7812 ‘ERLESTOKE MANOR’ TO MAKE ANOTHER TEMPORARY MOVE (or TWO) FROM THE SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY

GWR 7812 ‘Erlestoke Manor’ will again spend the summer season away from its base at the Severn Valley Railway. It will go on hire to the West Somerset Railway as part of a mutual agreement with the SVR and the Erlestoke Manor Fund.

After returning to SVR operation over the 2023 festive period, 7812 will leave the SVR in May to spend the summer at the West Somerset Railway. The loco will be on hire to the WSR until the end of October.

Before its summer stay on the WSR, 7812 will visit the Bluebell Railway for its Branch Line Gala Weekend on 10-12 May.

Adrian Hassell, Chair of EMF, said:

“Last year’s travels for 7812 proved a superb exercise to the mutual benefit of the Erlestoke Manor Fund, Severn Valley Railway and West Somerset Railway.

The same situation for all three organisations applies this year, with the added arrangement that Erlestoke Manor will visit the Bluebell Railway. This will be an excellent and rare opportunity for a Manor to steam in Sussex.

The trustees of the EMF are planning a special train on the WSR for EMF shareholders in the summer and details will be announced, as soon as available and via the Fund’s newsletter.

It must be stressed that the SVR remains the home of the EMF, with its other Manor 7802 Bradley Manor due to return later this year and work beginning at Tyseley Locomotive Works on GWR Prairie no 5164 in the foreseeable future”.

EMF