First Blog!

I am attempting to recreate a bit of my youth - 56C Copley Hill Shed as a OO model railway.

Copley Hill shed was an LNER shed. I remember visiting it - but never getting in.

It contained my favourite locos - A1s as well as A2, A3 and A4. Second favourite were the large bunkered J50/4 tank locos (Ardsley tanks), particularly 68988.

Copley Hill had 10 class A1 and at least 5 J50s

I want to recreate Copley Hill as it was from 1959 to 1963.

I currently have very little time ... but the photos will tell the story so far ... not that there is much to tell!

The first baseboard of a planned 6 has been populated with track.

I am working from a range of books and photos but have yet to get the plans for the 5 office buildings - though I haven't yet tried the Leeds archive at Sheepscar who may well have the plans for the Copley Hill site.

Have now done a template for the Great Northern carriage shed as a low relief, probably glue to card.

Next will cut the inspection pits in the shed and lay rail to the end of this first baseboard.

The last photo shows changes made to the carriage roads, and the baseboard now has legs and some holes drilled for wiring. (June 2010)

Here is a paper mock up of the GNER carriage shed. A much better card model has now been made ... a better one is to come.