LAYOUTS
In the early 1800s the bottom was dropping out of the Boot & Shoe manufacturing business, and Thomas Paley was almost bankrupt. Knowing that he had to find a new source of income he sold his boot & shoe business, and set out to prospect for treacle in the Pendle hills, knowing that several rich mines were already flourishing around Sabden & Rathmell. He had no luck with his treacle prospecting but discovered a large vein of good quality tapioca ore.
Thomas used what little cash he had left to build a tapioca mine. This later was extended to include a milling & processing works. It was found that if the tapioca was mixed with the locally extracted treacle a highly nourishing cattle cake could be produced. Further developments of this mixture, to make it fit for human consumption, saw it being formed into a sausage type of product. There was a big demand for these sausages and they were sold throughout the north in Thomas's cousin's chain of grocery shops. This was always referred to as "Black Pudding" and still remains a staple part of the diet in Lancashire.
The seam of tapioca ran out in the 1950s and little remains of the Pendle Ground Tapioca works now. There are still traces of the treacle mines around Sabden, which are being preserved as a tourist attraction.
This is actually three layouts in one, since it can be converted into:
Thomas used what little cash he had left to build a tapioca mine. This later was extended to include a milling & processing works. It was found that if the tapioca was mixed with the locally extracted treacle a highly nourishing cattle cake could be produced. Further developments of this mixture, to make it fit for human consumption, saw it being formed into a sausage type of product. There was a big demand for these sausages and they were sold throughout the north in Thomas's cousin's chain of grocery shops. This was always referred to as "Black Pudding" and still remains a staple part of the diet in Lancashire.
The seam of tapioca ran out in the 1950s and little remains of the Pendle Ground Tapioca works now. There are still traces of the treacle mines around Sabden, which are being preserved as a tourist attraction.
This is actually three layouts in one, since it can be converted into:
The Pendle Ground Tapioca Works
Owned by Mike Brown (‘G’ Scale Society)
A demonstration ‘G’ Scale Layout