GWR 7800 Class 7827 Lydham Manor explained

Lydham Manor
Powertype:Steam
Whytetype:4-6-0
Uicclass:2'Ch2
Leadingdiameter:3feet
Driverdiameter:5feet
Length:61feet
Wheelbase:Loco: 27feet
Loco & tender: 52feet
Width:8feet
Height:13feet
Minimumcurve:6chain normal,
5chain slow
Axleload: (17LT)
Locoweight: (68LT) full
Tenderweight: (40LT) full
Fueltype:Coal
Fuelcap: (7LT)
Watercap:3500impgal
Cylindercount:Two, outside
Cylindersize:18x
Firearea:22.1square feet
Fireboxarea:140square feet
Tubesandflues:1285.5square feet
Superheaterarea:160square feet
Boiler:GWR Standard No. 14[1]
Boilerpressure:225psi
Tractiveeffort:273402NaN2
Operator:Western Region
Operatorclass:7800 'Manor' Class
Builddate:December 1950
Fleetnumbers:7827
Currentowner:Dartmouth Steam Railway & Riverboat Company
Disposition:Preserved
Retiredate:1965

Great Western Railway 7800 Class No. 7827 Lydham Manor is a preserved British steam locomotive. It is currently (March 2013) owned by and based on the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

The locomotive was built in December 1950. Its first shed allocation was at Chester. In March 1959, its shed allocation was moved to Oswestry. It conducted improved draughting tests in February 1954. In May 1965, it received its last shed allocation at Shrewsbury. No. 7827 was withdrawn in October 1965 and acquired by Woodham's of Barry, Wales, in May 1966. It was sold to Dart Valley Railway and left the scrapyard as the fifth departure from Barry in June 1970. No. 7827 was restored in 1972.

It carried the Great Western Livery, which it would never have carried while in mainline service, as it was built two years after the end of the Great Western Railway (GWR). In 2011, Lydham Manor was reintroduced at the Churston Heritage Festival carrying British Rail all-black livery and bearing the temporary nameplates Torquay Manor and number plates of No. 7800 for the festival.

Lydham Manor has been on loan to other heritage railways/centres including, Didcot Railway Centre in 2010 before it was painted in BR black, South Devon Railway in a visit for September 2013, and then traveling to West Somerset Railway in October 2013 for the steam gala festival .

Notes and References

  1. Book: Champ, Jim . An Introduction to Great Western Locomotive Development . 2018. . 978-1-4738-7784-9. Barnsley . 1029234106 . 26953051M . 320 .