THE final three GWR ‘Manor’ locomotives to work the famous Cambrian Network are to be reunited during a special event – 50 years since they were condemned to the scrapyard.

The Severn Valley Railway’s Manor 50 event, which will take place on Saturday, November 14, and Sunday, November 15, will see the Railway pay homage to the Cambrian Coast Railway of 1965 – which ran Manors between Shrewsbury, Aberystwyth and Pwllheli – to celebrate the last days of these renowned locomotives on the line which became their home.

Stars of the weekend will be the last three locomotives to have worked on the line – former GWR locomotives No.7802 Bradley Manor and No.7812 Erlestoke Manor, along with visiting No.7820 Dinmore Manor, courtesy of Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd.

The trio were taken out of service in November 1965 and sold to scrap merchants Woodham Bros of Barry.

In 1973, the Erlestoke Manor fund purchased No.7812 for preservation, followed in 1979 by No.7802 for use on the SVR. Fellow enthusiasts from Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd came to the rescue of No.7820, initially for use on the West Somerset Railway.

The SVR’s Manor 50 event will mark the achievement made by preservationists in saving the trio of locomotives, which are still operational 50 years after being sent for scrapping.

All three Manors will be available on a number of Special Footplate Experiences on Friday, November 13.

As well as the three trains in regular service, the weekend’s highlights will include No.4566 and GWR Churchward Toplights in use alongside the Manors on a four-train special timetable and famous named trains including a Cambrian Coast Express dining train.

Lewis Maddox, the SVR’s events co-ordinator, said: “It has been half a century since this last trio of Manors to operate on the Cambrian Line was taken out of service and condemned to what many thought would inevitably been a certain death.

“However, 50 years on, to have all three reunited and in full steam will be a wonderful sight to behold and we are sure that many fellow steam enthusiasts will agree.”

For more information, visit svr.co.uk or call 01562 757900.