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Leeds Model Railway - Goods. In 1949 the Leeds Model Company introduced their first ever boxed train set. The set pictured has all the cardboard pieces, including the ones protecting the 'Metalway' track.

On the inside (left) of the set box lid there are instructions how to lay and connect the track. Also some suggestions for enlarged layouts.

A postcard was included with each set (right), to get the official guarantee. The owner of this set never bothered to put in on the post, although LMC already provided the stamp.

A small, Kirdon made, simplified 'PARPAK/3' rectifier and speed controller was available in conjunction with the train sets offered in the 1950's. These units were finished in black crinkle paint and neatly packaged in brown mock leatherette boxes matching the packaging of the LMC train sets.

At its peak, the inventory of the Leeds Model Company production numbered a staggering 4.000 parts. Here you can see two original pre-war boxes (right) of railway chairs (PW/5), one box still sealed. The box on the left is for the same item, but a late post war Ellemsee box. From the mid 1950s onwards only the Ellemsee name was used.

From 1949 locos could be bought with a built-in smoke apparatus as in the B.R. 0-4-0 (LD/10/S) (left). The smoke was generated in a die cast box fitted in the loco cabs. The box had an inlet and a outlet port: the inlet connected to a cylinder fitted to the mechanism, the outlet port was connected to the loco chimney.

The loco was supplied with a box of a dozen bottles smoke oil, a funnel and a glass extension (right).

AO/32: Miniature Automatic Machines. 1924-32.

These are the original station accessories supplied by LMC. The set contained (starting from the left): a Weighing machine, a Platform Ticket machine, a Nestle's Milk machine, a Name-Plate machine, a Pillar box and a Multi Sweet, Cigarette and Match machine. All the casting have an embossed 'LMC' on the back. The machines are strapped to a replica insert.

L/12: Constructional Set No. 11 Kit (left) of the L.N.E.R. 0-6-2 tank body from the second series and made under the 'Ellemsee' name, dating it post-1953 (Hans van Dissel collection).

L/49: Constructional Set No. 19A (right). Complete set of metal parts and castings to produce a 6-wheeled tender. This set is also branded 'Ellemsee'. The original owner started on the kit by soldering the axle boxes to the side frames, but then left off (Hans van Dissel collection).

WOS/172: Set of Parts for Lithographed N.E. Box Van, 1929-1938/39.

Most of the litho wagons could also be bought as a set of parts. In the past the owner only used the paper lithos from this set, so a copy of a litho set is shown with these original parts. The solebar lithos are missing. The paper packet contains the nails.

SD/5: Upper Quadrant Distant Signal, 5 inch post, 1948-59.

SH/7: Upper Quadrant Home Signal, 7 inch post, 1948-59.

SD/7: Upper Quadrant Distant Signal, 7 inch post, 1948-59.

AO/31: Rail End Buffer Stop, 1934-59.

SPO/48/10: Lever Frame Constructional Kit, 10 levers, 1949-53 (left).

AO/33: Water Column, 1932-59 (right).

Locos and rolling stock were packed in plain cardboard boxes, with a label. Left a R.F. Stedman & Co box for a locomotive and right a LMC Litho format Coach box with an early label. The box content was frequently identified on one end with a handwritten description, at other times a rubber stamp was used. Below right a later Coach box label.

Acknowlegments

Much of the information on this site came from David Peacock who runs The Leeds Stedman Trust. The trust was established in 1983 to keep the archives of The Leeds Model Company and R.F. Stedman and Co. The trust provides a service of spares, repairs and technical advice to LMC enthusiasts and continues to promote interest in and appreciation for the products of LMC. In 2011 the trust also published the book 'The Leeds Model Company 1912-2012: The first one hundred years' by David Peacock. This book can be ordered from the website.

The original LMC catalogues are also a good source of information. Have a look at the LMC catalogue archive of Wilbert Swinkels, with an overview of most of the catalogues and prices lists produced by LMC.

The LMC pages of Ramsay's British Model Trains Catalogue, compiled by Pat Hammond and published by Warners Group Publications, are also a source of information on the range of LMC which was used for this website.

The LMC pages of Collectors Guide to Model Railways, by J. Joyce and published by Argus Books Ltd. in 1977, are also used as a source of information for this website.

Locomotives  Coaches  Wagons   Other