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==7812 Erlestoke Manor is one in preservation==Around the beginning of 1973, a small group of enthusiasts made a number of three GWR Collett 7800 Manor class locomotives based at visits to Barry to select a suitable locomotive for restoration in conjunction with the SVRthen recently formed Dean Forest Railway Preservation Society. Although they had no preference for a particular type of locomotive, 7812 appeared to be in good condition and after research and a professional inspection, the others being [[GWR 7802 Bradley Manor | 7802 Bradley Manor]] and locomotive was officially reserved at a meeting with Dai Woodham in February 1973.<ref>[[GWR 7819 Hinton Manor Bibliography#Books| 7819 Hinton ManorLife Begins at Forty, EMF (compiled by S.V. Blencoe)]], p.11.</ref>

[[The Erlestoke Manor Class 4Fund]] was immediately formed to raise the proposed cost of £4,000. They were unable to obtain sufficient funds before the introduction of 10% VAT on 31 March increased the cost to £4,400. A further increase of 50% was forecast at 1 July 1973 due to the de-6regulation of scrap metal prices; fund raising efforts and a substantial bank loan enabled the purchase to be completed on 28 June 1973.<ref>Life Begins at Forty, p. 12.</ref> The locomotive was moved to the 'departure sidings' at Barry where weekly working parties began preparing the locomotive for departure, with parts being accumulated and stored in [[GWR/BR 92090 Fruit D Van | Fruit D 92090]] which was housed at Gloucester. It transpired that there was insufficient room at Parkend on the Dean Forest Railway, so a temporary home for 7812 was agreed at the now-0 mixed traffic locomotive closed Dowty R.P.S. preservation site at Ashchurch near Tewkesbury. A quotation of £1,100 from BR was designed accepted to move 7812 and [[4150]] to Parkend with 7812 continuing to Ashchurch. Both locomotives left Barry on Saturday 18 May 1974;<ref group="note">7812 and 4150 are respectively recorded as the 56th and 57th locomotives to leave Barry</ref> 7812 took part in an open day at Parkend on the Sunday and then continued to Ashchurch the following day.<ref>Life Begins at Forty, p. 15.</ref> Work continued on the locomotive at Ashchurch, although at a lighter version 'low ebb' as the future of the GWR Grange ClassDFR became uncertain.<ref group="note">BR had announced that they intended to retain the Lydney to Parkend branch indefinitely, putting the DFR's future in doubt.</ref> A referendum of the Fund's members expressed the wish for the locomotive to be based at an operational line with main line access. Various options were considered and the Severn Valley Railway was eventually selected, giving confirmed by a wider Route Availabilitysecond referendum.<ref>Life Begins at Forty, pp. 19-20. </ref> The first 20SVR announced that the move had been agreed in summer 1975.<ref>SVR News 36</ref> A fund member acquired [[LNER 4236 Gangwayed Passenger Brake]] to be fitted out as a sales van and store which arrived on the SVR in April 1975. After 'prolonged negotiations between the various parties concerned', including all three at 7812 moved to the SVRon 23 April 1976, were built between 1938 hauled by English Electric Type 3 diesel 37183 and 1939 accompanied by two GWR breakdown vans, numbers [[GWR 66 Breakdown Tool Van | 66]] and incorporated parts [[GWR 162 Riding/Dormitory Van | 162]], together with Fruit D 92090.<ref>SVR News 140</ref>. [[John Fowler 150hp Diesel Shunter No 17 Highflyer|Diesel Shunter No 17 Highflyer completed the move from old GWR 4300 Class MogulsFoley Park to Bewdley. Restoration of 7812 quickly began at Bewdley, where the locomotive was one of five to participate in the 'great boiler lift' on [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1976 | 3 May 1976]].<ref>SVR News 40</ref> The boiler had been refitted by autumn 1977<ref>SVR News 45</ref> and by summer 1979 the locomotive had been steamed on several occasions. It was finished in a 'controversial livery', being the first SVR-based locomotive to be restored in lined BR built green. On Saturday 1 September 1979 the locomotive was formally renamed by Swindon Works manager Harry Roberts in a further 10 ceremony at Bewdley, before hauling an inaugural "shareholders' special" to Bridgnorth and back. The trip was repeated in the evening for SVR members, although the return was disrupted by wet weather, resulting in an announcement on the Bridgnorth PA that "The train arriving at Platform 1 is the one that left 45 minutes ago!" The trip was eventually completed well after midnight. The rest of the year was then applying finishing touches before 7812 formally entered service in 1980.<ref>SVR News 53</ref> The EMF also announced that they had acquired 7802 Bradley Manor to provide a spare boiler and other parts, with the SVR board agreeing to its arrival on that basis.<ref>SVR News 54</ref>  Service continued during 1980, but in 1950 spring 1981 the locomotive was failed with boiler tube issues. The repairs also involved the firebox seam rivets and rated some copper welding, together with renewal of many stay nuts. Following re-tubing, 7812 returned to service in spring 1982,<ref>SVR News 59, 60, 63</ref> after which the locomotive made several appearances on main line rail tours as follows: <div id="MainLine"></div>{| class 5MT="wikitable"!Date!!Tour name !! Route !! Notes !! Web !!SVR News|-|17 April 1982||Welsh Marches Express || Hereford - Newport - Hereford || D/H with 4930 Hagley Hall || ||64-28|-|24 April 1982||Welsh Marches Pullman || Shrewsbury - Hereford || D/H with 4930 Hagley Hall || [http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/820424wm.htm SBJ] ||64-29|-|5 May 1982||Welsh Marches Express || Hereford - Chester || || ||66-9|-|5 June 1982|| || Shrewsbury-Newport || D/H with 43106 || |||-|colspan="6"|<small>For further information on sources and references, see [[The Severn Valley Railway on the main line#SVR-based locomotives which hauled revenue-earning services on the main line | The Severn Valley Railway on the main line]]</small>|-|} 7812 appeared in the 1983 TV movie [[The Weather In The Streets]]. The locomotive was named after withdrawn from service in late 1985 with a large crack in an old firebox weld.<ref>SVR News 78</ref> Following the withdrawal of sister locomotive 7802 Bradley Manor at during the [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2000-2009#2000 | 2000 boiler crisis]]<ref>SVR News 134</ref>, the decision was taken to use Erlestoke's repaired boiler and refurbished bogie to allow Bradley Manor to make a quick return to service.<ref>SVR News 136, a village near Devizes 208</ref> A similar swap had taken place during April 1948 when boiler number 14/6406 was removed from Erlestoke and later fitted to Bradley in WiltshireNovember 1948 following repair.<ref>[http://www. erlestokemanorfund.co.uk/EMF_history.html EMF History]</ref> It entered  In due course, Erlestoke Manor’s own overhaul was completed in time for a return to service in January 1939 2008, attached to a new 3,500 gallon well tank tender constructed using parts and wheelsets from an old tender.<ref>SVR News 208</ref>  In 2012 it was filmed in scenes for a fantasy adventure film [[The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box]]. On Thursday 24 May 2012 the Olympic Torch arrived on the SVR. 7812 Erlestoke Manor carried the torch between Bewdley and Kidderminster, pausing for a photo opportunity with Bewdley Safari Park’s elephants. On 29 August 2012 Erlestoke Manor masqueraded as sister [[GWR 7802 Bradley Manor]] and was given a Bradley Wiggins-style makeover with a coat of gold paint and sideburns in honour of Team GB's success at London 2012 Olympics<ref>Midlands Business News, 29 August 2012</ref>.<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">7812_Hampton_Loade_20120825.jpg|7812 Erlestoke Manor with gold smokebox</gallery> On 26 August 2016, the engine emulated sister Bradley Manor by achieving 100,000 miles of running in preservation, the Bristolevent being commemorated with a special headboard announcing "Still going strong -- 100,000 miles".<ref>[https:/Bath area/www.facebook.com/svrofficial/posts/1083453811732320 SVR Official Facebook Page], "Erlestoke Manor strikes gold", retrieved 30/08/2016</ref> In March 2017 the tender was fitted with a set of "goal posts". These were used in the early 1960s to warn train crew working passenger "under the wires" on newly electrified lines. The addition has been made so that 7812 was in near-1965 condition during her final year in traffic.<ref>Erlestoke Manor Fund Twitter feed</ref>  Erlestoke Manor's 10 year 'ticket' expired at the end of 2017 and the locomotive immediately moved to Tyseley for overhaul to commence on 4 January 2018. The Erlestoke Manor Fund's goal was "''To overhaul Erlestoke Manor 7812 during 2018 and freight trains 2019 for its return to places such as Salisburyservice in 2020''", Weymouth, Weston Super Mare <ref>[http://www.erlestokemanorfund.co.uk/about-us/our-goals/ EMF Web site 'Our Goals and CardiffObjectives' page]</ref> although progress was inevitably affected by the [[2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic]]. PostThe boiler passed its out-Warof-frames steam test in October 2021.<ref>EMF on Facebook, October 2021</ref> 7812 returned to the SVR at the start of December 2022 for test running ahead of a full return to traffic, although this was ended when two warm axleboxes were detected on the first day. The SVR's wheeldrop was based not available until February 2023, and after examination it was considered prudent to return the locomotive to Tyseley for further checks on the coupled wheelsets. Running in on the far South-West, often assisting SVR restarted on 5 April 2023 with long distance expresses a 'low key' entry into passenger service on 10 April ahead of an appearance at the SVR [[Spring Steam Gala]] the notorious ‘Devon banks’following weekend.<ref>EMF Newsletter no 81, April 2023</ref> In late 19602023 the EMF announced that after taking part in the Gala, 7812 moved would spend the summer on hire to the OswestryWest Somerset Railway, as opportunities for use on the SVR were limited.<ref>[https://www.erlestokemanorfund.co.uk/Shrewsbury7812-erlestoke-manor-to-make-a-temporary-move-from-the-severn-valley-railway/Cambrian area where 7802 Bradley 7812 'Erlestoke Manor was already working' to make a temporary move from the Severn Valley Railway] EMF announcement, February 2023</ref> At the end of 2019, 7812 had recorded a total of 110,743 miles in preservation on the SVR. Both locomotives were withdrawn at Shrewsbury The reported total may include mileage on 6th November 1965, the main line and both moved on hire to Woodham’s scrapyard other railways<ref>SVR News 210, SVR-based Steam Locomotive Mileage 2017-2019, Duncan Ballard</ref>. == Gallery == <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File:ExGWR_7812_'Erlestoke_Manor'.jpg|7812 Erlestoke Manor on shed at Barry in June 1966. Bridgnorth, May 2016</gallery> == See also ==

==7812 Erlestoke Manor in service==*[[Steam Locomotives]]Both 7812 and 7802 were acquired from Barry by *[[The Erlestoke Manor FundSevern Valley Railway on the main line]]. *[[SVR-based locomotives visiting other events]]7812 was the first to enter service *[[Rolling stock currently under restoration]]*[[Locomotives used on the SVR Severn Valley Branch in September 1979 and ran through to 1985. During this time it hauled a number commercial service|Classes of main line rail tours as well as services locomotives used on the SVR. After overhaul, Erlestoke returned to Severn Valley Branch in commercial service in 2008.]]

== See Also Notes==<references group="note"/>

[http[Category://youtu.be/BfbFjxKR_8o SharposWorld video of 7812 climbing towards Foley Park tunnel, 20/12/14Operational steam locomotives]][[Category:Locomotives at Bridgnorth]][[Category:Rolling stock owned by The Erlestoke Manor Fund]][[Category:Featured articles]]