GWR 7812 Erlestoke Manor
| GWR 7812 Erlestoke Manor | |
|---|---|
 7812 Erlestoke Manor entering Arley with a Down train, July 2011 | |
| Built By | GWR Swindon Works |
| Configuration | 4-6-0 |
| Power class | 5MT |
| Status | In Service |
| Loco Number | 7812 |
| History | |
| Built | 1939 |
| Designed By | Charles Benjamin Collett |
| Type | GWR 7800 |
| 1974 | Purchased by The Erlestoke Manor Fund |
| 1979 | First steamed in preservation |
| 1985 | Withdrawn for overhaul |
| 2008 | Reentered service |
| Technical | |
| Length | 61ft 9¼" |
| Weight | 68t 18cwt |
| Tractive effort | 27,340 lb |
| Pressure | 225 lb/sq in |
7812 Erlestoke Manor is a GWR Collett 7800 Manor class 4-6-0 mixed traffic locomotive. 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.
Contents
7812 Erlestoke Manor in service
7812 Erlestoke Manor is one of three Manor class locomotives based at the SVR, the others being 7802 Bradley Manor and 7819 Hinton Manor. 7812 was named after the Manor at Erlestoke, a village near Devizes in Wiltshire. It entered service in January 1939 in the Bristol/Bath area, working passenger and freight trains to places such as Salisbury, Weymouth, Weston Super Mare and Cardiff. Post-War, 7812 was based in the far South-West, often assisting with long distance expresses on the notorious ‘Devon banks’.
In late 1960, 7812 moved to the Oswestry/Shrewsbury/Cambrian area where 7802 Bradley Manor was already working. Both locomotives were thought to have been withdrawn at Shrewsbury on 6th November 1965, and both moved to Woodham’s scrapyard at Barry in June 1966. However, in November 2015, evidence in the form of a footplate diary (see below) was presented to the Erlestoke Manor Fund, indicating that Erlestoke Manor was still in service on 13th November 1965.
Footplate diary showing probably the last move of 7812 by a BR driver
7812 Erlestoke Manor in preservation
Both 7812 and 7802 were acquired from Barry by The Erlestoke Manor Fund. 7812 was the 56th locomotive to leave Barry for preservation, departing in May 1974 initially to Parkend and then to the now-closed Ashchurch preservation near Tewkesbury.[1]
A move to the SVR followed on 23 April 1976, accompanied by two GWR breakdown vans numbers 66 and 162 and Fruit D 92090. Restoration of 7812 quickly began at Bewdley, where the locomotive was one of 5 to participate in the ‘great boiler lift’ on 3 May 1976.[2]
Restoration was completed in time for 7812 to enter service on the SVR in September 1979.[3] Service continued during 1980, but in Spring 1981 the locomotive was failed with boiler tube issues.[4]. These were addressed in time for a return to service in Spring 1982,[5] following which 7812 made several appearances on main line rail tours as follows:
| Date | Tour name | Route | Notes | Web | SVR News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Apr 1982 | Welsh Marches Express | Hereford - Newport - Hereford | D/H with 4930 Hagley Hall | 64-28 | |
| 24 Apr 1982 | Welsh Marches Pullman | Shrewsbury - Hereford | D/H with 4930 Hagley Hall | SBJ | 64-29 |
| 05 May 1982 | Welsh Marches Express | Hereford - Chester | 66-9 | ||
| 05 Jun 1982 | Shrewsbury-Newport | D/H with 43106 | |||
| For further information on sources and references, see The Severn Valley Railway on the main line | |||||
7812 appeared in the 1983 TV movie The Weather In The Streets. The locomotive was withdrawn from service in late 1985 with a large crack in an old firebox weld.[6] Following the withdrawal of sister locomotive 7802 Bradley Manor during the 2000 boiler crisis[7], the decision was taken to use Erlestoke’s repaired boiler to allow Bradley Manor to make a quick return to service.[8] A similar swap took place during April 1948 when boiler number 14/6406 was removed from Erlestoke and later fitted to Bradley in November 1948 following repair.[9]
In due course, Erlestoke Manor’s own overhaul was completed in time for a return to service in 2008. On 26 August 2016, the engine emulated sister Bradley Manor by achieving 100,000 miles of running in preservation, the event being commemorated with a special headboard announcing "Still going strong -- 100,000 miles".[10]
Erlestoke Manor's current 10 year 'ticket' will expire at the end of 2017. The Erlestoke Manor Fund's goal is "To overhaul Erlestoke Manor 7812 during 2018 and 2019 for its return to service in 2020".[11]
Gallery
7812 Erlestoke Manor on shed at Bridgnorth, May 2016
See Also
References
- ↑ The Barry Story, Beckett & Hardingham (2010)
- ↑ SVR News 40
- ↑ SVR News 53
- ↑ SVR News 59
- ↑ SVR News 63
- ↑ SVR News 78
- ↑ SVR News 134
- ↑ SVR News 136
- ↑ EMF History
- ↑ SVR Official Facebook Page, "Erlestoke Manor strikes gold", retrieved 30/08/2016
- ↑ EMF Web site 'Our Goals and Objectives' page
Links
Erlestoke Manor Fund
GWR 7800 Class on Wikipedia
SharposWorld video of 7812 climbing towards Foley Park tunnel, 20/12/14
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