| Power Classification | 5MT |
| Introduced | 1938 -1939, 1950 |
| Designer | Collett |
| Company | GWR |
| Weight – Loco | 68t 18cwt |
| Tender | 40t 0cwt |
| Driving Wheels | 5ft 8ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 225psi superheated |
| Cylinders | Outside – 18in x 30in |
| Tractive Effort | 27,340lbf |
| Valve Gear | Stephenson (piston valve) |
The Manor class were built as a lighter version of the Grange class (6800) for lines with restricted route availability, such as the Midland & South Western Junction and the Cambrian main lines. They were intended to replace the 4300 class and they incorporated certain parts (such as the wheels and motion) of the withdrawn 4300 class 2-6-0s they were replacing.
The first examples were despatched to depots at Wolverhampton, Bristol, Gloucester, Shrewsbury, Westbury in Wiltshire and Neyland in South Wales. In October 1938 7805 Broome Manor underwent clearance tests between Ruabon and Barmouth. Subsequently the class were used over the main lines of the Cambrian Railway, with its headquarters and works in Oswestry. The Manors were also successfully employed in the West Country where they were used for banking and piloting trains over the Devon banks between Newton Abbot and Plymouth. Their light axleloading allowed them across the Tamar Bridge and on to the branch lines of Cornwall.
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4300 class rebuilt in 1932 from 9300 class locomotives |
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6800 Grange class introduced in 1936 |
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Manor class |
Unlike the Granges of 1936 where the use of standard components and the re-use of existing ones had produced a masterpiece, the initial performance of the Manors was comparatively mediocre. It was intended to replace all 4300 class with Granges and Manors (6800-6899 and 7800-7899 being planned) but the Second World War stopped the conversion programme after only twenty Manors were completed. Were it not for the constraints of Second World War there is every reason to expect that Swindon would have recalled the engines for modifications.
After nationalisation, the newly created Western Region was authorised to build ten more of the class. 7820-29 were outshopped from Swindon in November and December 1950. There was no attempt to improve the steaming; a British Railway edict permitted construction only of existing pre-nationalisation designs.
In 1952 because of the repeated complaints from the running department about the performance of the Manor class 7818 Granville Manor was taken to the test plan at Swindon. The engine was reported to be in first class condition but barely 10,000 lbs of output was achieved compared with double that for a Hall class locomotive. After doing some modifications draughting arrangements (alterations to the blastpipe and an increase in air space in the firegrate added to the new type of narrow chimney) of the Manor the output was increased to 20,400 lbs per hour. After trials on 10 of the class, the improvements became standard after July 1954.
By 1959 21 Manors were congregated in Mid- and South Wales. Their most prestigious working was the Cambrian Coast Express, where a Manor took over from a King or Castle at Shrewsbury and worked through to Aberystwyth. Others of the class operated in the Birmingham, Gloucester and Hereford areas while the handful stationed at Reading frequently ventured on to the Southern Region line to Guildford and Redhill.
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End of Year |
Built | Withdrawals |
No. in Service |
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Numbers |
Quantity |
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| 1938 |
7800-11 |
12 |
12 |
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| 1939 |
7812-19 |
8 |
20 |
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| 1950 |
7820-29 |
10 |
30 |
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| 1951-62 |
30 |
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| 1963 |
1 |
29 |
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| 1964 |
10 |
19 |
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| 1965 |
19 |
0 |
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Of the 19 withdrawn in 1965, 10 were based in Shrewsbury and 1 at Machynlleth. The remaining 8 were allocated to Gloucester (3), Tyseley (1), Didcot (1), Cardiff East dock (2) and Severn Tunnel Junction (1). The last two in service (7808 Cookham Manor and 7829 Ramsbury Manor) were withdrawn in December from Gloucester and Tyseley. 7808 had been in service since March 1938 and 7829 from December 1950 so 7838 had been in service for well over 27 years whilst 7829 as the last locomotive of the class had operated for only 15 years.
Preservation
Of the 30 7800 class built as many as 9 have been preserved. They were withdrawn from service between 1963 and 1965.
As of 2014 no Manors operate on the national network, and there are no immediate plans currently in place to alter that situation.
- 7802 Bradley Manor
- 7808 Cookham Manor
- 7812 Erlestoke Manor
- 7819 Hinton Manor
- 7820 Dinmore Manor
- 7821 Ditcheat Manor
- 7822 Foxcote Manor
- 7827 Lydham Manor
- 7828 Odney Manor
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 