railway News) 63-10
17 Oct 1981 Welsh Marches Pullman Shrewsbury - Hereford Locoperf 63-10
20 Mar 1982 Welsh Marches Express Hereford - Newport - Hereford D/H with 45000 SBJ
17 Apr 1982 Welsh Marches Express Hereford - Newport - Hereford D/H with 7812 Erlestoke Manor 64-28
24 Apr 1982 Welsh Marches Pullman Shrewsbury - Hereford D/H with 7812 Erlestoke Manor SBJ 64-29
19 Feb 1983 Welsh Marches Pullman Hereford - Newport - Hereford SBJ 67-30
26 Feb 1983 Welsh Marches Pullman Shrewsbury - Hereford SBJ 68-31
22 Jan 1985 Post Office special B'ham Moor St-Stratford-Leamington Spa-B'ham Moor St PO charter celebrating 150th anniversary of post by rail 76-21
02 Feb 1985 Red Dragon Newport - Swindon - Gloucester SBJ 76-37
08 Apr 1985 Great Western Limited Plymouth - Bristol Temple Meads D/H with 7819 after working L/E from SVRSevern Valley Railway overnight SBJ 76-12
25 Jun 1985 GW150 Exhibition Train Highley-Hereford D/H with 6960 Raveningham Hall 77-26
06 Jul 1985 Western Stalwart Kidderminster - Cardiff Central - Hereford DH with 7029 Clun Castle SBJ 77-40
07 Jul 1985 Great Western Limited Bristol Temple Meads - Totnes (terminated) DH with 5051 Drysllwyn Castle SBJ 77-13
13 Aug 1985 GW150 Celebrations Excursions Swindon Gloucester - Swindon SBJ
30 Dec 1985 Santa Special Kidderminster - Hereford - Kidderminster D/H with 3440 City of Truro SBJ 79-12
22 Mar 1986 Tiddly Dyke Tour(s) Andover - Ludgershall (5 x return) SBJ 80-4
23 Mar 1986 Sunday Steam Specials Andover - Ludgershall (6 x return) 4930 last main line appearance. £600 of tickets at £4.60 were also sold for the Sunday night ECSEmpty Coaching Stock working to Bristol (alight at Salisbury).[16] 80-4

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.[17] 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.[18]

Storage

4930 did not steam between 1986 and 2022, the longest period any current locomotive has spent ‘out of ticket’ after working at the SVRSevern Valley Railway. The intervening years were initially spent in store in the headshunt at Bridgnorth, with little activity on the locomotive taking place. In late 1996 Raveningham Hall acquired new owners and left the railway, ending the 'temporary' tender swap and resulting in Hagley Hall being reunited with its incorrect HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948 tender.

In early 1999 the Swindon Steam Museum contacted the SVRSevern Valley Railway to ask if 4930 could be placed on loan as a static exhibit at the Designer Shopping Complex (sited on the former GWRGreat Western Railway Swindon Works), taking the place of former SVRSevern Valley Railway Resident City of Truro which was returning to the National Railway Museum. In April 1999 the SVRSevern Valley Railway(H) Board agreed and a cosmetic restoration began at Bridgnorth. This began with steam cleaning the lower works and reinstalling a number of fittings which had been removed for storage. The locomotive was also repainted in GWRGreat Western Railway HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948-era livery as appropriate for its tender. The work was completed on 20 May 1999, with 4930 moving by rail to Kidderminster and then by road to Swindon, arriving on 25 May 1999. The loan was then expected to be for 'at least two years'.[19]

The move to Swindon stimulated interest among the working members for an eventual return to steam. Being company-owned, 4930 had no separate owning organisation to provide stimulus and support for this. A "Hagley Hall Restoration Group" was therefore established, with the approval of SVRSevern Valley Railway(H) and the support of the SVRA, and intended to be made up principally of the younger generation of working members. The first open meeting was held on 25 July 1999, just two months after 4930's move to Swindon. The group quickly morphed into the Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall and began fund raising.[20]

At the end of 2005 the SVRSevern Valley Railway received the necessary funding to enable the construction of the new Engine House at Highley to take place, with 4930 intended to be 'the prime exhibit'.[21] With construction almost complete, 4930 left Swindon on 7 June 2007, spending a day en route at the real Hagley Hall courtesy of Lord and Lady Cobham, probably the only time a Hall class locomotive has visited the hall after which it was named.[22] However the freak storm damage on 19 June meant 4930's move into the Engine House was delayed until March 2008, where the locomotive would spend the next five years.

Overhaul and second boiler ticket

An SVR(H) share offer in 2012 sought to raise £4m for a various projects including the Bridgnorth Station Development and the overhaul of Hagley Hall. The 'futuristic' design of the former proposal was not well received, with only £2m being raised by the close of the offer in 2013. Nevertheless, 4930’s long-awaited overhaul began with a move to Bridgnorth on 6 October 2013. Two days later 4930 was again paired with the correct CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941 style tender after a permanent exchange of tenders was agreed with the custodians of 6990 Witherslack Hall. The CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941 tender, which was described in SVRSevern Valley Railway News as "…in similar poor condition to the HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948 one" was moved into the Bridgnorth Works where the Friends of Hagley Hall and other volunteers could begin dismantling it. The tender tank was considered beyond repair and quotes were obtained for constructing a new one.[23] The contractors Adam Dalgleish Engineering completed the new tender tank in July 2015, retaining it in storage until needed by the SVRSevern Valley Railway.[24]

During 2014 the Charitable Trust secured a £95,000 grant from the The National Heritage Fund towards the overhaul of 4930, which would be used to fund the cost of apprentices working on the loco as part of their training. The tender tank was removed using the 30-ton steam crane, and the tender wheelsets were sent to South Devon Railway for new tyres to be fitted. Work on the tender chassis then started, by a combination of the paid staff and Friends' junior members.[25]

During 2015 work was again mainly focussed on the tender chassis. By spring, fabrication of a new tender tank was under way at Adam Dalgleish Engineering and the wheelsets were returned. By the end of the year the locomotive's boiler has been removed, mostly by volunteer labour, to allow volunteer work to begin on the boiler, and also to allow a more detailed examination of the severely-corroded exhaust passages.[26]

2016 again saw much of the work on the tender chassis. On the locomotive, stripping the main cylinder block revealed a number of areas which had suffered severe corrosion. Later that year the insurance test for the 30-ton steam crane was used as an opportunity to remove the cylinder block to allow it to be split and examined more closely.[27] The new tender tank was delivered to the SVRSevern Valley Railway on 24 October 2016.

By early 2017 the cylinder block was found to have been previously patched, and was considered beyond repair. The decision was therefore taken that a new cylinder block would be required. Stafford Road Design Ltd were appointed to design the polystyrene patterns using for casting replacement cylinder. The casting by Shakespeare Foundry in Preston, Lancashire would be the first cylinders to be cast for a Hall in more than 50 years. Work in earnest on the locomotive overhaul was expected to begin by the end of the year.[28] In March 2017 the Friends, in partnership with Severn Valley Engineering Services, formulated a detailed programme for completion of the overhaul. This "2020 Vision" envisaged a return to steam in 2020.[29]

In early 2018 lack of available space in the SVRSevern Valley Railway's boiler shop resulted in a decision to sub-contract out the boiler overhaul.[note 3] On 9 April 2018 the boiler departed for Northern Steam Engineering Ltd. at Stockton, for overhaul.[30]. The driving wheels were also sent to the South Devon Railway in 2018 for fitting of new tyres.

By the start of 2019, the tender had become a fully wheeled chassis, with the new tank being fitted in March.[29] The locomotive frames had been fitted onto new stands which had been sourced to avoid extended use of the works' jacks and to ensure the new cylinders could be fitted without movement in the frames. A number of further issued had been encountered including a cracked boiler crown, cracked expansion slides on the boiler sides, and a cracked vacuum cylinder on the tender.[31] The new cylinder blocks had been machined by Harco Engineering and were returned to Bridgnorth on 14 June 2019[32] where they were trial fitted. A new drag box was designed, manufactured and fitted over a period of around three months.

By Q3 of 2019 the plan for 4930 was for the boiler to be completed and returned to Bridgnorth in Q4 of 2019, the loco to be re-wheeled in the first half of 2020, followed by boiler installation and completion of the final fitting out leading to a steaming date in the latter part of 2020.[33]. Unfortunately 2020 progress was significantly affected by the 2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic which meant for some months no work could carried out, or work only carried out by small numbers of paid staff. The boiler was eventually returned from Northern Steam Engineering just before Christmas 2020.[34]

In spring 2021 the frames were moved onto the works' jacks and raised so that the locomotive could be re-wheeled.[35] The boiler was steam tested on 15 September and trial fitted into the frames in October. On 8 December the lagged and almost fully clad boiler was refitted to the frames and the locomotive moved back from the boiler shop to the works for fitting out and painting. The plan had been to have the locomotive complete before the 3-month closure of the works for fitting a new roof. In the end this was not quite possible, with the last stages being completed in the MPDMotive Power Depot yard.

The locomotive moved in steam for the first time within the MPDMotive Power Depot yard on 11 May 2022.[36][37] 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 GWRGreat Western Railway lined green with small GWRGreat Western Railway logo on the tender.

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.

The final cost of the overhaul was estimated to be around £1.3m.[38] A comprehensive record of the overhaul can be found on the news section of the Friends of Hagley Hall web site.

Ownership and support

4930 is owned by SVRSevern Valley Railway(H), but has its own support group, the Friends of Hagley Hall. By September 2016 the Friends had raised over £110,000 towards the overhaul.[39] In addition, thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant in February 2014 of £95,000 to the Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd, apprentices from the Heritage Skills Training Academy playing an active part in this work.[40] In all the Charitable Trust was the conduit for nearly £800,000 of funds for the second overhaul[41].

Mileage

Mileage recorded during the first boiler ticket was as follows:

Year Mileage
1979 645
1980 4,225
1981 4,746
1982 5,577
1983 3,445
1984 3,244
1985 6,367
1986 4,964
Total 33,213

Local connection

Following the GWRGreat Western Railway's policy of naming locomotives after locations near its lines, 4930 is named after the country house of Hagley Hall, located five miles from Kidderminster. Whilst being transported by road from the Designer Shopping Complex in Swindon back to the Engine House at Highley in June 2007, the locomotive briefly visited the estate. The country house is the home of Viscount Cobham, and in 2012 the 12th Viscount Cobham accepted an invitation to become patron of the Friends of Hagley Hall.[42] In March 2013, one of the original nameplates off the locomotive was permanently loaned for display in the Engine House by Viscount Cobham.[43]

See also

Notes

  1. Two other 'overweight' locomotives had also arrived around that time. Viscount Garnock's 3442 The Great Marquess had been described as being capable or running on the railway, although it clearly was not, while 70000 Britannia was not allowed to cross Victoria Bridge with a full boiler.
  2. 7819 had also failed with a hot box on the first day, the excursion being completed with diesel haulage. Fortunately spare parts were available and 7819 was repaired at Exeter with tools borrowed from BRBritish Rail or British Railways, before also moving light engine to Plymouth.
  3. Boilers for the 42968, 82045 and 4150 were all in progress. 4930's boiler was selected for sub-contracting because as a company loco, no negotiation with an owning group was needed. Also Heritage Lottery money and fundraising support from the Friends was available.

References

  1. Photo in SVRSevern Valley Railway News 36
  2. Signalman’s Twilight, Adrian Vaughan, Chapter 12
  3. BR database. Stephenson Loco Society records have November 1963 (Retrieved 18 November 2019)
  4. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 43, "Viscount Cobham", Obituary by R.H. Dunn
  5. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 24
  6. Marshall (1989) p. 181.
  7. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 29
  8. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 40
  9. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 45, General Manager's Notes
  10. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 46
  11. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 51
  12. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 53
  13. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 56
  14. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 70
  15. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 76
  16. Steam Railway Magazine No 74
  17. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 80
  18. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 83
  19. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 130
  20. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 190, 207
  21. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 152, 156
  22. Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall - The Journey Home
  23. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 184
  24. Friends of Hagley Hall News page
  25. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 185, 186, 187, 188
  26. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 189, 190, 191, 192
  27. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 193, 194, 195, 196
  28. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 197
  29. 29.0 29.1 Friends of Hagley Hall News update 7 March 2017 '4930 Our 2020 VISION'
  30. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 203
  31. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 205
  32. Railway Magazine, July 2019, p.72
  33. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 207
  34. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 213
  35. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 214
  36. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 216, 218
  37. Branch Lines May 2022
  38. Autumn Steam Gala 2022 Souvenir Programme
  39. Friends of Hagley Hall web site
  40. Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust website (Retrieved 15 February 2017)
  41. Charitable Trust accounts to 30 June 2021, p. 6,
  42. Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall - News (November 2012)
  43. Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall - News (March 2013)

Links