7mm Leek Station & associated loco and stock kit builds - the Churnet Valley Line

[The Churnet Line]

Hello all, I thought it was time to show some of my project work now that I retired with time on my hands, my interest is based on the North Stafford Lines in early BR times with model focus being on stock associated with Stoke, Macclesfield and Uttoxeter depots with the Churnet Valley route and branches. I'd like to keep this as an ongoing thread covering past, present and future builds both steam and diesel mainly centered around the late 1950's to early mid 1960's before the closures to freight and passenger traffic.

To get a flavour of things here is a photo of Leek station taken by the late John Burgess with one of the newly allocated 104 units to Macclesfield Hibel Road in 1959, this would be a PR service to test public awareness of the new changing times. The DMU would be working an Up service from Macc to Uttoxeter.
photo copywrite Ian Burgess Collection.



This is a Scorpio 9F I purchased at Guildex Stafford in 2023, 92138 was often a visitor to Stoke 5D during the mid to end of steam 1960's. The bridge is scratch made from scrap etch brass offcuts and is of a typical design found on the Churnet route.



Anyway thanks for looking and if folk would like me to post more I am happy to share.

cheers Paul

 

[Dave Holt]

Paul.
Your model looks very nice indeed. Please do post more. Your chosen period is my favourite, so the more the merrier.
Dave.

 

[The Churnet Line]

Paul.
Your model looks very nice indeed. Please do post more. Your chosen period is my favourite, so the more the merrier.
Dave.

Yes thank you Dave, I will post more images but didn't want to flood the group unneccessarily as I am new to posting here. As a heads up I have a David Andrews 2-6-4 Stanier tank, a Gladiator 8F and three Sidellines LMS Period 2 and 3 non corridor suburbans on my bench as well which folk may be interested to see.

 

[simond]

If you have photos, it’s safe to assume we’re interested!

 

[The Churnet Line]

Some time back now maybe about three years ago at least I cracked open a David Andrews kit of a Fowler 2-6-4tank with limo cab, a few of these were allocated to Stoke before being displaced by BR class 4 tender locos. The build was a straight forward enjoyable one with no complications and turned out well, so this kit represented 42418 which ended its days I believe at Bescot. Photographed here on a short display diorama prior to painting and lining out.




Still not fitted builders or smokebox number plates yet but this view shows 42418 on the Down platform at Leek with a stopping train for Macclesfield Hibel Road... this is pretty much how things would have looked nearly seventy years ago. The still to be completed coach is a Sidelines kit of an LMS Period 3 Brake Third... a Period 3 nine compartment Third and a Period 2 Composite will complete the set once I get them back on my bench.

 

[The Churnet Line]

If you have photos, it’s safe to assume we’re interested!

Oh yes I have photos of all the builds and I'm happy to post them as folk wish... and thank you simond for your interest.

 

[Matt.S.]

Lovely work, looking forward to some further posts

 

[dibateg]

Looking forward to seeing more Paul!

 

[The Churnet Line]

Looking forward to seeing more Paul!

Lovely work, looking forward to some further posts

Thank you Gentlemen for your interest, I will post some progress build images of the Leek Station which has been or more to the point is being built using Plasticard sheet for the main structure and 3D resin print window, door frames, chimney capings, internal furniture, and other stuff... this is very much a work in progress. I recently bought an Easybuild BRCW class 104 three car kit(s) from Shawn Kay who called in to see the progress on the station build, so it might be nice to do a progress build on that too.

cheers Paul

 

[The Churnet Line]

I have built several Scorpio Transport Age kits and by far the best and most enjoyable ones were the Brittania and the 9F kits both of which were reworked as virtually new designs by the late Dave Ennis. Instructions for both engine builds are comprehensive and inform the builder well, however some lateral thinking is required and the firebox washout plugs are a good example of this. Both kits come with pre turned brass washout plugs which do do the job but there could be a tendancy to fit them incorrectly by fitting them in from the outside of the firebox wrapper sheet instead of aligning and soldering into place from the inside of the wrapper... (as I did sadly with my Brit 70010 Owen Glendower). The following photos show what I mean and if this helps other builders then please feel free to use this technique too.

This is the left side firebox wrapper with scratch made washout plugs fitted... not the easiest job to align but once fitted with plumbing and under paint will not be so bad. The plugs were made using 1mm square rod inserted into Slater's wagon bearings filed open at the ends.



A pack of these will do.


With the closed ends of each bearing filed open to allow the 1mm rod to enter a quick dab of solder to fix both together does the trick... I didn't cut the rod at this stage as it was left on to locate the plug over the opening on the firebox wrapper. A lengthy job but with authentic results as the plugs are now set at a near correct depth inside the firebox wrapper.


And this is how the plugs look once the firebox has been fabricated and fitted out with associate plumbing.