SHMRC

South Hants Model Railway Club

Edge Hill - London Midland Region Motive Power Depot

Edge Hill by Paul Segar (4mm scale, EM gauge)

About Edge Hill MPD

Those familiar with LMS matters will instantly recognise Edge Hill as the principal steam shed for the Liverpool area, serving Lime Street station and the large freight yards nearby. Edge Hill was a massive shed, so impractical to model in its entirety, but the area occupied by the loco servicing facilities was fairly compact. It was separated from the main shed by a pair of high-level freight lines, and constrained on other sides by another set of freight lines and the main lines leading from Lime Street heading south, forming a triangular area. Facilities included a turntable, two ash-handling plants, watering facilities and a large coaling plant.

The area was dominated by the coaling plant, which was to a unique ferro-concrete design, built by the LNWR in 1912. Unlike later LMS designs, where coal wagons were hoisted up to the coaling bunkers, it had a spur from one of the adjacent freight lines, which ran on an elevated concrete bridge structure onto the top of the coaling plant. Specially-built coal hoppers were hauled by capstan up a slope of 1 in 50 on top of the bunkers, and after discharging, ran down under gravity into the adjacent road.

The turntable was a 60ft Cowans Sheldon type, also installed around 1912, and fitted with vacuum tractor in LMS/BR days. The two ash handling plants were lattice girder types designed and installed by the LMS in the 1930s.

About the layout

The layout was built for the EM Gauge Society 60th Anniversary competition, and first exhibited at expoEM North, September 2015. It is constructed on a single baseboard, 5’ x 1’6”, including fiddle yard, as per the competition rules. 

Given the compact nature of the prototype, it was found that the key elements of the servicing facilities could be accommodated almost to scale, with only small compromises, and a prototype track plan was used as the basis for a Templot diagram. Trackwork is C&L, with pointwork built using 0.8mm ply sleepers and functional plastic chairs. All points are driven by servos, controlled by an Arduino microcontroller. 

The coaling plant and its approach bridge were designed in CAD to produce a kit of parts laser-cut in MDF. 

The 60’ turntable is constructed from a laser-cut Rowmark and ply deck with a turned MDF pit, and is powered by a direct-drive dc motor and gearbox.

Exhibition Managers Notes

Please note that, with Paul’s permission, we have chosen to keep these layout details on our website, even though Paul has formally left the club having moved to the Bristol area.

Contact: Paul Segar
Email:

  • Model: 5’ x 1’6”
  • Space required: 8’ x 6’
  • One table and chair required – a space of at least 4’ behind the layout (included in 8′ x 6′) is for the stock maintenance table
  • Two operators.
  • Operated from behind,  the layout is diorama style with built-in LED lighting. It is self-supporting and. track height is 48”
  • Transport: the layout normally travels in 1 car with 2 operators
  • Insurance valuation: £6000

Edge Hill image carousel

Where to see Edge Hill

No exhibition appearances currently booked