My Live Steam Loco's No.9 - Cheddar Iver

[Chris Cairns]

I was going to post an update to this loco, but then realised I'd only posted it on the other Forum.

So here is my ninth Live Steam loco, a Cheddar Iver with optional tender.



Cheddar Models Limited were well known and respected for their range of Marine engines, boilers (including the IP Engineering Jane boiler and a Mamod replacement boiler), ceramic burners and gas tanks (including a version for the Mamod/MSS/IP Eng Jane/PPS Janet locos, and a special scuttle mounted burner for SR1A/TE1As). They also produced several Garden Railway locomotives and coaches, of which the Iver was the first and cheapest model, available in 32mm or 45mm (not regaugeable).



It is fitted with a silver soldered copper boiler with gauge glass, pressure gauge and water top up valve, pressure tested to 120 PSI, with a maximum operating pressure of 60 PSI (normal pressure 40 - 60 PSI). The boiler is gas fired with a ceramic burner using butane or butane/propane.



It has a displacement lubricator, and an option (fitted on my loco) was to fit a steam stop valve to prevent oil being sucked into the boiler due to the vacuum caused when the boiler cools down at the end of a run.



It came fitted with a servo and linkage only (for fitting your own radio control), or with full radio control fitted (it cannot be controlled manually like a Mamod). It has oscillating cylinders, and the body is a freelance design (somewhat American in appearance). It was later provided with an optional all metal tender, so this is the reason why the receiver/battery pack were mounted under the cab floor.



The only problem with using it on Mamod track is that it is too wide for the points (the cylinders foul the points lever), which would require the point lever being moved outwards, or removed completely and manually operated like Peco points.

Garden Rail No.90 has a review of this loco by David Pinniger, which is an interesting read.

Of course we have discussed the re-introduction of this loco by Stuart Models, and shot it down quite successfully for being too expensive. When it was introduced in 2002 it cost £385 for the 32mm version, plus another £95 for the optional tender.

Chris Cairns.

edit - Photobucket image codes updated and text corrected

[Matt]

Nice loco. I think that it looks best in either the blue or green colours that chedder use to do.

[SillyBilly]

So much potential!

[steamyjim]

I love it!!!!!!

Realy was a brilliant loco ... i dont want to get into an argument about osccilating cylinders so dont bother

[Chris Cairns]

Prejudice against oscillating cylinders has yet to be overcome in many people but the performance of well engineered ones such as those fitted to 'Iver' cannot be questioned. There are many other engines with conventional cylinders which could not run as smoothly at slow speed or pull such loads.

This is from the review in February 2002, and refers to the 'Iver' after it had been modified to improve the slow running.

[mhlr]

I love it!!!!!!

Realy was a brilliant loco ... i dont want to get into an argument about osccilating cylinders so dont bother  :roll:

hahahahahahahaha

[SillyBilly]

Could just copy and paste the various other ones in to this topic .

[Chris Cairns]

Having spent too much time recently on my Mamod locomotive collection, and failing in my quest to get a decent priced loco at Peterborough, I thought I might as well revisit my Cheddar Iver which has been in storage due to being out of gauge for Mamod points. The disadvantage being R/C only (none of my other current runners are R/C) was I had to wait for 12 x AA batteries to recharge but it did give me time to answer a question about the Iver from a fellow Forum member.

I've recently removed the points from my Mamod test loop (caused too many problems) but Iver was still out of gauge for my kitchen until I moved it further away from my sink unit. Despite not be used for over 4 years I was pleasantly surprised how well it ran after the initial condensate shower (Cheddar supplied the Iver with a large piece of silicon tube so you could collect this condensate with the loco initially running on blocks).

It has an impressive performance when you consider that the oscillating cylinders are actually just smaller than the Mamod ones, yet it is a much heaver locomotive with a large weight added to the front to balance the weight and improve adhesion. However the R/C on the regulator/reverser valve does allow for slow running, which can be further enhanced by use of the steam stop valve.

The steam runs have highlighted a couple of minor maintenance items that need attending to, then it is time to revisit my Cheddar/GRS tram.

Chris Cairns.

[JMORG]

One of our club members had an Iver (an older one). He viewed it as being "over-engineered" (the exhaust was a blue steam jet for example) and the HUGE amount of power made it abit of a rocket ship.
He said it was JGF though