7819 Hinton Manor BR Lined Green (late crest)
The last Manor to be outshopped from Swindon in lined green in February 1960 after a decade in plain black, No. 7819 Hinton Manor spent its entire career in Wales, later becoming a stalwart of the former Cambrian Lines during the British Railways period. For its last half decade in service before withdrawal in November 1965 it was based at Oswestry, Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, becoming a popular choice to haul the Cambrian Coast Express and kept in suitably good order. In August 1963 it was one of five Manors turned out in immaculate condition for Royal Train duties ahead of the visit of HM The Queen and HRH Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh to Aberdovey, and the following month saw it given white painted embellishments, including buffer heads, lamp irons and smokebox door strapping. Fortunately, No. 7819 was one of eight members of the class to survive its trip to the scrapyard, being saved from Woodham Brothers, Barry Island, in January 1973. Returned to action in 1977 at the Severn Valley Railway it was back on the main line in 1985 as part of the Great Western 150 celebrations and heavily featured in British Rail’s ‘Cardigan Bay Express’ services on its old stamping ground in 1987. It last steamed in 1994 and is now a static exhibit at Highley on the SVR.