A little more Cheddar

[Chris Bird]

Hi all
On the subject of Cheddar Iver - I have put a brief video of my somewhat modified one on Youtube showing that it can be nice and controllable with 2.4 ghz and with a seriously heavy train!
You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKwISwONyOw Cheers Chris

 

[GlenF]

Another great video Chris. Yes you hit the nail on the head, the secret to taming an Iver is 2.4Ghz and a seriously heavy train! Anything else is asking for trouble. I often think of selling mine but then something keeps drawing me back, there's something quite unique and quirky about it and I'm sure it justifies more tinkering.

I believe the main problem lies with the tiny 5/16 bore cylinders (isn't that smaller than a Mamod?!). Wish I still had my lathe so I could knock up some larger replacements.

Glen

 

[Mez]

Very nice.

 

[Chris Bird]

Hi Glen - well I thought it was the cylinders too - and replaced mine with the PPS ones which are 3/8" - the same bore as Mamod, and have proper glands. They certainly made a difference to the power, as my originals were leaking, and maybe they did make a bit of difference to the controllability.......but light engine, this loco will still rev like a moped!
For all its foibles, I still like it a lot and it is certainly not on my transfer list.
Cheers
Chris

 

[minimans]

Hi Chris great video! could you tell us about the mod's you have done to Iver? I also have one that is a bit of a race horse! but with a lot of weight it is a lot better but then it struggles a bit on the grades, the PPS cylinders sound like it was a good idea are they a straight replacement or do they need modifying?................Paul...........

 

[Chris Bird]

Hi Paul - here are as many mods as I can remember:
- Running plates frabicated from sheet brass and angle with the cylinder covers soldered on. They are held with one 8 BA bolt at the front and one self tapper under the cab. They are drilled to clear various holes under there.
- Lubticator enlarged to increase capacity. It used to empty in about 15 mins.
- Smoke-box door fabricated.
- Front buffer (pilot) beam fabricated from brass. Cow-catcher is an old Roundhouse white metal casting.
- Dome turned to fit over the filler valve with an off centre hole. This allows the valve to be used without removing the dome.
- This loco did run with an exhaust regulator which tamed it a bit. This was removed when the Summerlands Chuffer was installed.
- Cheap Chinese 2.4 ghz set
- PPS Cylinders are a more-or-less straight replacement - but I did it two years ago and seem to remember I had to use the original pivots so there was a bit of sorting involved. The main thing is that the holes line up and they work!
- I drilled some more air holes in the burner to stop the whistling, before I realised that I just had to turn it down!
- I re-painted it with acrylic auto paint from an aerosol. This is where I discovered it is not suitable for boilers as it melts!
- Handrails use Roundhouse parts and the lamp is fabricated from scrap bits.

I have attached a photo
Cheers
Chris

Modified Iver.jpg

 

[GlenF]

Interesting to hear of your mods Chris, you've certainly improved the appearance no end. The PPS cylinders sound interesting, might have to look into that. What's the stroke on those? I was also thinking of the 7/16" bore ossie cylinders available from Jensen, they're 5/8" stroke so not sure if they would work or not. However I believe they're pretty basic with no 'O' rings or gland nuts - could be wrong though.

Glen

 

[Chris Bird]

Hi Glen
The Cheddar cylinders are the same as the old Mamod, MSS and PPS in being 3/4" stroke so the Jensen ones with 5/8" stroke will not work I'm afraid. Even bigger cylinders would be nice on Iver though - a friend recently built an 0-6-0 loco with 5/8" bore oscillating cylinders and it is very powerful and very docile.
Cheers
Chris

 

[Ferrysteam]

They are supposed to be making them again at Stuarts.Here's some others at their factory.

 

[annieshalt]

wish i could afford one allan.:bleh:

 

[Ferrysteam]

wish i could afford one allan.:bleh:

Bit over priced if you ask me Allan.Could get three Accucraft for the price of one of them.

 

[Ferrysteam]

That's a personal opinion Stephen.They should have done what Accucraft did and get them made in China.

 

[tagorton]

wish i could afford one allan.:bleh:

Bit over priced if you ask me Allan.Could get three Accucraft for the price of one of them.

Well that was why Chedder went bust a few years ago! Good designs but uncompetative pricing.

Err ? well no actually. These locomotives were competitively priced with Roundhouse and, in terms of sales, were doing very well. Cheddar unfortunately was under-capitalised and had over invested in infrastructure. When my good friend Johnny Woodroofe (MD of Cheddar Models ) became ill, the factory manager did not have the authority required to cope with shareholders who wanted out and could not get resources for production or development. After John died the company's assets were sold off. The current pricing of the only model that Stuart have brought out so far is, as you say, unrealistic ? and indeed I suggested that they forget Ivor anyway ? its time was gone. Stuarts said that it was the only model for which they had lots of parts (now I wonder why?

!!!).

The 'proper' Cheddar models (and I am looking at my 'Reisa' as I type) had fully bushed and sprung running gear, multi tubed boilers and ceramic burners with gas pressure regulation ? a better engineering specification in fact than either Accucraft or Roundhouse. It is powerful, highly controllable and one does not have to keep fiddling with the gas control as the loco warms up. I managed to acquire spares such as springs, screws and bushes, enough to keep this loco running for many years after I have gone ? altho to be fair most of this stuff is obtainable given a bit of detective work.

Bestest
Tag

 

[Ferrysteam]

From what I remember the Chedder locos were at least 1/3 more than a similar spec Roundhouse in ther final year.,as the tender 0-6-0 costing about £1800 with R/C and a Roundhouse Fowler being under £1200. I would still love to have a Goliath to go with my battered Samson.

I would love a Goliath but couldn't justify the price.

 

[Rosco]

Nice Iver Chris, is that a Cheddar tender or home made and do chuffers stop oil/water from spitting out?
I have one Cheddar Iver and a Stuart Iver. The cheddar one does like to race but the Stuart one is so controllabe with or without a load. I cannot tell why!. I,m glad Stuart did not listen to Tag, Iver's are quality loco's.

 

[tagorton]

From what I remember the Chedder locos were at least 1/3 more than a similar spec Roundhouse in ther final year.,as the tender 0-6-0 costing about £1800 with R/C and a Roundhouse Fowler being under £1200. I would still love to have a Goliath to go with my battered Samson.

Fowler was £1270 in 2004 and the Cheddar loco £1750 ? but this isn't like for like. The Roundhouse loco pulled a dummy tender and the Cheddar one was a working model with handpump. The Cheddar loco also had an R/C whistle. Also the engineering standards were different. I think it is difficult in many ways to compare the different manufacturers' locos ? for instance the Roundhouse Darj in the same year was £1850! Only 1895 now, while the Fowler has gone up to 1540!