Smethurst Junction

This layout depicts a small suburban branch line with a terminus station and freight depots and is loosely set in North-east Manchester from the 1990's to the present day.

Smethurst is located at the junction between the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway line from Manchester Victoria and the Midland Railway's line from Philips Park, and is located in the Medlock valley, east of Manchester. Heading east from Smethurst, the Midland Railway line continued into Oldham where it joined up with the Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge lines just outside the town. At the end of steam the line was truncated at Smethurst and traffic for the wire-works factory became the sole user of the remaining ex-L&Y line. In later years the former Midland lines and lower yard sidings were abandoned towards Philips Park.

As the urbanisation of the Smethurst area increased so did the demands on the transport network and after many years of campaigning, a new station was opened at Smethurst to cater for local populace in 1991. The track layout at Smethurst Junction was rationalised and simplified to accomodate the new station and the sidings which had now been created from the former Midland lines. The lower yard sidings were used to stable locomotives between duties in the area. Smethurst level crossing was abolished and replaced by a new road bridge just to the west.

Frequent passenger services are provided by a variety of Diesel Multiple Units operating to and from Manchester Victoria and beyond, whilst inbound freight traffic is received and dispatched to and from theWire Works factory. The Civil engineers department uses the other sidings for storage of ballast and spoil wagons and ocasionally track machines. Additional freight traffic uses the loop lines to run round and gain access to another freight terminal further along the line towards Manchester.

The layout is now essentially complete and only a few minor scenic items need to be completed. The next tasks will be to apply a suitable Pennine hills vista onto the backscene boards with urban sprawl in the foreground followed by the addition of working colour-light signalling to control the trains. This layout has now attended several local model railway exhibitions and is available for future exhibitions.

Last changed: 26th February 2007

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