GWR 6959 Class 6960 Raveningham Hall
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox locomotive
| designer=Frederick Hawksworth
| name=6960 Raveningham Hall
| powertype=Steam
| gauge={{track gauge|56.5in|allk=on}}
| image= Blue Anchor 6960 leaving for Minehead.jpg
| caption=6960 "Raveningham Hall" departing Blue Anchor station on the West Somerset Railway
| officialname=
| operatorclass=6959 Modified Hall Class
| builddate=March 1944
| fleetnumbers=
| currentowner=Jeremy Hosking
| restoredate=1975
| disposition=Static display at One:One Collection
| retiredate=June 1964
}}File:Ruscombe Siding geograph-2482312-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg
6960 Raveningham Hall is a Great Western Railway, 4-6-0 Modified Hall Class locomotive, built in March 1944 at Swindon Works to a design by Frederick Hawksworth. It is one of six of this class that survive in preservation. The locomotive is named after Raveningham Hall in Norfolk.
Operation
Its first shed allocation was Old Oak Common with a transfer to Reading in September 1953, then to its last shed allocation Oxford in September 1963. The locomotive was withdrawn from service in June 1964{{cite web |url= http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=6960&loco=6960 |title=6960 Raveningham Hall |publisher= BRDatabase |access-date=May 22, 2019}} and sold to Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry, South Wales for cutting up.
Preservation
6960 was saved for preservation and left the yard in October 1972 as the 26th departure from Barry having been acquired by David Edleston of Derby. It was eventually sold to Brian Thomas and moved to Steamtown Carnforth. Restored in 1975, the locomotive took part in the Stockton and Darlington Railway 150th Anniversary celebrations at Shildon.
In 1977 6960 moved to the Severn Valley Railway (SVR)Severn Valley Railway News Issue 44, Summer 1977, p. 31. where she ran with 4930 Hagley Hall's tender while her own was put behind 4930. In 1978 6960 became the first SVR-based locomotive to haul a rail tour on the main line.Severn Valley Railway News Issue 48 Summer 1978, p. 10.
Following a decision by the owner to sell the locomotive, 6960 left the SVR in late 1996, initially moving to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.Severn Valley Railway News Issue 121 Winter 1996-97, p. 20. Sold to Jeremy Hosking, by 2008 it was at The Flour Mill workshops in the Forest of Dean receiving a thorough overhaul. It was based at the West Somerset Railway but due to newly imposed weight restrictions, was transferred back to the SVR in May 2019 in exchange for the lighter 7802 Bradley Manor.{{cite web |url=https://www.svr.co.uk/NewsItem.aspx?a=880 |title=The return of 'Ratbag'! |publisher=Severn Valley Railway |access-date=May 22, 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In November 2019 it was decided that 6960 would remain at the SVR.https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2019/11/steam-locomotive-6960-raveningham-hall-set-to-stay-at-the-severn-valley-railway.html/amp 6960 to remain at Severn Valley Railway After its boiler certificate expired in July 2021, it moved to the One:One Collection in Margate for static display.Raveningham Hall bows out - next stop Margate The Railway Magazine issue 1445 August 2021 page 64