Once the programme of 'Santa Specials' was complete there was a short break then a series of 'Mince Pie Specials' was operated, extending to the 3rd January 2022. I was rostered to drive on New Year's Day, with Stephen W. as fireman. I correctly anticipated that we'd still be running with a six coach train, limiting our opportunities for taking water, as explained in my post about my 19th December 2021 turn here. On New Year's Day, we were able to ensure that the tender was full before we moved out of the shed, as evidenced by water overflowing from various locations including the tender water gauge before the hose supply was turned off. Stephen had already set the fire and he was happy to share the oiling-round with me so we spent some time completing the examination and applying oil as required in companiable silence. By the time we'd completed this task, there was sufficient steam to move the locomotive just outside the shed in time to carry out some cleaning.
Until Nationalisation of railways in 1948, Great Britain's lines had been dominated by the 'Big Four' (LMS, GWR, LNER, SR), each with their own system for locomotive running numbers. British Railways integrated these numbers into a single series, generally by adding a 'fifth digit' representing the former owning railway in front of the old number. The Great Western had always used brass nameplates on the cab sides for the locomotive number so, in view of the cost of replacing these, former Great Western locomotives retained their original number. The other railways had normally used numbers painted on the cab sides, so they had to apply a prefix, ultimately a number but, for a time, the LMS used the prefix 'M' before the original number.
'Foxcote Manor' outside the shed at Shackerstone in British Railway's 'Mixed Traffic' livery of black (currently unlined) on New Year's Day 2022 (Battlefield Line)
In addition to the cabside numbers, most locomotives also carried the number at the front. The Great Western had always painted this, using yellow 'shaded' characters, on the front buffer beam, generally with a letter code indicating the 'home shed'. These painted identifications were removed and a cast iron numberplate was mounted on the smokebox door, in line with the other railways.
Motive Power Depots were also renumbered in a British Railways series which was an extension of the former LMS scheme (see Wikipedia article here) and a cast 'shedplate' was added. '84G', carried by 'Foxcote Manor', was Shrewsbury which provided motive power for the major passenger traffic on the Cambrian line.
'Foxcote Manor' outside the shed at Shackerstone showing smokebox door with cast number and cast shedplate
When the signalman opened the box, we shunted across to the train, nice and early, 'hooked-on' and started steam heating the stock. There was a little drizzle and we discussed rigging the 'storm sheet' between engine and tender but agreed not to do this unless the weather deteriorated. In fact, the drizzle stopped, the weather improved and it became a pleasant day although not very warm.
I'd assumed that the 1st of January would be a quiet day with people recovering from a late night on New Year's Eve but, in fact, there were already plenty of visitors around by the time we came off shed and it was very pleasant to be carrying good passenger numbers throughout the day. The 'normal' 4-round trip service was being operated, with departures from Shackerstone at 11:00, 12:30, 14:00 and 15:30. The usual timings applied, allowing a line speed of 25 m.p.h. except where lower limits were mandated.
We set off on our first run a little late, waiting for passengers to board, collected the single line staff at the signal box and proceeded up the bank to Barton Lane Bridge at the prescribed 10 mph. Beyond the bridge, we could gently accelerate to Line Speed. Tender first, the 3,500 gallon tender we were propelling allowed a much better view of the line than with the larger 4,000 gallon tender of a 'Hall' but it was also noticeable how exposed to wind the crew are travelling in this direction.
Market Bosworth station had re-opened to passengers and it was gratifying to see people alighting and boarding there. Shenton also had plenty of people around but Stephen and I were kept busy running round our train ready for our return journey.
On receipt of the 'right away' from the Guard, we made a gentle departure, complying with the 5 mph speed restriction because of the embankment 'slip' until clear of Ambion Lane bridge. Speed was then allowed to rise up Shenton Bank using full first valve on the regulator and adjusting the cut-off for best economy. The picture below shows the fireman's view looking ahead on Shenton Bank, with the Belpaire firebox cladding sheets pierced by four sunken washout plugs in a horizontal line with the domed cover of a fifth washout plug visible on the top front corner.
Fireman's view ahead on Shenton Bank (Photo: D. Mould)
We made our scheduled stop at Market Bosworth then continued to Shackerstone, where our arrival on platform 2 was watched (and photographed) by vistors on both platforms and the footpath leading to the engine shed.
'Foxcote Manor' arriving in platform 2 at Shackerstone on a Mince Pie Special (Photo: D. Mould)
With six coaches, we had to stop with the engine fouling the foot crossing to platform 1 so we quickly uncoupled and moved forward, allowing passengers to use the crossing. Once the passengers had finished crossing, we moved tender-first over the crossing into platform 1 where we stopped, to allow visitors the chance to photograph the engine.
'Foxcote Manor' poses for visitors outside the Victorian Tea Room at Shackerstone.
The cabside view below of 'Foxcote Manor' shows the 'Collett Cab' which was deeper (front to back) than Churchward's design. Both designs have a recess in the rear of the cab sheet, allowing the crew to lean out for better visibility but Collett's deeper cab had space for a brass-framed side window. The rearward extension of the cab roof is helpful, too (although less so when running tender first). The cab is narrow enough to accomodate a rather precarious footway outside, allowing enginemen to access the main foot-framing directly from the cab, assisted by an 'L'-shaped handrail provided near the side window. The cab side carries the painted route code circle in blue with the letter 'D' inscribed representing power classification (equivalent to British Rail 5 Mixed Traffic). The iconic GWR cast brass numberplate '7822' is mounted lower down the cab side.
Cabside view of 'Foxcote Manor' on Mince Pie Specials (Photo: D. Mould)
After the pause for photographs, we completed the run round, ready for the second round trip. The day continued very agreeably with our second, third and final round trips. Our engine steamed well and gave us no concerns, although it was clear that she'd put in significant mileage since the last heavy repair. Steve, in particular, had a tiring day with the firing and hooking on and off at each end of the line but we were both quite tired by the time disposal was complete.
A few days after my 'Mince Pie Special' driving turn, issue 289 of the magazine 'Heritage Railway' appeared with a picture of 'Foxcote Manor' at Shackerstone on the cover. Inside, a 6-page colour spread in their series 'PRESERVED LINE PROFILE' provided a good introduction to the Battlefield Line.
Heritage Railway Cover (Issue 289 Jan 21-Feb 18, 2022)
'Manor' Musings
This was my second turn on 'Foxcote Manor' during her short visit before returning to normal duties on the West Somerset Railway. Although sister engine 'Dinmore Manor' had previously visited the Battlefield Line, I hadn't had a driving opportunity so my previous experience of 'Manors' was many years earlier, limited to a delightful running-in and demonstration turn with 'Dinmore Manor' when the locomotive emerged from Tyseley Locomotive Works, plus a firing turn on 'Bradley Manor' at the West Somerset Railway. 'Foxcote Manor' had been hired-in at short notice to replace 'Wightwick Hall' which had been used during the 2021 season, so it was natural to compare 'Foxcote Manor' with 'Wightwick Hall'. After all, they're both Great Western 4-6-0 designs with two outside cylinders and, although both classes are credited to Collett, they remain firmly of Churchward lineage. There are technical differences between the classes, best understood by considering the third, intermediate design stage - the 'Grange' class.
Hall and Modified Hall class
The 'Hall' class is effectively a 'Saint' with smaller coupled wheels (six feet diameter rather than the 6 feet 8 and a half inch diameter of the 'Saint') but with the same boiler and cylinders (18-1/2 inch diameter with a 30 inch stroke).
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'Modified Hall' Class from British Locomotive Types 1946 (Railway Publishing Co. Ltd.)
No 'Saint' locomotive was preserved but there is now a reconstructed 'Saint' produced by converting a donor 'Hall' into 'Lady of Legend' by Didcot Railway Centre as described here.
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'Saint' Class from British Locomotive Types 1946 (Railway Publishing Co. Ltd.)
Grange class
Back in 1911, Churchward had introduced the '43XX' class of mixed traffic 'Moguls'. They were well-liked, very successful and with good route availability resulting in over 300 being built. By the mid-1930s, earlier '43XX' were in need of replacement and increasing loads suggested an increase in power was also desirable. Collett decided on a 4-6-0, rather than a 2-6-0, wheel arrangement which became the 'Grange' class, keeping the accountants happy by re-using the 5'8" diameter coupled wheels and motion from withdrawn '43XX'. The 'Grange' is based on a 'Hall' with smaller coupled wheels (5 feet 8 inch diameter rather than the 6 feet of the 'Hall') but with the same boiler and cylinders (18-1/2 inch diameter with a 30 inch stroke). No 'Grange' locomotive was preserved but there is a project nearing completion to reconstruct a 'Grange' (see the website here). The 'Grange' class was very popular with footplate crews. It's often called "the enginemen's engine". It had a particular reputation for being free-steaming (perhaps oddly, as it used the same boiler as the 'Hall) and for pulling-power (whilst it had the same-sized cylinders as the 'Hall', there were some differences in the steam passages and, of course, the smaller coupled wheels gave a tractive effort advantage over the 'Hall'). Although I remember seeing 'Granges' in traffic during my childhood, I'm afraid the technical niceties were rather lost on me then.
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'Grange' Class from British Locomotive Types 1946 (Railway Publishing Co. Ltd.)
Manor class
However, the increased weight of the 'Grange' compared with the '43XX' restricted the new class (like Collett's 'Halls') to 'Red Routes'. So Collett also designed a smaller 4-6-0 design which became the 'Manor' using a new 'lightweight' boiler (Swindon No. 14), the lower axle loading allowing use on 'Blue Routes' in the West Country and Wales. The 'Manor' had slightly smaller cylinders (18 inch diameter rather than the 18-1/2 inch diameter of the 'Grange', but with the same 30 inch stroke) together with other changes.
'Manor' Class from British Locomotive Types 1946 (Railway Publishing Co. Ltd.)
Click for larger view
Related posts on other websites
Foxcote Manor Society.
7800 'Manor' class introduction (The Great Western Archive).
GWR 7800 Class (Wikipedia).
'Betton Grange' 6880.
'Lady of Legend' 2999.
Related posts on this website
Battlefield Line 'Santa' Trains 2021.
All my Battlefield Line posts.
My photograph albums
Where necessary, clicking on an image above will display an 'uncropped' view or, alternately, pictures may be selected, viewed or downloaded, in various sizes, from the albums listed:-
'Foxcote Manor' at the Battlefield Line.
All my Battlefield Line pictures.
