GWR 7802 Bradley Manor
| GWR 7802 Bradley Manor | |
|---|---|
 7802 Bradley Manor at Bewdley | |
| Built By | GWR Swindon Works |
| Configuration | 4-6-2 |
| Power class | 5MT |
| Status | In Service |
| Loco Number | 7802 |
| History | |
| Built | 1938 |
| Designed By | Charles Benjamin Collett |
| Type | GWR 7800 |
| 1979 | Purchased by The Erlestoke Manor Fund |
| 1993 | First steamed in preservation |
| 2000 | Withdrawn for overhaul |
| 2002 | Reentered service |
| 2010 | Withdrawn for overhaul |
| 2015 | Reentered service |
| Technical | |
| Length | 61ft 9¼" |
| Weight | 68t 18cwt |
7802 Bradley Manor is a GWR Collett 7800 Manor class 4-6-0 locomotive
Contents
7802 Bradley Manor in service
7802 Bradley Manor is one of three Manor class locomotives based at the SVR, the others being 7812 Erlestoke Manor and 7819 Hinton Manor.
The Manor Class 4-6-0 mixed traffic locomotive was designed as a lighter version of the GWR Grange Class, giving a wider Route Availability. The first 20, including all three at the SVR, were built between 1938 and 1939 and incorporated parts from old GWR 4300 Class Moguls. BR built a further 10 in 1950 and rated the class 5MT.
7802 was named after the manor house at Bradley near Newton Abbot, Devon. Initially delivered to London’s Old Oak Common Depot, 7802 soon moved to Bristol working cross country services around Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset and South Wales.
Post-War, 7802 was mainly based at ex-Cambrian sheds and was a well-known performer on 'The Cambrian Coast Express'. In late 1960, 7802 was joined there by sister engine 7812 Erlestoke Manor. Both locomotives were withdrawn at Shrewsbury on 6th November 1965, and both moved to Woodham’s scrapyard at Barry in June 1966.
7802 Bradley Manor in preservation
Both 7812 and 7802 were acquired from Barry by The Erlestoke Manor Fund. 7802 was purchased from Barry in 1979. Restoration was finally completed in April 1993, and 7802 ran until August 2000, including a number of appearances on the main line (see below).
A quick overhaul was achieved by exchanging Erlestoke Manor’s boiler (withdrawn in 1985) with Bradley Manor’s, allowing a return to service (and main line working) for 7802 in May 2002.
7802 Bradley Manor was withdrawn from service again at the end of the 2010 season, having accumulated over 110,000 miles in preservation, including working on the main line. Another overhaul was undertaken, with the chassis being overhauled at Tyseley Loco Works and the boiler overhauled in the SVR Bridgnorth Boilershop. This overhaul was completed in November 2015, the return to service coinciding with the 'Manor 50' weekend celebrating the end of steam on the Cambrian network.
Main line appearances
A full listing of Bradley Manor’s main line appearances while resident at the SVR is as follows:
| Date | Tour name | Route | Notes | Web | SVR News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 1995 | Bristol-Paignton + return | Test trip prior to summer season (Pete Waterman) | 114-59 | ||
| 19 May 1995 | Gloucester-Worcester-Kidderminster | D/H with 7325 to Worcester. | 115-44 | ||
| 14 Oct 1995 | Duchy Explorer | Bristol-Penzance | D/H with 70000 Britannia | 117-2 | |
| 20 Jan 1996 | Teign Valley Wanderer | Stourbridge - Newton Abbot | 117-7 | ||
| 17 Feb 1996 | Newton Abbot-Plymouth | D/H with 5029 Nunney Castle | PSOV | ||
| 24 Feb 1996 | Plymouth-Newton Abbot | D/H with 5029 Nunney Castle | PSOV | 119-39 | |
| 16 Mar 1996 | Totnes-Worcester | (single headed) | PSOV | 119-39 | |
| 22 Jan 2000 | Flying Dutchman | Bristol Temple Meads - Plymouth - Bristol Temple Meads | SBJ | ||
| 10 Aug 2003 | Torbay Express | Bristol Temple Meads - Paignton - Kingswear | failed with hot box at Kingswear | SBJ | 145-31 |
| 31 Aug 2003 | Torbay Express | Bristol-Kingswear + return | UKS | 145-31 | |
| 07 Sep 2003 | Torbay Express | Bristol-Kingswear + return | UKS | 145-31 | |
| 23 Oct 2004 | Cambrian Coast Express | Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth - Shrewsbury | SBJ | ||
| 28 Feb 2005 | Staite Pullman | Taunton - Paignton - Tanton | D/H with 6024 | SBJ | |
| 12 Mar 2005 | Cambrian Coast Express | Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth - Shrewsbury | Replaced 42968 | SBJ | |
| 16 Sep 2006 | Cambrian Coast Express | Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth - Shrewsbury | EMF | ||
| 10 Mar 2007 | Cider Express | Hereford - Bishops Lydeard - Minehead - Bishops Lydeard | SBJ | ||
| 28 Mar 2007 | Severn Valley Wanderer | Bristol Temple Meads - Kidderminster | SBJ | ||
| For further information on sources and references, see The Severn Valley Railway on the main line | |||||
Tender
Bradley Manor has been running with a 4000 gallon Collett tender (pictured above). Owning group The Erlestoke Manor Fund are constructing a more appropriate 3500 gallon Churchward tender for Bradley Manor using serviceable parts from a GWR 3500 gallon tender (No 2329) which they have acquired in ex-Barry condition. Sister locomotive 7812 Erlestoke Manor already has a 3500 gallon tender; the contrast in tender size may be seen in the picture below.
Erlestoke Manor with a 3500 gallon tender
Bradley Manor features on the pub sign of The Railwayman's Arms at Bridgnorth.