spech

This model was the highlight of my day at Manchester; I absolutely loved it. I came back a few times in the hope of expressing my appreciation and asking a couple of questions but you always seemed to be busy having your ear bent by somebody else. I hope you're considering bringing it back this way some time.

Brilliant! I love this layout. You've really captured the essence of the C&HP, and in such a small space. It'll be years before I ever get to sit back and enjoy the fruit of my labors like this. It's just taken me three weeks to build the first turnout for my project and I have so much brickwork to create I wouldn't get much change out of Stockport viaduct! I'm now considering a 'shunting puzzle' of my own, just to afford some respite from the discipline of recreating a large and complicated prototype. On the other hand, are you just making this look easy? I'm very familiar with Ladmanlow. I've been driving around the Peak district for thirty five years (not constantly!) and in recent years I regularly pass that way on Sunday mornings on my old Royal Enfield, coming off the Cat'n'Fiddle, heading to Longnor for breakfast at the Cobbles. Funny how it always seems to smell of overheated brakes around there.

Was David Bowler the building with the big arched asbestos roof right next to the goods yard. I used to rummage through their scrap pile for bits of exhaust pipe. That was back in the eighties, the age of string and chewing gum. I remember the deli and the fish shop around the corner. My mum was always in there.

Yep, seen that one, but thanks anyway Kevin. I can't believe I've been planning this thing for so long. Ten years is a big chunk of your life. I have actually been able to make a proper start recently, due to the unusual circumstances we have found ourselves in this year and the abundance of spare time I've had as a consequence. It's been a long time since I've done anything like this and I'm amazed at how the hobby has progressed; there are so many new things to learn. I'm very much in the "keen idiot" category for now, but getting there slowly and having lots of fun. I hope to devote some time to learning how to post on here properly and start a "blog", (is that the right word?) but for now here's a rather poor quality picture of how she looks at the moment. better pictures will follow. Once again, thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks very much for this Tim, it really is appreciated. I have to tell you though that I already have this one. At some point over the last couple of years I've come across this picture on the internet. I honestly can't remember how I found it. It is however accredited to your dad; Bryan Easter and it is dated 1963. I found it before I'd ever seen a detailed diagram of the track layout at this end of the station so it has been a very interesting and useful addition to my pictures.The Ladybarn Lane overbridge does indeed make for a perfect scenic break. Will you thank your dad for me. Spech.

Thanks Tim, that'll be great. I've got the road side of the building pretty much covered as it is mostly still there but anything of the railway side is bound to be helpful.

Thanks Peter. I have just about all the Foxline publications covering this area. As a matter of fact, I've had the privilege of meeting Mr Johnson himself. His help and advice, not to mention his collection of photos of Fallowfield, have been an enormous boost to the project. I'm very interested to hear that you may know of a magazine article, especially from the 70's. That is a new one to me! I have managed to get my hands on the May 1956 Model railway constructor which had some very useful photos of the goods shed. By the way, I'm no stranger to Corkland road. I went to the school there between 1978 and 81.

Yes it must have been a bit of a climb up to Reddish. I can remember, like it was yesterday, lying in bed at night and hearing the class 40s pulling freighliner trains. They always seemed to give it the gun past our house, probably taking a run at the bank. I'm told that the banking engine at the station was at one time a Gresley A1. There were also two Parachute water columns at either end of the station. I have a photo which clearly shows the footprint of a standard MS&L column on the up platform. Then there were the stables at the east end of the goods yard. It must have been quite a place in its heyday.

Hi Woodenhead. I was born in Bosley avenue Withington and spent my first twelve years there. We grew up messing around on the railway but nobody ever came close to being hit by a train. I reckon it's probably more dangerous down there since it became a cycle way! We would get on to the line at the Princess Parkway bridge and occasionally walk west towards Chorlton Junction but mostly we headed for Fallowfield. Wilbraham road had been completely obliterated by this time and so had Chorlton so there was not much to see in that direction. The covered inclines at Fallowfield were basically ramps, I would guess for baggage trolleys and the like. These days they would make useful "disabled access" The floors were made of wood. I'm sure of this because I walked up the one on the up platform one day. I remember it was pitch black at the top and being no more than eight or nine years old I lost my nerve and retreated back down into the daylight. The darkness was probably due to the thing being blocked off at the top; part of the makeshift repairs done to the station after the fire which destroyed the huge glass house. I'm guessing again! They are reproduced from a detailed plan of the station and should have rows of little stained glass windows on the outside walls. I think I may have already found the site you mentioned but I'll check it to make sure. Many thanks.

Thanks Andy. It is a very recognisable building. I can't help wondering weather the builders just made it up as they went along! I have visited the records office (forgot to mention that one) and as you say, they did have some excellent stuff. If you could ask around at the MMRS I'd be very grateful.

Yes Kris, I had thought of that little problem. With Wilmslow road running across the front I'll end up with a covered area of around eighteen inches; a short tunnel!

Hi to all. I've been gathering information on Fallowfield station for the last couple of years with a view to building a model in 4mm scale. Having climbed all over what's left of the main building with a tape measure, taken a shed load of photos and collected around another forty or so pictures I decided it was time to have a go at a trial run just to see how it all added up. The attached pictures are of this first attempt and you'll notice the absence of any detail; chimneys, windows etc. On the whole it has worked out pretty well but there are still one or two gaps to be filled before I can start the model proper. In particular I need more information on the huge glazed area at the top of the staircases, modelled in plain cardboard in the picture, and how it was attached to the brick built part of the building. A photo of this area would be a dream come true. Also, I have very little idea of how the interior was arranged. If anybody has any unpublished photos of the rear of the building or maybe just memories of the interior which might help my cause I'd be very happy to hear from them. I explored this station as a child in the early 70's and can remember it as it was after the fire but before the platform buildings were demolished. Incidentally, before anybody sugests it, I have seen the disused stations site and acquired all the foxline books. Cheers, Spech.