North Mersey Diesel

[Michael Delamar]

Litherland 27/3/1965, Grand national day.

 

D124 with 1X38 Grimsby to Aintree.

 

On the rear of 1X38. Observation car M280M car 332, Opal and Wren.

 

 

70050 1Z46 from London.

 

1X89 From Swansea the other side of the bridge passing the tar works which had its own shunt engine.

The pile of rubble in the centre left of shot was a signal box, there was sidings into the yard in the foreground at one time too, Some remaining sleepers can be seen in shot of the observation car.

 

Edited April 29, 2017 by Michael Delamar

[PjKing1]

Litherland 27/3/1965, Grand national day.

D124 with 1X38 Grimsby to Aintree.

IMG_3184.PNG

On the rear of 1X38. Observation car M280M car 332, Opal and Wren.

IMG_6789.JPG

70050 1Z46 from London.

IMG_6790.JPG

1X89 From Swansea the other side of the bridge passing the tar works which had its own shunt engine.

The pile of rubble in the centre left of shot was a signal box, there was sidings into the yard in the foreground at one time too, Some remaining sleepers can be seen in shot of the observation car.

IMG_6792.JPG

 

Thanks Mechael there's some fantastic pictures there, I've seen the one of the observation car before but that one of the peak is fantastic I'll have to add a signal box to.

 

I was having a play around last night using old maps an I may have to straighten the line out slightly but hopefully not to much.

 

Thanks again

[beast66606]

 I'll have to add a signal box to.

 

Take a look at the older plans on the link I posted you'll see a box to the bottom left, you'll probably need to move, and enlarge, it to cater for the shed. I'd also take a look ar your proposed plan, there doesn't appear to be a connection towards Linacre Road, normally the shed area is accessible from both ends of the layout, not that you'd necessarily be modelling it, but for sizing and sighting the signal box it would be needed.

[PjKing1]

Take a look at the older plans on the link I posted you'll see a box to the bottom left, you'll probably need to move, and enlarge, it to cater for the shed. I'd also take a look ar your proposed plan, there doesn't appear to be a connection towards Linacre Road, normally the shed area is accessible from both ends of the layout, not that you'd necessarily be modelling it, but for sizing and sighting the signal box it would be needed.

Cheers Beast, don't think it's in shot on my plan but there's a line coming from under Hawthorne Road which would give access from Linacre Road.

 

Thanks again

[bobster]

Will you be building a Midland Pullman set Paul or waiting for an RTR one to arrive    Hahaha ....... Looking good Mate

 

Cheers, Bob.

[PjKing1]

A big thank you to Steve (Scouser999) for these pics he took the other year of the area also a blast/thrash from the past of 40033 thrashing over Linacre road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd also like to say it was Steve who helped me come up with the name to

 

On the planning front I've just spent about two hours will printouts and tracing paper and it's not as easy as it seems planning something realistic looking on a real site, I think I'll have to straighten the curve out on the running lines a bit otherwise it'll end up about 8' wide

 

Cheers

Will you be building a Midland Pullman set Paul or waiting for an RTR one to arrive    Hahaha ....... Looking good Mate

 

Cheers, Bob.

Thanks Bob, as much as I'd love one I'll settle for a Peak

 

Cheers

[railwayrod]

I like your project and I am sure it will turn out to be very good.

 

However it always makes me feel sad when I see photos of "then and now". The fact that so many lines have been closed and others left to go to rack and ruin. I used to go to school which was across the road from the old Great Central line in Rugby and at the end of each school day we would rush across the road to see what was on the train to Leicester. It was usually a Hall class or a B1 but occasionally other motive power was heading the train.. Happy days.

 

Now the line is a footpath and the famous Abbey Street girder bridge is no more. However it exists in my memory and hopefully it will do so until it is my turn to leave this world.

 

Keep us all updated with your progress.

 

Rod

[PjKing1]

Thanks Rod I always feel very sad looking at then and now pics

 

 

Managed to take a wander down there yesterday, the tennis courts are still in place

 

 

The 'Blue Bridge' (blue dot on map below) as us locals used to call it was built in the 60's but not sure yet whether I'll include it or not

 

 

Looking towards Hawthorne Road and beyond that the docks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orrell Road bridge

 

 

 

 

 

The view from the other side of the bridge

 

 

Looking at the above pic to the right the line swings around towards Aintree through a cutting and Harris Drive bridge, (green dot on map below) which is where I wandered next.

 

Again looking towards the docks and out of shot around the curve would be Orrell Road bridge we e just been on

 

 

 

 

Looking the other way towards Aintree, hard to believe there used to be huge sidings here

 

 

 

Here's a google earth shot of the location, blue dot is the blue bridge at the site of the planned depot and the green dot is the location of Harris Drive bridge

 

 

Hard to believe this mothballed line can be used again and has been for engineering trains in the last ten years, although I believe some of the track has been kicked out of Gauge due to trees etc further down the line.

 

Cheers

[billy_anorak59]

Looking good, I'm following with interest!  Is the track plan finalised now?

Just for inspiration, does Birkenhead Mollington Street tick any boxes for you as a base design? Certainly had atmosphere - you might be able to get some details from this pic:

 

 

Good luck, whatever! 

[PjKing1]

Looking good, I'm following with interest!  Is the track plan finalised now?

Just for inspiration, does Birkenhead Mollington Street tick any boxes for you as a base design? Certainly had atmosphere - you might be able to get some details from this pic:

 

MollingtonSt_Fueller.jpg

 

Good luck, whatever! 

What a great pic thanks Billy, I've looked at Mollington Street a few times and I will be taking bits from it such as the covered fuelling point and the type of fuel storage tanks. As for the track plan the baxic plan is more or less complete for the shed part and approaches but once that is underway I can tweak other bits. I can't wait to get going so I'll have to get some 9mm ply, I've also enquirer about inspection pits as I'll need two 3.5' pits, long enough for each shed Road to hold two 40's or Peaks.

 

Thanks again for the great photo.

[jamie92208]

What a great pic thanks Billy, I've looked at Mollington Street a few times and I will be taking bits from it such as the covered fuelling point and the type of fuel storage tanks. As for the track plan the baxic plan is more or less complete for the shed part and approaches but once that is underway I can tweak other bits. I can't wait to get going so I'll have to get some 9mm ply, I've also enquirer about inspection pits as I'll need two 3.5' pits, long enough for each shed Road to hold two 40's or Peaks.

 

Thanks again for the great photo.

 

I've got several inspection pits on my Green Ayre layout.  All I did was cut the relevant shape between the rails where they should be.  My boards are 6mm ply with a layer of 3mm under the tracks.  This cuts down weight considerably.   Then a 3mm layer of cork and finally the track.   For the pits I used C&L chairs for the pits sides glued down onto 3mm ply where the sleepers would normally go.   Then it was just a matter of putting a small sheet of ply over the bottom of the pit and making a couple of sets of steps out of balsa. then painting them.  It has worked very well.

 

Jamie

[PjKing1]

I've got several inspection pits on my Green Ayre layout.  All I did was cut the relevant shape between the rails where they should be.  My boards are 6mm ply with a layer of 3mm under the tracks.  This cuts down weight considerably.   Then a 3mm layer of cork and finally the track.   For the pits I used C&L chairs for the pits sides glued down onto 3mm ply where the sleepers would normally go.   Then it was just a matter of putting a small sheet of ply over the bottom of the pit and making a couple of sets of steps out of balsa. then painting them.  It has worked very well.

 

Jamie

Thanks Jamie, very interesting, that's one of my options, I've had a play with the pits from KS Laser Designs which are pretty good, I've also been looking into the pits from Phil at Intentio, his pits have built in chairs and easy to install lighting. This will all be a few weeks off as I need to buy some ply and get cracking on getting the plan for these finalised.

 

Cheers

[Wigan Wallgate OO Gauge]

How much of the prototypical line is still clear? Bridges intact, nothing built on the old trackbed etc. Like which town to town could still be achieved?

[PjKing1]

How much of the prototypical line is still clear? Bridges intact, nothing built on the old trackbed etc. Like which town to town could still be achieved?

The line is an extension of the line from ELJ but rather than going under the Liverpool to Southport line at Bootle Junction it crosses it just before Bootle Oriel Station it then runs alongside the line up to just before Seaforth & Litherland St where it climbs up and over and heads towards Aintree where it joins the Liverpool to Ormskirk Line so it's possible to get as far as Ormskirk but this is where the line stops as there two sets of buffers halfway down the platform. You then change trains and the line carries on to Preston and the WCML.

 

Again the line has been used a couple of times in the last ten years but it would need a good tidy up if anything was to get down there now, everything is there as it was and intact apart from it's now single line and a few trees growing between the rails.

 

Cheers

[pwr]

Will you be modelling the abandoned shopping trolleys?

 

Paul R

[PjKing1]

Will you be modelling the abandoned shopping trolleys?

Paul R

Sorry Paul only just seen this, thankfully it was a tidier place in the 60's so it'll be a lot cleaner

 

Cheers

[PjKing1]

Apart from a bit of measuring up and ordering a few bits for the depot nothing really has been done due to working on this

 

 

The 37 will hopefully be finished this week so I can make a start on the depot then.

 

Cheers

[leopardml2341]

Look what an opportunity you missed by not doing KX.......

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wilster200/14521765063/

[PjKing1]

Just incase anyone is on fb I've started a group covering weathering etc there will also be one covering the build off my two planned layouts North Mersey Diesel Depot and eventually ELJ in 7mm, here's the link if anyone wishes to join

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/441351382898306/

 

Cheers

[PjKing1]

Look what an opportunity you missed by not doing KX.......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wilster200/14521765063/

Sorry Andy only just seen this, if I had the space mate I'd do it but I know it's to much of a headache

[leopardml2341]

Just incase anyone is on fb I've started a group covering weathering etc there will also be one covering the build off my two planned layouts North Mersey Diesel Depot and eventually ELJ in 7mm, here's the link if anyone wishes to join

https://www.facebook.com/groups/441351382898306/

Cheers

Will you continue posting here, for those of us who don't have a Faceache account?

[PjKing1]

Will you continue posting here, for those of us who don't have a Faceache account?

I will do mate, the fb is more for tutorials etc and to try and promote my weathering etc, here's the green 37 which is almost finished

 

https://youtu.be/dPFdKE_n5kg

 

I've been working on the blue one so I'll post some pics for you in a bit

 

Cheers

[PjKing1]

A couple of Cl37 update pics, body side weathering is more or less complete, renumbered on one side and cabside arrows applied

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just to see how it looked I tried the body back on the chassis an it looks ok but I need to tone down the front of the bogie sides as I'm just not happy with them as they're to light on this 37

 

 

 

 

[PjKing1]

Well I've finally got some boards, but things seem totally different from doodling on paper to plonking a few locos on the boards, think I know the plan but might be one or two tweaks. At the moment I've got two 6'x2' boards and one 4'x2' so if I can fit it all in 16' I'll be pretty happy.

 

 

 

 

 

Collections coming along nicely to

 

 

Cheers

[Les Johnson]

Following this with interest Paul. 'Twas my old stomping ground. Lived in Pennington, had friends who lived in Fairlie Crescent, Galsworthy, Springwell and who went to either the 'Georges' or St. Monica's. When we were old enough it was usually the Walnut or the Warbreck! Happy days. Wouldn't be surprised if you knew some of them?

Les