Despite the success of the GWR’s Hall and Grange classes, their one major flaw was weight. Neither locomotive could access certain areas of the network, so to alleviate this a lighter version of the Grange was to be designed.

A new boiler was designed for the new locos, meanwhile many parts were taken from the older 4300 Class. The result was the 7800 Manor Class and an initial batch of 20 locos rolled out of Swindon Works in the late 1930s. The Manors were put to use on rural areas of the GWR network, including in South Wales and the West Country, and proved to also be reliable pilots and bankers on the challenging Cornish hills.

The fleet grew larger in 1950 with an order for an additional 10 locos, and by this point their versatility was so proved they were in use across Wales and even in the Southern Region, providing needed power to the North Downs.

While the fleet was small, a miraculous 9 Manors survived into preservation, making them a regular sight on the heritage scene and popular with steam enthusiasts old and new alike.

Experience the golden age of steam with the classic GWR 7800 ‘Manor’ Class from Just Trains.