Minories (model railway)

Minories is a 'deceptively simple' design for a model railway layout, designed by C. J. Freezer. The design was first published in Railway Modeller in 1957 and it became a regular of Peco's many collected plans books afterwards. It is notable as an influential design, more than as a single instance of the model. The design was an attempt to model an interesting urban passenger terminus in the minimum space, allowing much opportunity for operating trains, rather than scenic modelling. Freezer was the editor of Railway Modeller and Minories, with its developments, made regular appearances throughout the years.

Its inspiration was the Metropolitan Railway low-level platforms within Liverpool Street station in London, although re-cast as a terminus. This station was set within a deep cutting in a dense urban environment. Similar station sites could be found in many UK cities.

Although primarily a passenger station, such stations commonly also had a bay platform for parcels, newspaper or mail traffic.

In the steam era a small terminus would also have facilities for changing and possibly watering locomotives. Trains would be hauled in by one locomotive that would then be uncoupled but remain trapped in the end of the platform line until the train departed in the opposite direction, hauled away by a fresh locomotive. The main locomotive depot would be at a suburban distance, to save on expensive city centre land. As tender locomotives avoid running backwards where possible, mid-size termini may have a small turntable as well, but coaling and ash-dropping would still be elsewhere. There may also be a small spur for a station pilot loco; which moved rakes of empty coaching stock to and from carriage sidings elsewhere, as needed to cope with extra rush hour traffic.

The purpose of the model was to provide a passenger terminus with opportunities for interesting operation of trains. It was also to fit within a small space, and to fold away even smaller for storage.

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