Louis Heath describes this large layout from the P4 Group of the Merseyside Model Railway Society.
Construction of this fairly large continuous layout was commenced by the P4 Group of the Merseyside Model Railway Society in the summer of 1980. The layout was exhibited until 1995 when it was put up for sale and eventually purchased by the Historical Model Railway Society for display in their proposed new Museum and Study Centre on the Midland Railway Trust site at Butterley, where it is currently maintained and operated by a select band of volunteer members.
The CLC was a joint railway with 147 route miles operated by the GNR, MR and MS&LR and their successors. In the post Grouping period modelled, ownership became 1/3 LMSR and 2/3 LNER. In 1929, the CLC’s wagon stock was divided between the LMS (1//3) and the LNER (2/3) and subsequently painted in their liveries. On Nationalisation in 1947 the CLC became part of the London Midland Region of British Railways.
Plemsworth is a fictitious station somewhere on the CLC line between Northwich and Chester Northgate and the aim is to represent the traffic on the line between 192 9 and 1930. The station buildings are based on Mouldsworth and Delamere. Motive power originally consisted of antiquated ex-MS&LR and ex- GCR locos in early LNER livery, which hauled local passenger and mineral trains.