7812 – ‘Erlestoke Manor '
- BR Lined Green with Late Crest
- Redraughted Chimney
- Flush Tender Body
- Narrow hornplates
Completed in January 1939 7812 Erlestoke Manor was allocated to Bristol Bath Road shed, but had moved South West to Newton Abbot by summer 1948. Allocated to Plymouth Laira in December 1956 it seems probably that the new late crest BR livery was applied before a move to Truro in October 1959. In October 1960 7812 joined the allocation of manors at Oswestry for Cambrian line services, likely serving the same routes from Wrexham Croes Newydd (December 1961) and Shrewsbury from February 1963.
Withdrawn from service in November 1965 7812 was sold to Woodham Brothers in May 1966, becoming the 56th locomotive to be rescued from the Barry scrapyard in May 1974. Now owned by the Erlestoke Manor Fund, one of the most accomplished contributors to the restoration of GWR locomotives, 7812 was returned to service in 1979 on the Severn Valley Railway. A regular member of the SVR motive power fleet ever since, usually carrying British Railways lined green livery, 7812 is expected to return to service in 2022 at the completion of another heavy overhaul.
Common Features:
- Highly-detailed OO gauge model, 1:76.2 scale on 16.5mm track
- Based on 3D scan of 7808 Cookham Manor and full works drawings provided by Great Western Society, Didcot
- Surveys undertaken with assistance of Erlestoke Manor Fund, Dinmore Manor Loco Ltd and Tyseley Locomotive Works
- Smokebox and chimney correctly represents as-built GWR condition or post-1952 BR redraughting
- Fully-detailed cab interior with many separate parts
- Die-cast metal chassis, running plate and body
- Scale width wire handrails
- Etched metal/plastic and lost wax detail parts, incl. grab handles, steps, drain cocks, etc
- Etched metal pre-painted name and numberplates
- Etched metal "Cambrian Coast Express" and "Pembroke Coast Express" headboards
- High-fidelity dummy screw couplings
- Fully sprung metal buffers and factory-installed pipework
- Tapered or straight buffer housings where applicable
- Brake blocks in line with wheels
- Front mini-tension lock coupler can be replaced by accurate front pony truck moulding
Tender Details:
- Churchward 3,500 gal tender with numerous variations including riveted and flush sides, narrow or wide hornplates, three different styles of spring hanger and underframe-mounted water scoop
- Fully sprung metal buffers, factory-installed pipework and high fidelity dummy screw couplings
- Early tapered, tapered or straight buffer housings where applicable
- Optional overhead warning plate bracket on late-BR examples
- Kinetic NEM coupler mounts on tender at correct height with mini-tension-lock couplers
- DCC decoder socket in tender (tender roof accessible by lift out section secured by magnets)
- Choice of lift out sections: empty or simulated ‘coal’ load
DCC / Electronic Features:
- Very high-quality 3-pole motor with flywheel, low starting voltage and smooth power delivery
- DCC ready [21-Pin MTC Socket in tender] or factory-installed DCC Sound options
- DCC Sound locomotives have speaker mounted in smokebox and dual speakers in tender
- PowerPack capacitor bank for uninterrupted power and sound
- Flickering firebox light (synchronised with sound on DCC installed models)
- Electrical pickup from all tender and locomotive driving wheels
Traction Features:
- Minimum Radius 438mm (2nd Radius Set-track)
- Die-cast metal chassis, running plate and body with sprung centre driving axle
- Metal Helical Gear box for maximum performance and slow speed running
- Gearing arranged so locomotive can achieve a scale top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h)
- RP25-110 profile OO gauge wheels