Leek - Mirfield Parcels Train project

I've had this idea for a while now so I'm starting this thread as a project report that will happen later on, to explain better a few people have asked me if I will show the Elton Crossing layout at exhibitions and sadly I have to decline because of its bulk and weight. So the idea came to build something lightweight, thin, portable and not to detailed, the emphasis being on character not "dolls house" over detailing thus the Leek Mirfield Parcels Train project was born. Interestingly planning permission has recently been granted by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to have the railway relaid into Leek abate in a much simplified and altered form, so the project idea becomes contemporary and relevant more so since I'm building a BR 4, but a bit more about that latter. The Leek Mirfield was an evening parcels working that depart from Leek at 19.40 and ran as the 3N01 via Stoke and Stockport skirting Manchester at Gorton, Leek was a mill town and the loads were consignments of textiles for the Mills at Mirfield, presumably goods all ultimately destined for the clothing catalogue sales of Grattons, GUS, John Myers and Freemans. So here are a couple of pictures so you get the idea.

Yes now we have it yes its a BR Standard 4 75030 shunting vans in Leek station and a shot of the Leek embankment looking towards Leekbrook Junction, the train is about to pass into the 75 yard long Cone Tunnel... this will be the basis for the sectional layout... and yes its another BR4 Photos courtesy of Ian Burgess from the late John Burgess collection.

Now within my van/wagon stash I have this little baby...

As we can see from the first picture of 75030 it is shunting a very grimy Southern BY van. Here are a few pictures of the kit contents.

The body.

The chassis frame.

Etches, castings and wheels with other stuff like transfers and wire.

Finally the 'structions which I won't bore you with the build since its an easy peasy Slaters kit, however I would like to show the completed model and how it will be weathered. The van will form part of a rake of parcels vans that will make up the 3N01 Leek-Mirfield Parcels, a train that was withdrawn in 1968 with the introduction of the Parcels Concentration Depot at Longport in Stoke.

 

Thanks Pete for your interest, what I want is a long(ish) display where the view will be looking onto the train so the modular layout supports will be quite high, to some extent this is helped by the fact that the old railway embankment had an average 10' elevation so the tracks will be set at between 75 and 80mm above the base boards. If I keep everything in four foot sections at two feet widths I can just keep making them and I can end the display in the Cone tunnel which is tall enough to hide the fiddle cassette and controls. Another great thing I can keep all the sections in my vintage bus and that keeps SWMBO happy because she wont see base board bits kicking around. I think a viewing length of about 20' on a gentle curve would work well hopefully.

 

I dare not tell you I've seen a picture of the Leek Mirfield train with a GWR Siphon van in the consist, now for the good news I have a picture of the same working with an LNER 6 wheeled CCT van... how good is that?

 

Nah a trip to play more like we can always accommodate you and Toto here for a stop over, plenty of space.

 

Thanks Toto, this is very early stages yet and I don't want to take on too much because it only ever leads to nothing ever being finished. I think I can achieve this and also my loco builds alongside.

 

Here is a shot of the train having just left Leek station, I think the 6 wheeled van is a Thompson BZ parcels brake. This would be about 1966 or early 1967 before Stoke shed closed. Photo courtesy of Ian Burgess from the late John Burgess collection.

 

Hi Bob, thanks for following this one... another true North Stafford man here on the forum Toto. Longport station now that was a nice happy place to work, the Parcels Concentration Depot behind the Up (Stoke) platform was like taking a step back in time... lots on lovely old pre nationalised vans on catalogue company returns circuit working to be found despite all being painted Rail Blue colour. On the cripple road which ran in front of the Full Loads shed was an old LMS spoked wheel Banana van that was used as a salt store, it was parked up on the stop block by the yard entrance next to the Longbridge Hayes council flats. No doubt it also went for scrap I guess.

 

Here you are Pete... a few pictures taken about 10 minutes ago in my yard. The bus is NSG 869 ex Berresfords Motors of Cheddleton and is the only Albion MR9 Nimbus left in existence, she was new to Highland Omnibus Co in 1955 and has a Scottish Omnibus body. So at 62 years of age she is looking strong and will look even better when I finish the body painting off.

 

And here are a few shots of the interior saloon and cab footplate complete with an ex Potteries Motor Traction Setright ticket machine.

 

Hi Bob, my bus worked for only a couple of years with Highland it then worked with various other Scottish operators before going to a dealer in Macclesfield in 1964 where she was purchased to work with Berresford Motors until 1974 on the Hanley to Leek service when afterwards she was de licensed and put out to grass. The real co incidence is that as a youngster living in Leek I actually travelled on this very same bus and that 40 odd years later I bought her in 2010.