7828 Odney Manor BR Lined Green (late crest)
Another 78XX that spent its BR career exclusively based in Wales, No. 7828 Odney Manor is notable as one of two members of the class named after a house that does not exist. While No. 7808 Cookham Manor was at least dedicated after an ancient estate of the same name, the actual building at Odney in Berkshire was always known as a Lullebrook Manor. The penultimate delivery of the post-nationalisation batch was new to Neath at the end of December 1950 but had moved to Shrewsbury before the end of 1952. It lost its attractive lined black delivery scheme for plain black the following December after a Heavy Intermediate overhaul at Stafford Road, Wolverhampton, but this was mitigated when it became the first Manor to received lined green – not too far from the classic GWR livery of the early 20th century – at Swindon in July 1956. Later allocated to Croes Newydd and Aberystwyth, in January 1965 it returned to Shrewsbury for its final ten months of service, being withdrawn that October. After languishing at Woodham’s scrapyard for 15 years, it moved to the Gloucestershire-Warwickshire Railway in June 1981 and returned to steam in December 1987. It moved to the West Somerset in 1995 and wore the name Norton Manor between 2011-18 after the home of 40 Commando, based at nearby Norton Fitzwarren. Now with original name restored and partnered with newly rebuilt Churchward tender T2061 it carries lined green and is a regular performer on the WSR.