WIBDENSHAW   by Kier Hardy.

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Wibdenshaw is situated in the conurbation of West Yorkshire, and the layout portrays the approaches to a large station within an urban landscape.

The Midland Railway route from London to Carlisle would have passed through the centre of Wibdenshaw, if the plans to build the railway across the centre of Bradford had ever been completed. The M.R. finally abandoned the project in 1919, after part of it had been built as far as Dewsbury.

The planned route would have reduced the mileage and journey time between London St Pancras and Carlisle, and would have done away with the need to change direction and locomotives at Leeds.

The layout is set in the mid 1970’s, and a wide variety of stock can be seen which would have been prototypical for the era and the area portrayed. The stock resembles many of the different types of vacuum braked wagons and steam heated coaches, which were to be superseded by air braked and electric heat rolling stock in the 1980’s.

The approaches to the station have been modelled from the point where the Leeds lines and the Bradford lines diverge at Pudsey Junction. This has allowed the old locomotive sheds, parcels depot and goods depot to be featured, as well as the station itself, which gives much more operating potential.

A pair of type 2s are seen taking the Heally Mills snowploughs for a spin through Wibdenshaw.

Tinsley's 25002 is seen at Pudsey Junction stabling point in the company of a line up of shunters, headed by 03111. The class 25/0 is converted from a Bachmann 24, whilst the origin of the 03 is a detailed Mainline body on a High Level chassis kit.

The Wibdenshaw gallery is featured below - Please click on a thumbnail to view the larger image. Also click on the link at the bottom of the page to view more stock and layout pictures of Wibdenshaw.