Good Manors

As any Great Western fan will tell you, there is no such thing as a bad Manor!
Now, as those who know me will tell you and even those who don't may have worked out from some of the comments I've made in these pages, I would never claim to be the Great Western Railway's greatest fan. Aside from the volume of noise their locos make, of course!
However, I must admit to having a soft spot for the 'Manor' Class. The first GW loco I ever saw, at Shrewsbury in 1965, was a Manor. 7828 'Odney Manor' was the loco in question which arrived from Aberystwyth with the 'Cambrian Coast Express'. This loco was later saved and, since then, I've had rides behind that loco on various preserved railways and on one occasion had a footplate ride on it!
So, when among the feedback from these pages I received a request from 'A.P.' for recordings of Manors' I had no objections in complying!

The first recording is of my own favourite, 7828 'Odney Manor' working on the West Somerset Railway, also a favourite of mine.
Over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend in 1996 the railway had a Gala event. On Saturday 4th May 1996 'Odney Manor' was on the first train out of Minehead and, heard from the front coach, sounded like this leaving Stogumber.

Two years later 'Odney Manor' was still a regular performer on the WSR.
Over the weekend of 12th & 13th September 1998 the West Somerset Railway held it's Autumn Gala. During the weekend the railway played host to no less than 3 Manors and during the Sunday afternoon the 3 made a most incongruous sight triple heading a six coach train!
I spent a couple of hours on the Sunday morning making lineside recordings of the 3 manors on three consecutive trains at my favourite spot on Crowcombe bank just north of Nethercot and a very pleasant couple of hours it was too. 7828 'Odney Manor was on the first train that I heard coming up from Bishops Lydeard.

7820 'Dinmore Manor' was going even better on the next train made up of 7 coaches, one more than the previous train. Perhaps they should rename it 'More Din Manor'!

From Nethercot I moved over to the other side of Crowcombe and had an hour or so about half a mile south of Stogumber. The first train to pass me there was hauled by 7821 'Ditcheat Manor' piloted by 7820 'Dinmore Manor', both locos running tender first. On just 6 coaches the two locos don't have to work too hard but make a fine sound none the less.

On the Llangollen Railway on 9th June 1996 7822 'Foxcote Manor' sounds fine in this on-train recording made departing from Berwyn and heading towards Berwyn Tunnel.

On 20th April 1996 the Severn Valley Railway held a Great Western Gala. Heard from the line side climbing Eardington Bank is 7802 'Bradley Manor'.