ON June 7 last year Collett 'Manor' No. 7820 Dinmore Manor left its home at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway to take up a temporary residence at the West Somerset Railway. The BR(W) 4-6-0 would stay in Somerset until mid-October as the principal hire locomotive for the railway's summer season. It was a hugely successful visit for the 'Manor' as it returned to the railway it once called home. During its four-month stay the loco passed a significant milestone by reaching the 100,000 preservation miles mark in August, and a month later achieved fame as the loco that came to Flying Scotsman's aid after the 'A3' stalled on Crowcombe Bank. Yet perhaps No. 7820's most note-worthy achievement during its visit was the fact that it steamed for no fewer than 92 days, almost without a break. This level of availability, and the fact that each steaming was performed without any major issue or fault, is a testament to the quality of Dinmore Manor as a locomotive and to the small-but-dedicated team that owns and maintains it - Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd (DMLL).
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