Accurascale's First Steam Locomotive; GWR Collett 78xx Manor Class!

[adb968008]

So my memory of Manors is limited to preservation.

 

The impression I get of Manors is they got around the GWR a bit, though I dont see many pictures of them in cities.

But theres not that many of them.

 

How common were they to spot if you picked a station spotting for the day ?

1,2 ? Considered a good cop ? Or was it a case of knowing where they are and going there ?

 

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by adb968008

[Neal Ball]

5 hours ago, adb968008 said:

So my memory of Manors is limited to preservation.

 

The impression I get of Manors is they got around the GWR a bit, though I dont see many pictures of them in cities.

But theres not that many of them.

 

How common were they to spot if you picked a station spotting for the day ?

1,2 ? Considered a good cop ? Or was it a case of knowing where they are and going there ?

 

 

I’d say the latter - you would have to choose your routes and you would find plenty of them. 
 

Your chances would increase the further you get into the West, or Wales….

 

Talking of anticipation…. Pick a plane:

 

 

This is at 06:44 this morning (Spanish time) 05:44 uk time. Maybe one of those has a few crates that might be of interest….

[Ian Hargrave]

11 hours ago, MG 7305 said:

Correct.  The RCTS "The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway" series is the lodestone of basic information.  In this case from Part 14 section "The Origins of Locomotive Names" page P122 "Garsington Manor Stands in a SE suburb of Oxford".  See here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garsington_Manor

My original post now withdrawn 

[Ian Hargrave]

10 hours ago, foggyjames said:

 

Fairly sure a colleague has a T-shirt from his time working at a techie at the opera at Garsington!

 

cheers

 

James

Original post withdrawn. Wrong Garsington !  The one I quoted is on the Wormsley Estate in the Chilterns. Not Garsington Manor which is in fact near Oxford. Apologies for the error.
 

 

[Dunsignalling]

8 hours ago, adb968008 said:

So my memory of Manors is limited to preservation.

 

The impression I get of Manors is they got around the GWR a bit, though I dont see many pictures of them in cities.

But theres not that many of them.

 

How common were they to spot if you picked a station spotting for the day ?

1,2 ? Considered a good cop ? Or was it a case of knowing where they are and going there ?

 

 

 

Basic Rule of Thumb was that the closer you got to London, the less likely you'd be to see one. 

 

[Oldddudders]

29 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

Basic Rule of Thumb was that the closer you got to London, the less likely you'd be to see one. 

 

Reading had a few in the early '60s. So Deepdene, 23 miles from London as the A24 meanders, saw one most days. They seemed more exotic than 43xxs!

[Dunsignalling]

5 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Reading had a few in the early '60s. So Deepdene, 23 miles from London as the A24 meanders, saw one most days. They seemed more exotic than 43xxs!

I had forgotten they saw regular use on the Reading-Redhill route, and Reading examples did occasionally penetrate into the capital, but I did cite "Rule of Thumb".  😇

Edited July 30, 2023 by Dunsignalling

[Limpley Stoker]

42 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Reading had a few in the early '60s. So Deepdene, 23 miles from London as the A24 meanders, saw one most days. They seemed more exotic than 43xxs!

I never minded waiting at the level crossing gates at Betchworth in the hope of seeing one!

[Lord Cooper]

Hi all 

What manors are we all expecting / waiting for ? 

Im waiting for cookham , hinton and fringford manor 

Id love to know what eeryone is getting .

 

[Lord Cooper]

12 hours ago, ERIC ALLTORQUE said:

Are they here yet,even Phil senses them

I can sense them 

[Oldddudders]

3 minutes ago, Limpley Stoker said:

I never minded waiting at the level crossing gates at Betchworth in the hope of seeing one!

My first Ian Allan ABC got smeared with grease from those gates!

[The Stationmaster]

10 hours ago, adb968008 said:

So my memory of Manors is limited to preservation.

 

The impression I get of Manors is they got around the GWR a bit, though I dont see many pictures of them in cities.

But theres not that many of them.

 

How common were they to spot if you picked a station spotting for the day ?

1,2 ? Considered a good cop ? Or was it a case of knowing where they are and going there ?

 

 

I saw the lot, and several of them plenty times over.  But it involved persuading my parents to take summer holidays in the right place at the right time although that didn't need much doing.

 

I think the first one I saw - certainly the first one I can remember seeing was at Newton Abbot in 1958.  But plenty of gaps in the ABC until we spent time on the Cambrian one summer which made a big difference to what was underlined.  The highlight of that holiday was travelling behind a 'Manor' on the UPpCCE assisted from Macynlleth to Talerddig  by 9017 - the only time I travelled behind an outside frame 4-4-0 in BR days - in its final year at work.   That strangely was the first of two trips behind a Manor that day as the train we then took from Welshpool to Whitchurch (Salop) was also worked by a 'Manor' - which I then saw being turned on the 'table at Whitchurch using extension pieces as it was otherwise too long for the 'table

 

Then a holiday at Tenby finished the Class for all but one which we searched most of West Wales for including several sheds (with permits) only ti finally be told at Carmarthen that it was in works. But the WR was kind to me and sent various of the Class back to Reading to finish out their mileage as they were squeezed out of elsewhere or were returned from what had become the LMR.  However after all that,  to my eternal shame, I can't remember which was the final one but then it was over 60 years ago as the Class was complete(d) in my Winter 1961/62 Combined Volume

 

I also managed a cab ride 'somewhere' on 7824 which would inevitably had been something short on a shunting pilot

[adb968008]

When I look a pictures I see them spread pretty thin, obviously Cambrian, but Hemerdon, Laira, St Blazey, Bristol, Reading, Banbury, Oxford, Crewe, Wolverhampton, Redhill…

 

I was trying to figure why they would be justified so thin across such areas. Wolverhampton & Crewe I assume a Shrewsbury turn,  but Devon ?

 

Also the Oxford, Banbury, Reading, Redhill axis ? Which seems to show a number of images.

 

I found one of 7808 at Paddington, I assume this is a rarity ?

flickr url.

 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2023 by adb968008

[The Stationmaster]

1 hour ago, Dunsignalling said:

I had forgotten they saw regular use on the Reading-Redhill route, and Reading examples did occasionally penetrate into the capital, but I did cite "Rule of Thumb".  😇

As 7816 shows they were used on teh Reading Up Pilot (but seemingly less common on the Down Pilot - for reasons which I'll explain).  

 

The Up Pilot was also the replacement engine for anything which was heading towards Paddington that was in trouble and of particular use  to help out diesels with failed boilers - a common complaint).  Thus you could see a 'Manor' purposefully striding eastwards from Reading in front of a poorly diseasal busily pumping steam through and going at quite a lick.  However that didn't last too long due to bits of coal flying off tenders and hitting the windscreen of a wounded, or assisted, wonder of the age.  So the WR issued an Instruction saying that assisting steam power had to go inside the diesel,  But I have seen published photos of pre 'save the diesel's feelings' assistance witha 'Manor' on the front east of Reading

 

Reading's Down Pilot became a 'Hall'm , and late a 'Castle' as dieselisation spread for the simple reason that the replacement had a lot further to go and had to be expected to work the train rather than just warm the coaches.

[The Stationmaster]

6 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

When I look a pictures I see them spread pretty thin, obviously Cambrian, but Hemerdon, Laira, St Blazey, Bristol, Reading, Banbury, Oxford, Crewe, Wolverhampton, Redhill…

 

I was trying to figure why they would be justified so thin across such areas. Wolverhampton & Crewe I assume a Shrewsbury turn,  but Devon ?

 

Also the Oxford, Banbury, Reading, Redhill axis ? Which seems to show a number of images.

 

I found one of 7808 at Paddington, I assume this is a rarity ?

flickr url.

 

 

 

I refer the gentleman to my photo of 7808 at Henley.  It had worked in from 'somwhere' with an ECS train although I suspect that it was more likely from west of Twyford rather than from London.  And - as explained above - 'Manors' got to Paddngton from Reading at about the time that photo would have been taken so it'snot necessariluy unusual although hardly common.

 

 

Just goes to shpw that depending very much on the date - they could at various times have been seen in all sorts of places on the GWR/WR network

[ERIC ALLTORQUE]

1 hour ago, Lord Cooper said:

Hi all 

What manors are we all expecting / waiting for ? 

Im waiting for cookham , hinton and fringford manor 

Id love to know what eeryone is getting .

 

All the other ones i guess as they sold out.

[JST]

I have 7812 Erlestoke Manor and 7800 Torquay Manor (both sound fitted) on order.

I saw Erlestoke when she was at Newton Abbot and in answer to another question, they were used in Devon (as well as Granges and other locos) to pilot trains over the Devon banks to Plymouth.

[Ian Hargrave]

1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

When I look a pictures I see them spread pretty thin, obviously Cambrian, but Hemerdon, Laira, St Blazey, Bristol, Reading, Banbury, Oxford, Crewe, Wolverhampton, Redhill…

 

I was trying to figure why they would be justified so thin across such areas. Wolverhampton & Crewe I assume a Shrewsbury turn,  but Devon ?

 

Also the Oxford, Banbury, Reading, Redhill axis ? Which seems to show a number of images.

 

I found one of 7808 at Paddington, I assume this is a rarity ?

flickr url.

 

 

 

Regarding your query about Devon. My first sighing of a Manor was at Newton Abbot from a summer Saturday holiday train in August 1953. I saw several there and at North Road. They did duty amongst other things as loco pilots  ahead of heavy holiday expresses over the South Devon banks.,replacing IIRC withdrawn Bulldogs.

 

Thinking about sources of railway photography during that era,I remember but two monthly which were Railway Magazine and Trains Illustrated,collected every month from our local WH Smith.  They were an enthusiast’s lifeline to what was happening in the wide world outside. I recall the photographic  emphasis on the 78XX from my copies of these was located then on the Cambrian and South Devon. I never saw one on the S.Wales main line and yet towards the mid 50’s two appeared on my home territory ,the much lamented Vale of Neath line ,in the form of the final two ,Odney & Ramsbury. They had a short period of trial on passenger work and then went elsewhere .Though as I’ve already mentioned,Tyseley based Granville did turn up one morning on an express freight headed towards Neath.

[Coach bogie]

1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

 

I found one of 7808 at Paddington, I assume this is a rarity ?

 

I have this post warimage of a Manor piloting a Castle from Paddington.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

[Ian Hargrave]

Interesting image. I’m sure Stationmaster Mike can tell us where if it’s heading west. As to why,as it’s not a commonplace sight,can we maybe supply a reason  ?  The usual postwar grime is apparent.

 

 

 

[Neal Ball]

46 minutes ago, Coach bogie said:

I have this post warimage of a Manor piloting a Castle from Paddington.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

 

18 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Interesting image. I’m sure Stationmaster Mike can tell us where if it’s heading west. As to why,as it’s not a commonplace sight,can we maybe supply a reason  ?  The usual postwar grime is apparent.

 

 

 

 

Definitely a lovely photo - Thames Valley somewhere perhaps with what looks like 14 carriages on the back. 

 

I am guessing, but was it a positioning move for one of the locos?

 

Note the Red & White front lamps!

[Coach bogie]

51 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

 

 

Definitely a lovely photo - Thames Valley somewhere perhaps with what looks like 14 carriages on the back. 

 

I am guessing, but was it a positioning move for one of the locos?

 

Note the Red & White front lamps!

It is taken near Iver.  M25 now passes in the background here.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Neal Ball]

4 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

It is taken near Iver.  M25 now passes in the background here.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

I remember that section being built - although I only have photos of the construction around Staines and over the branch to Staines West. Not the section further up.

[Mallard60022]

I believe one (proper) City they did hang about in was Truro. Another, apart from Plymuff, was Exeter.

Mine will work a diverted WR express through Seaton Junction, having been purloined at Taunton. No excuses required.

Phil

[adb968008]

11 hours ago, Lord Cooper said:

Hi all 

What manors are we all expecting / waiting for ? 

Im waiting for cookham , hinton and fringford manor 

Id love to know what eeryone is getting .

 

I’m the youngster in here it seems, (nearly 50).

so ive gone for what I know, as ive known it..

7802,7812 and 7820 (though ive not seen it in the flesh).

 

my real memories are 7819 in black, GW150 several places, 7822 and 7828 returning to steam in the same week, in different shades of green and seeing 7827 shuffling round Didcot on a very rare stray from Paignton. 
 

7808 at Didcot is sad for me, its never worked in my memory the model looks better than the real thing, its getting rusty holes in it’s tender, each time ive seen it ive photographed the very much older tender its currently paired with. Hopefully someday it will find a place in the working fleet. The scary thing is it lives under cover, but rot is still eating it.

 

(i know its silly and superficial, and if it were outside it would be a barry wreck by now, but its like watching it in slow motion on what is a once restored loco).

its had the tender for about greater than 13 years, but dont know what had it before hand, however the greens dont match.

 

 

This was 2010…

Edited July 30, 2023 by adb968008