1BCamden

not that far from the 1883 (SAR) Belair Railway Station, South Australia

LNWR, LMS, specifically Camden Passenger Engine Shed, (LNWR-1) (LMS-1B), Camden Bank, Primrose Hill, and Camden Goods Station 12th June 1936. LMS locomotive, passenger and goods rolling stock for that day.

The exhibition layout is a scale* end to end viewing across the goods station yard, across the main lines, onto the shed, bridge to bridge.
*scaled back slightly after the goods station proper, as it heads down the bank towards Euston.

The date is specific for a number of reasons, and is intended to control the timetable and the stock being run as authentic for that day, although being a Friday has resulted in some train formation difficulties, mainly in both fiddle yards, which are already (on paper) each six metres long.

The scene is post LNWR, prewar LMSR, Stanier 'Princess Royal' class, and Fowler Royal Scots provide the mainstay motive power, with Claughtons, Patriots, engines picking up intermediate express work, and Prince of Wales, and George the Fifth types working outer suburban services along side the LNWR DC sets.

The shed has been recently upgraded with a new roof, turntable, coaling and ash plants in service.

The LMS were busily working towards 16 November 1936 and the famous scottish non-stop express run, with 6201 Princess Elizabeth at its head, and with Tom Clark and Fireman Charles Fleet and Passed Fireman Albert Shaw on the footplate, it reached Glasgow Central in 5 hours 53 minutes 38 seconds, what a time in history that year must have been.
So why the interest in the LNWR, LMSR and Camden.
Born in Liverpool, I grew up near Old Swan, my station was Broadgreen, now the oldest operational passenger station in the world. My Christmas presents were of course Dinky and Gorgi, but also Triang and Hornby, later including Minic Motorway, so special where these gifts, I still have all of them, slightly worst for wear, today. When emigrating to Australia we passed what was left of Camden Shed (nothing) but sidings.
As is normal in life, relationships, cars, family, career took precedent, but my interest never dwindled. In later years, while researching for a layout design, a copy of BRILL illustrated the perfect mix I was searching for, and what had been lost basically without trace.
Later and so encouraged by the work achieved others such as Iain (92220) Camden Shed (rmweb), and Vincent Worthington who are well along their journey, I also aim to capture my version of this iconic location for those interested.