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Alsager Shed 1950


Matchless
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This topic may overlap with UK Prototypes, for which I apologise.

 

I am planning an OO layout based in south east Cheshire, the actual location of the layout is still to be decided, it may be a real location or it may be fictitious. The two particular locos I am planning to use on the layout were both at Alsager shed during early 1950; Fowler 3F 0-6-0T 47266 and Fowler 4F 0-6-0 44450 (when Bachmann eventually release it!)

 

My question is; would anyone know the scope (or area) of freight operations out of the Alsager shed during this period i.e. where might these locos have operated? The answer to this will hopefully help me to tie down a particular location to model, as mentioned, the layout location could be real or fictitious and could be a station or a goods yard.

 

As I am fairly new to the subject any pointers or suggestions would be welcome.

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funny enough their was something in the local paper a few months back about alsager shed ,and on a lot of the picture's it was loaded /empty coal trains i am not 100%sure but i am sure it was coal i will ask my grandad (spotter in the 50's) he might know.

good look with the layout.

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Hi Matchless

 

See if you can lay your hands on, A Locoman's Log 1937-85, by Bill Alcock. Published by Silverlink Publishing.

 

The Author was based at Alsager from January 1940 until May 41. Slightly out of your time frame I know, but it gives you a real flavour of the Depot and its workings. Plus I have to say it is one of the best Railwaymens Books, I have ever read.

 

Best Wishes

 

Simon

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Hi, thanks for the comments so far.

 

Since my first post I have discovered that there was a goods yard just to the west of Alsager Station, the loco sheds and large yard were to the east of the station. So Alsager station goods yard might be a possibility. Now looking for plans and track layout to see if it is feasible, can anyone help?

 

Re: "The Author was based at Alsager from January 1940 until May 41" Interestingly enough, 47266 (as LMS 7266) was also at Alsager shed from September 1939 to April 1944 (I'm still looking for the pre-1948 shed allocations for 44450/LMS 4450) so that book might just be very useful, thank you Simon.

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Hi there,

 

Not sure whether this is relevant or not but a few years ago I went for a walk on the old railway trackbed that used to join onto the Crewe-Kidsgrove line at Alsager (I think the shed was in the Vee of this junction?). According to the information board, the line we walked was called the 'Salt Line' and the original traffic flow was from the Northwich area (home of the Cheshire salt mines) through Sandbach and along the now-disused line to Alsager. From there the traffic went onwards to the Pottery towns and industries.

 

It's possible that this traffic flow had ceased by the time you're looking to set your model but that might be another 'lead' for you. The trackplan for the shed is easy enough to get hold of (but I can send if you don't have it) but don't know about the goods yard. There was also an industrial complex at nearby Radway Green that was rail served until relatively recent times.

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I worked for a few months in the early 1980s at a warehouse built on part of the old sidings next to Alsager shed. Quite a lot of the shed and surroundings were still visible, whilst one of my workmates had been a driver there until it shut. There were two branches, both to the east of the station. One, from Lawton Junction, went towards Sandbach, then to Middlewich, lasting as a freight-only route into the late 1960s/early 1970s- the sand from Oakamoor to St Helens used to go this way. The other ran to Keele, where it joined the Newcastle- Market Drayton line- this closed in 1962. A friend now owns the old station house at Halmer End. Whilst the Sandbach line was a trunk route, that to Keele existed to serve the local collieries.

The Royal Ordnance Factory at Radway Green used to despatch ammunition by rail, in vans and containers, until the late 1970s/early 1980s. The Civil Engineers had a tip just to the east of the station; I think there was a reception loop that ran parallel to the Up goods loop, which had a siding trailing off it. The sanitary ware factory next to the loop had also received and despatched goods by rail, I believe.

I was told, by a very well-connected local source, that BMC had looked at building a car plant around the area in the mid-1960s (in an effort to move away from the appalling industrial relations of the West Midlands). The Pottery Manufacturer's trade association protested vehemently, as they foresaw that it would mean them having to pay better wages to compete, and the project was quietly forgotten.

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  • 6 years later...

I live near Alsager, and the old shed was my dad's playground. I know that they handled coal traffic, as up the Audley branch there was a colliery. I think they also covered traffic from Barkers Quarry, which is where twifords was and where a housing estate is being built, but I'm not to sure about that. I also think that there was probably just general goods too, coming of trains from Crewe, from Stoke, etc. There the only ones I know of.

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Good luck Matchless - great idea to model a shed I am doing the same.

 

I used to live in Derbyshire and often caught  the train at Uttoxeter which had a shed in the "V" of the branch to the Churnet valley line. Maybe there were some similarities in shed layout and structure? Here is a picture from the 1950s.

 

8414886072_0b6a2c04ed_h.jpg.4674ed92e26fcaae42e10d054564d5aa.jpg

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

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