Lionheart L&B Manning Wardles

The Lynton & Barnstaple Manning Wardle locos are very much marmite engines, you either thing they’re wonderfully graceful or share the view of Captain Howey (of Romney fame) who found them quite ugly. I’m in the former camp, particularly in their as built condition. Although had I been an engineman on the L&B when it opened with their propensity of obscuring forward vision my views might be slightly different. 

Growing up, Nottingham library had an extensive selection of books on narrow gauge railways, one of the most thumbed by me was an album on the L&B which fueled my interest on the line.  Little did I think that we’d be able to enjoy a full size L&B Manning Wardle loco but thanks to the recreated ‘Lyd’ and I’ve been fortunate enough to have driven the loco on my cultural exchanges with Paul Martin at the Ffestiniog. 

Having been a 7mm narrow gauge modeller for thirty years, I’d looked longingly at the ready to run miniature marvels becoming available in 009, hoping that one day we’d get something in 7mm scale. Yes there has been Bachmann On30 American models and Fleischmann Magic Train, but neither have been true to scale British prototypes. 

In to the breach stepped Lionheart with their Lynton and Barnstaple models. A curious choice seeing as they are too large for a fair number of O-16.5 modellers with their obscene curves and Smokey Joe chassis, but a welcome move to more finescale modelling and an appropriate sized loco for general carrier lines. Speaking to Richard Webster at a couple of shows it is clear that this model comes from a liking of the prototype and we should be welcome for it. Models of the three original locos in any stage from manufacture to scrapping have been produced, with the carriages following. Plus kits for station buildings, signal huts and L&B style signals gives the modeller everything they could ask for when it comes to the L&B. 

Having known Paul at EDM Models for a long time and him having let me drive the full size version, unsurprisingly, my pre-order went to EDM. This also helped with us being away for half term when the locos landed and I was able to get Paul to hold on to the loco until I was back. 

My choice was the ‘Exe’ as delivered loco, the model depicting the loco as it appeared from the manufacturers left my options open for keeping it as an L&B loco or running it on a freelance line. ‘Exe’ was the loco Manning Wardle took the works photographs of. However, once delivered, the loco was vandalised and when it entered service on the L&B, ran with a modified, raised vacuum ejector pipe until the cab was rebuilt. This didn’t deter me, if I end up running it as an L&B loco, the name can easily be changed to ‘Yeo’ or ‘Taw’.

Unwrapping the loco, I first found an information slip that Paul had added regarding one or two minor issues with the loco. He’d found that on a couple of locos some of the glazing had come adrift and the safety valve extension tubes. It must be a fine line between applying sufficient glue and complaints of models arriving covered in glue spots. Plus on DCC Sound fitted locos, the friction fit of the smoke box fronts wasn’t enough to keep them in place on a second posting and the steps taken on how to remedy this. The latter wouldn’t be a problem for my DC loco. Was good to see this little attention to detail to manage my expectations when opening the box. 

The loco as supplied is screwed to a Perspex plate within firm rubber surrounds. As it was, the only thing adrift being a safety valve extension tube which was a matter of moments to fix. A few more moments later saw the loco released from its Perspex prison and sat on the desk. 

Lionheart have a reputation for high quality models and the Manning Wardle more than lives up to it. The detail is exquisite, the lubricators and the fine whistle with minute steam delivery pipe being noticeably exquisite. The livery, Manning Wardle factory finish is finely applied with the wonderful lining crisply applied. Provided in a plastic bag to be fitted by the purchaser are etched name and works plates to cover the printed versions, plus the vacuum brake pipe for the front buffer beam. 

There is a good weight to the model, the mix of plastic and die cast metal resulting in a nicely weighted model without being too heavy. Turning the loco over revealed a fully compensated chassis and some clever design work to get the loco round an unprototypically tight, but quite generous for some Modellers 2ft radius curve and the valve gear is very well represented. There are also pick ups to all wheels, including the pony truck wheels. 

The loco comes equipped with prototypical Jones-Calthrop chopper couplings with steel choppers on one end so that a magnet on a stick can be used to uncouple in the same way as steel three link couplings on O gauge standard gauge models. There is a slot in the rear buffer beam (with similar showing in photos of the forthcoming carriages) to cope with tighter than prototypical curves. Some may bemoan this compromise whilst others may bemoan that no provision is made for fitting kadee or tension lock couplings. Personally, I think this is a sensible compromise between fidelity and commercialism. 

This Loco is a little too large for ‘Wheal Ponder’, but it will fit for test running and was soon put to test. The loco running beautifully smoothly straight from the box. Being DC only, the headlight kit up in the direction the loco was going and there is firebox glow. All features which will come alive with DCC. My track is Peco and not that finely laid as it is designed for use by 0-4-0 tank locos. However, this model glided like a swan through it all. Equally swan like was the compensation working hard in the same way as a swan uses its feet!

Personally, I can’t fault this model. It is a beautiful rendition of the prototype with the right balance of fidelity and commercialism to my eye. It is far better than I could have built from a kit and so the thirty year (more for others) wait for a good quality ready to run 7mm narrow gauge models was well worth the wait. I hope these are a success and we do not have to wait thirty years for another. 

One casualty of commercialism and the need to make a return on their investment have seen the provision of a true to scale 14mm gauge version dropped. Paul at EDM is working on a solution for this so hopefully they will gain satisfaction from these locos too.

Some might consider the introduction of rtr locos could see a reduction in kit and scratch building. But when the result is as good as this then I can’t see any reason to complain. For me, models like this makes me want to improve the models I build myself to reach the standard so that they don’t look out of place alongside this loco. It makes me want to make my next narrow gauge layout after ‘Wheal Ponder’ to be something where the Manning Wardle looks at home. Plus it gives the new entrant to modeling in 7mm Narrow Gauge a true to prototype loco they can run straight from the box and I’m excited to see where this development takes our branch of the hobby. 

As someone who has long been content with Peco track and tension lock couplings, it’s making me look again at building finer quality track and whether there are chopper couplings out there to fit some of my stock with.

Thank you Lionheart for a superb model, I hope it is successful and leads to many more. I’d better start saving.