Earlstoke milestone

ON October 18 at Tyseley Locomotive Works, the safety valves on WR 4-6-0 No. 7812 Erlestoke Manor’s boiler lifted for the first time since the end of 2017. The boiler insurance inspector pronounced himself satisfied with the out of the frames steam test. The boiler can now be lagged, clad and lifted back into the frames, enabling final stages in returning the ‘Manor’ to traffic, for service on the Severn Valley Railway, to commence.