Double ‘Manors’ set for Llangollen gala
PRESERVATION HISTORY will be made at the Llangollen Railway when ‘Manor’ No. 7820 Dinmore Manor joins resident No. 7822 Foxcote Manor in BR unlined black for the railway’s Spring Steam Gala, from April 8-10.
It will be the first time that there have been two ‘Manors’ in BR unlined black since the late 1950s. There is a caveat; the unique pairing will only happen if Foxcote Manor’s overhaul is completed. The Swindon-built 4-6-0 passed its hydraulic test on December 11 and its steam test was due on January 16/17. Foxcote Manor was withdrawn in November 2013, just 30 months into its ten-year boiler ticket, with a cracked throatplate. A replacement was made at Llangollen, while the boiler has been re-tubed and partial new side sheets for the outer firebox have been riveted and welded. No. 7822 will re-enter service with a new ten-year ticket. It is planned to double-head non-stop to Corwen, which is sure to be a highlight of the gala. Dinmore Manor is currently based at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, and is visiting courtesy of Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd. It will be joined by another visiting engine, ‘45XX’ class ‘Small Prairie’ No. 4566, visiting from the Severn Valley Railway. The event will mark No. 7820’s debut over Llangollen metals, while the ‘Small Prairie’ previously visited the railway back in 1991. The theme for the event will be (appropriately, with two ‘Manors’ in attendance) “Along Cambrian Lines”. Both Nos. 7820 and 7822 performed Cambrian line duties, running between Shrewsbury-Aberystwyth and Whitchurch Welshpool Aberystwyth, having been allocated to Oswestry in 1950 after emerging from Swindon Works. Of Llangollen’s own fleet, it is planned to have ‘Large Prairie’ No. 5199 and ‘64XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 6430 in steam alongside the visiting engines, as well as BR ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80072, itself recently returned to service after extensive boiler repairs.