Modelling Beverley

Flemingate, Beverley 

A 16 acre site, to the east of Beverley Minster is the location for a proposed mixed use redevelopment.

 

The land was originally occupied by Hodgson's tannery, a large leather goods business. The tannery closed in 1987 leaving only the chemical side of the business in operation. This would later become part of Clariant Chemicals.

 Part of the site was sold to become The Museum Of Army Transport. This housed, not only road vehicles but also locomotives, boats and even the last remaining Blackburn Beverley transport plane. Fifty of these aircraft were built in the 1950's at the nearby Brough airfield.

The museum closed in 2003 and the exhibits transferred elsewhere. Clariant, a Swiss company, closed it's specialist chemical works in 2005, transferring production to Selby.

Development of the eastern end of the site is already well under way with construction of 130 homes. The commercial development of 10 acres will include a new campus for East Riding College,  a five screen cinema and public hall, an hotel, offices and multi storey car par as well as a number of retail units and restaurants.

Construction of the context models at a location such as Beverley is an enjoyable challenge. Although I was called upon to build only simple block representations, the Minster without it's pinnacles and flying buttresses would have lacked interest. 

Here the model is seen from the West Front before painting. 

Another landmark is the railway station which features an overall roof and footbridge.

The train helps to animate the model. At 1:500 scale this is quite small!

The narrow streets of Beverley under construction.

New shopping and entertainment opportunities.