Well it has been sometime but there has been movement in the camp, so to speak.

I have been able to secure an area at my farm to build a replica of Liverpool.

The total size will be 20m x 10 m.

My aim is to have all the points in Liverpool Yard inter-locked, for simplicity, with all signals connected to the frame, on one side of the layout, and then a staging yard and loco depot, on the other side, maybe a scaled down Enfield with one of the round-houses. The layout will be DCC only.

The next stage is to decide on how the layout will be built. Will I use L girder, a flat baseboard, or something else?

I am sure this weekend's model railway exhibition at Liverpool will give me inspiration.

After this weekend, I intend to commence the design phase and use SCARM to design the layout. I will be using Peco Code 75 track, except for one point in the yard, which was a unique 3 -way point. This will be hand-built. Using code 75 allows me for faster trackwork construction.

Development of Track Plans (courtesy of ARHS)

 

When the line was opened in 1856, it was single line from Dog Trap Road and unfortunately, no plans exist.

The earliest plan that does exists dates from 1888,

When duplication reached Liverpool, another platform was added and it became Platforms 2/3.

 You will note that the signal box was located on Platform 1.

 The next major development was the construction of the Holdsworthy Line. To provide better viewing of the new line, the signal box was relocated to the northern end of Platforms 2/3.

In 1924, the yard was modified again.

In 1929, electrification reached Liverpool and the signaling in the yard was modified,

In 1943, the yard was modified again, and it basically remained in this condition until 1956, when the Collingwood Woollen Siding was disconnected from the Down Siding, and then in 1968 when electrification was extended to Campbelltown. This plan shows Liverpool at its peak and this is the trackplan that I will be modelling on my next layout,