GWR 7800 Class 7808 Cookham Manor


7808 Cookham Manor is a Great Western Railway 7800 'Manor' Class steam locomotive. It was built in 1938 at Swindon Works, withdrawn from service in December 1965 and purchased directly from British Railways for preservation by John Mynors, a member of the Great Western Society, in 1965–66. 'Cookham Manor' was the only 'Manor' Class locomotive to have been bought directly from BR. Initially it was stored at Ashchurch, until moving to Didcot in August 1970.
It was said to be considered highly by the crews that operated it, and unusually for the class, the locomotive was fitted with a larger water tender.
The locomotive initially saw considerable main line use soon after preservation, but is currently on static display awaiting a major overhaul at Didcot Railway Centre. In 1974, Cookham Manor piloted 6998 Burton Agnes Hall hauling the complete vintage train for the first time. In 1975, it appeared at Shildon for the Stockton and Darlington 150th Anniversary celebrations, along with 4 restored coaches and the society's Siphon G. The latter functioned as a mobile sales stand.
The locomotive cost £3,986 excluding the tender when built in 1938, and had travelled by 28 December 1963.

Allocations

The allocations of 'Cookham Manor' during its service for the GWR and British Railways.
DateLocation
March 1938Old Oak Common
April 1939Gloucester
April 1946Oswestry
Dec 1953Bristol
Dec 1954Gloucester
June 1959Newton Abbot
September 1960Exeter
October 1960Worcester
December 1960Tyseley
September 1962Reading
August 1964Swindon
November 1964Gloucester
December 1965Withdrawn