MarkK

Phil The road immediately behind the signal box is indeed a goods siding. There was a cattle dock during LMS ownership. The passenger platforms will just about accommodate a small tank engine and two coaches.

Hi Phil I was thinking of arriving with one engine and leaving with another, although there is a possibility of a pilot. I very much doubt I will run an auto as there is little rtr examples available, unless I run ex GWR stock on the line.

Hi The layout is based on, although not exactly, Willenhall Stafford Street. It was operated by the Midland Railway from 1876 and later taken over by the LMS in 1923. The LMS withdrew passanger services in 1931 but remained a busy goods yard until the end of steam. The line originally ran from Walsall to Wolverhampton, although access to Walsall ended when the line was cut at Bentley to make way for the M6. In my scenario I ended the line at the bridge beside the station. The line to Wolverhampton remained open and in my scenario I made Willenhall Stafford Street a branchline. The single line leaving the traverser would go to Wolverhampton via Wednesfield where it would have access to the West coast main line. The site altered very little as it passed from LMS to BR hands and either period would be at home on the model. The original track work has been somewhat simplified to accommodate space as I only had 8' x 2' to play with.

Hi Phil Two platforms are intended, (would of helped if I had shown them) - one right below the rectangle I marked as a station and one on the far side opposite the first platform - if that makes sense. The buildings are not to scale, just to mark a rough position of where they will be situated. The bottom left is intended to be a road bridge with a wooden staircase down to the far platform. It is my intention that the line had been cut here and the train/s will terminate. I am not certain what I will place on the far right hand side at the moment. It may be a coal wharf or possibly and engine shed and coaling stage. Hope that helps Mark

Hi, Can anyone point me in the right direction with regards signal and point rod placement for the attached layout. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance Mark Layout.pdf

Nice job!

Thanks Keith

Hi Keith Many thanks, I have seen that photograph. I have also seen others during BR days where the yard was full of vans and flats, as opposed to an excess of mineral traffic. Could one assume Wilenhalll would have been receiving a large proportion of sundry items? Mark

I understand Willenhall Stafford Street goods yard post WWII was quite a busy yard until closure. Does anybody have any information on the type of goods the yard may have carried. I have trawled the internet to no avail. Thanks in advance Mark

Hi all I am looking for a Bachmann push pull fitted 2MT, I have seen several on the bay but wondered when they were released? I see the recent versions without push pull fitting have glazed cab windows and made me wonder how old the push pull release was, The product code is 31-450E and running number is 41273. Also, did this model have a motor flywheel. Thanks in advance Mark

Hi Old Gringo, I did not expect such a comprehensive reply. You have answered my question completely and I am very grateful for you having taken the time to reply with such an in depth reply. I will keep an eye out for a copy of the book/s you suggested. Thanks again Mark

Long shot but, does anyone know which engine served the locomotives operating on Willenhall Stafford Street Station under the LMS?

The signal box is 50% complete ! Pictures to follow Mark

Success !!! I got in touch with Willenhall History Society, fortunately, somebody had already researched this location and the society were kind enough to give me a copy. I now have pages of information, including many photographs I have never seen. I even have a picture shot from inside the signal box. Many thanks to all those that were kind enough help me on this topic. Mark K

I can only imagine Don, it was all gone before I was born.

Biketosteam, Donb, many thanks for the links you suggested. I did not know of either of these sites. They have been helpful, I now have an idea if the track bed for the traversing crane. It also helped to see the yard layout from the period I am intending to model, the only other map I had seen was from 1901. Thanks again guys! Mark

I schooled at Little London junior school late 70's early 80's, the station was long since gone. You could still make out the footprint of the station and platforms. I can recall taking a short cut across the yard on my way home and climbing the remaining signal, which is still there, although all that remains is the pole and half the ladder. What a fantastic experience it must have been to hear, see, smell the working engines in the yard, which must have been no more than four or five hundred yards away. Such a shame so little has been recorded for prosperity. But maybe, just maybe, it might live on if I manage to model it

Mark A, I might take you up on your offer of assistance with the National Archives. I have a good idea of the track plan from the internet and a book I have. I am going to go one of two ways, model the goods shed assuming Wednesfield station (a station further down the line) has a same or similar goods shed to that of Willenhall, or dig deeper in the archives in hope of unearthing photographs from that particular side of the goods yard. There are a number of photographs of Wednesfield goods shed available and I may model it on that. Mark F, Many thanks for offering to look through your books, any new images on this particular location would be a bonus. Mark K

Biketosteam, Ned has a website of which looks quite up to date. I have emailed him with a request for info. Thanks again Mark

Hi Mark, thanks again. I have a sneaky feeling that the reference to Willenhall you found in the National archives refers to Willenhall Coventry. Appreciate the assistance.

Mark, biketosteam, many thanks for both of your replies. I purchased 'Wolverhampton to Stafford including Walsall' by Vic Mitchell recently, it contained some photographs that I hadn't seen before. I didn't realise the yard had a travelling crane until now. I could really do with knowing the approximate size of the goods shed and signal box dimensions at this stage. The goods shed looks huge when referring to the map. I am pretty sure the signal box is a type 2b and was in use from conception of the railway. Knowing the footprint of these buildings would really speed up the design process of the layout. Mark

Hi all, I am new to the forum and hope that I have posted in the correct topic. I have returned to the hobby after a decade or so and want to have a go at modelling a real location. I would like to model Willenhall Stafford Street, which was part of the Midland region post 1948. The station closed to passengers in 1931 but remained a very busy goods yard until the end of steam. I wondered if anybody has any photographs of this location. The internet is very limited. Thanks in advance.