The Midland Area Group

Co-ordinated by George Brodie T 0115 840 1756

Report by Emma Haywood

Located at the HMRS Museum and Study Centre, we have two layouts: Dewsbury Goods, now a fixed layout co-ordinated by George Brodie, and the Ellerton Road exhibition layout, co-ordinated by Emma Haywood.

Dewsbury Goods has undergone a number of changes since it was separated from Dewsbury Main, which went to Warley. These include the provision of a high level line with a terminal station and fiddle yard arrangement as a backscene to the centrepiece goods yard. The structural work is complete, track construction started and the signalling finalised. The goods yard is undergoing a programme of track relaying and refurbishment.

Ellerton Road is being prepared for its next outing to the Derby Model Railway show in May, its first outing since winning the 2008 BRM award for the layout with the best track and signalling. Emma Haywood, Paul Stokes, Ron Pitts, and Wynne and Bob Essery attended the London Festival of Railway Modelling at Alexandra Palace on 28 March to collect the award on behalf of all the former East Staffs Group members.

Keeping true to the saying that a model railway is never finished, active planning has started to double the length of Ellerton Road by the construction of a colliery siding layout between the station and fiddle yard. It is planned to have the extended layout exhibited in the autumn of 2010.

We are always on the look-out for members to get involved with both layouts. For details of meetings at the HMRS, please contact George Brodie in the first instance. This is because the bulk of the work on tends to take place midweek, whilst the former East Staffs Group meet on designated Saturdays to work on Ellerton Road.