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

[JST]

I am lucky enough to have ridden behind Erlestoke Manor when I was a lad and it was shedded at Newton Abbot (I lived at Exeter), so I have ordered 7812 as well as 7800.

Last summer I was lucky enough to spend a day on the footplate of 7828 Odney Manor on the WSR so I guess 7800 may get renamed and numbered! Here I am stood next to the young driver grinning from ear to ear! 

 

[Harlequin]

7804:

 

[Harlequin]

7805:

 

(Aug '63 - within my lifetime!)

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by Harlequin

[cctransuk]

19 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

7805:

 

(Aug '63 - within my lifetime!)

 

 

What a shocking state it has been allowed to get into - and I do know about the difficulty of recruiting lower grade staff at that time; (so what has changed in sixty years)?!?

 

John Isherwood

 

[Rugd1022]

7808 at Reading on the east end pilot duty, scanned from a magazine some years ago...

 

 

 

[didcot]

Just paid for my 7808 via Derails. 

[The Stationmaster]

On 30/07/2023 at 13:12, Coach bogie said:

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

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

Unless somebody else has already named the location (it was a common spot for photography) it looks to be in the cutting east of Iver station more or less where the M25 now passes over the GWML.  But I've never before seen a  shot taken there with the vegetation looking that verdant

 

(The big giveaway of the location is the fact that there is a shallow sided cutting with 5 running lines - there being an extra line on the Up side in the background, the Iver - West Drayton West Up Goods Line

Edited August 1, 2023 by The Stationmaster

[The Stationmaster]

On 31/07/2023 at 09:26, rprodgers said:

I understood that on Saturday’s the Cambrian Coast Express exchanged locomotives for a Manor at Wolverhampton and that it was only weekdays this happened at Shrewsbury.

It didn't do it in every timetable year just to add to the confusion.  And I wonder if it might also have happened if the train was run in two parts?

 

On 31/07/2023 at 17:31, Ian Hargrave said:

Odd isn’t it that we’re getting “thirty-somethings” showing their bus passes prematurely ? Top trumps then….and a roll call of any members who rode behind a Manor while they were in service with GWR/BR ( WR )  rather than on a heritage line ? Age no barrier btw….I’ve already “gone first “  . 😇 

Seems you missed my earlier post (on Page 85).  

 

However one thing I didn't mention there was the - in some ways amusing -events of the first GW150 steam working to Plymouth in 1985.  This was of course preservation era but was definitely on the mainline. (sorry if this bores those who read my  account of that weekend publshed in 'Railway World' back in the 1980s).

 

After the brave departure from Bristol having changed our diesel for the 'King'  duly assisted by the 'Manor' we bravely set off westwards amid fanfare and i think even a band playing at Temple Meads.  But then its usual disaster befell 6000 and it was removed at Taunton due to a hot box leaving 7819 to 'struggle' (not) on alone westwards.  However I had taken the precaution of including in my plans for the working  a paor of coupled pair of Class 37s trailing along not far behind the special and they were duly attached to theh rear of the train before we left Taunton.

 

We climbed up to Whiteball ina what my best be described as a sparkling manner to theh clear joy of many of the passengers - who didn't klnow what was giving a shove at the back.  And of course once we gota bit further west we ran parallel with the M5 where we attracted a convoy of cars some of which seemed to be struggling to keep up with 7819 and its heavy train - complete with people leaning out of car sunroofs to film the train.  But gradually the convoy latched on to the fact that while 7819 was doing well the train's performance also owed something to 3,500hp of English Electric diesel engines giving it a helping hand at the back.

 

On arrival at Exeter there was nearly a stand-up fight on the platform as the two booked steam crews 'decided 'to work out' which one would work the 'Manor' forward.  Amid flying accusations of  'we were booked on this engine' and 'why should Southern men do a Western job'  - yes the old rivalry leapt into action - I duly joined in with a message to shut up the lot of 'em - 7819 had developed a hot box on the tender and had to come off and I didn't care who took it to shed but they'd better get on with.

 

My helpful pair of EE diesels were then tun round and attached at the front.  At this point amid lots of disappointment two very happy looking fellahs came up and asked if they could travel on the train to Plymouth because they needed the 37 haulage. I called over my colleague Mike Ogden, who happened to the WR Fares Officer, explaining what was being asked for and telling him that as far as I was concerned they could join the train if they paid.  Mike instantly 'calculated' a fare of £15 each (single) and they happily paid up and scrambled aboard - I think they were the happiest passengers on the train from Exeter onwards.

 

What happened after that is best not recounted as  I got my other, top secret, stand-by plan into effect and we had two engines from Plymouth for the return working next day .  That plan meant a slightly warmed backside for me from one senior WR manager and hearty thanks from two others.  But it did mean that we gave the punters passengers part of what they'd paid for and that was what counted in my book.

[Limpley Stoker]

I watched that train depart from Bristol TM that day, a splendid sight indeed. I heard the King had failed but surprised the Manor had to be taken off too! Thank you for the inside story !

[adb968008]

Fascinating, I too remember this trip and the issues to befall it.

 

Wasnt this the flagship launch of the GW150 series of railtours too.

Edited August 1, 2023 by adb968008

[Rugd1022]

7818 at Tyseley in July '63...

 

 

 

[89A]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

What happened after that is best not recounted as  I got my other, top secret, stand-by plan into effect and we had two engines from Plymouth for the return working next day .  That plan meant a slightly warmed backside for me from one senior WR manager and hearty thanks from two others.  But it did mean that we gave the punters passengers part of what they'd paid for and that was what counted in my book.

We followed this down by car becoming more and more worried watching events unfold as we had booked for the return.

Stayed overnight at Plymouth and the following day had the most memorable return run with Hinton Manor and Hagley Hall. Thanks for all the efforts.

[Ribird]

I definitely planned ahead and definitely didn’t just get a Manor book to find a name for my Manor.
 

I just got Great Western Manors by Laurence Waters. Thankfully found some pics of the five Bristol Bath Manors around 1946-48, only one in clear enough detail, which is on page 23. It shows 7814 Fringford Manor in 1948 with narrow hornplates and what looks to be a flush tender. But interestingly, Dapol produced 7814 with a riveted tender? (7814 did get a wide hornplate riveted tender by 1955) Either I’m seeing the picture wrong and Dapol did it correctly, or the other way around. Which would it be? (I have 7819 on order, which is flush and narrow hornplates)

 

I also have 7800 and 7820 on order for fun. 

 

Thank you

Edited August 1, 2023 by Ribird
Forgot dates

[Captain Kernow]

15 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

But then its usual disaster befell 6000 and it was removed at Taunton due to a hot box leaving 7819 to 'struggle' (not) on alone westwards.  However I had taken the precaution of including in my plans for the working  a pair of coupled pair of Class 37s trailing along not far behind the special and they were duly attached to the rear of the train before we left Taunton.

It's a small world, isn't it? (or maybe not!) - I was the Traffic Assistant * on duty at Taunton when all this unfolded, as Mike may well recall.

 

* ie. duty operations Supervisor

 

I seem to recall that the King wouldn't 'fit' in the down Barnstaple bay and had to go on the 'Loco' (ie. what semi-derelict sidings remained on the site of the old loco sheds). But the operational sidings there were required for tamper stabling and maintenance, so we had to put the King on one of the less-well frequented roads at the back.

 

I recall the driver being somewhat nervous about running this heavy loco over such dodgy-looking track, but fortunately the local PW ganger (known locally as Catweazle) was also present, with his camera, so he agreed to inspect the siding and wave the loco along to where it would be stabled.

 

Luckily for everyone, King George V did not fall off!

 

[Captain Kernow]

Some years later in early Network Rail days, when I was based back in the West Country and in a more senior position, I recall a run up the main line by 7802 Bradley Manor. I can't remember if it was put on at Exeter or whether it was just a water stop, but I do recall that the conditions of main line running stipulated a maximum speed of 60 mph.

 

I was a great supporter of main line steam, but there were many in official circles who were not, so I was quite strict when dealing with steam operations, to ensure that the regulations were adhered to.

 

I don't think that the crew on 7802 at the time knew that the various Hot Axle Box detectors on the network recorded the speed of each passing train.

 

Certainly, I was somewhat dismayed to learn from the panel the following day that 7802 had passed over one of the detectors north of Exeter at something in excess of 75 mph.

 

Words were subsequently had...

 

[Dunsignalling]

24 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

Some years later in early Network Rail days, when I was based back in the West Country and in a more senior position, I recall a run up the main line by 7802 Bradley Manor. I can't remember if it was put on at Exeter or whether it was just a water stop, but I do recall that the conditions of main line running stipulated a maximum speed of 60 mph.

 

I was a great supporter of main line steam, but there were many in official circles who were not, so I was quite strict when dealing with steam operations, to ensure that the regulations were adhered to.

 

I don't think that the crew on 7802 at the time knew that the various Hot Axle Box detectors on the network recorded the speed of each passing train.

 

Certainly, I was somewhat dismayed to learn from the panel the following day that 7802 had passed over one of the detectors north of Exeter at something in excess of 75 mph.

 

Words were subsequently had...

 

Not sure if it would have been the same trip, but 7802 wasn't hanging about coming down, when it passed Exminster, either!

 

I was told the driver was retiring that week....

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Dunsignalling

[Accurascale Fran]

Morning folks,

 

Well, what do we have here? Could it be that the first of the Manors are in the UK?

 

 

We're a bit excited.... 

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

[Phil Bullock]

Fantastic news! 

[Limpley Stoker]

Fabulous!!  Can we see a video of the box unboxing?

Edited August 2, 2023 by Limpley Stoker

[didcot]

21 minutes ago, Accurascale Fran said:

 

We're a bit excited.... 

You're not alone.

[Mallard60022]

That Box, middle Bottom, is mine thanks.

I'll pop over now.

P

[NoggintheNog]

Waited 2 years for my first Accurascale loco, and with a 37 arriving today from Rails, looks like two in a fortnight or so for me.

 

Especially looking forward to the sound on this one, I have some great sound files, Locoman King and a few others, but the speaker setup on this is where I think it will shine.

[Northmoor MPD]

Has the sound file in the manor been tweaked since the video last year or is it just the speaker set up? 

[Limpley Stoker]

I think if you were hoping for the Mk1 door slam to be replaced by a Collett door clunk you might be disappointed!

[Northmoor MPD]

6 minutes ago, Limpley Stoker said:

I think if you were hoping for the Mk1 door slam to be replaced by a Collett door clunk you might be disappointed!

Damn, cancel my order… 🙄