7820 – ‘Dinmore Manor '
- BR Lined Black with Early Crest
- Original Chimney
- Flush Tender Body
- Wide hornplates
First of the 'BR Manors' 7820 Dinmore Manor was completed November 1950 and allocated to the Cambrian section at Oswestry, with a brief official allocation to Machynlleth from September to November 1952. Allocated to Chester in December 1953 7820 moved to the South West and Plymouth Laira from January 1955, working from Truro (Nov 1959) and St Blazey (June 1960) until moving to South Wales Cardiff Canton in October 1960. The early mixed traffic lined black livery was probably applied when the engine was built and changes are difficult to pin down, but is very likely the later livery style had been applied before the move to Cardiff in 1960 if the loco had not been repainted while working in Cornwall.
7820 was withdrawn from service at Shrewsbury in November 1965 and sold to Woodham Brothers for scrapping, but being held in reserve in the scrap lines was rescued for the Gwili Railway in 1979 (104th loco to leave the Barry scrapyard). Lacking the funds needed to restore a large scrap condition steam locomotive 7820 was purchased by the Dinmore Manor Fund in 1983, being restored at the Tyseley locomotive works for service on the West Somerset Railway from 1995. Following the end of the first 10-year boiler certificate 7820 moved to the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway where 7820 was returned to service in 2014 finished in this lined black livery.
During the restoration of 7820 an original GWR chimney was donated, having been serving as a flowerpot since it's removal from a Manor in the 1950s. Research revealed that the apparently 'taller' BR chimney was actually 'slimmer' and sleeving the old casting would allow it to be restored and placed back on a Manor.
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