Sumner-Brook

Best in show Stockport 2007 The "Midwinter Trophy" awarded to the Model at the Stockport exhibition in May 2007

Sumner-Brook is the name for this layout formerly called Whitbury. The change of name is to honour it's founder David Sumner who passed away suddenly on the 8th of November 2002. It is the replacement for our "Modern Image" model called Kirkfield which was sold after many exhibition visits. The model was ready for exhibition by March 2006, a year later than originally planned and made it debut at our own exhibition which that year was held at Champness hall in Rochdale. It proved to be a crowd puller and was always surrounded by onlookers over the two days of the show. From that show it received an invite to attend at Worsley later in 2006 and it was also shown at the Heywood Trinity church charity event that the group ran in the June of 2006. It was next exhibited at our March 2007 event in the Heywood Civic Centre and again proved to be very popular with the visitors to the show. In May of 2007 it was again exhibited, this time at the Stockport and District Show where it was awarded the accolade of "Best in Show" (see the trophy above). It also received many favorable comments from the visitors who spent a lot of time watching the busy display of trains running through the station. The construction of this model to the high standard that lead to the award was greatly assisted by the grant to the group from the Rochdale Community Fund based at Beswick St Manchester, which allowed us to afford quality materials throughout the building without having to cut corners. There is still plenty of work to do though on this model. The most recent addition (2007) has been another lock in the canal scene where the water level and a barge are slowly rising and falling. It will be fitted with some colour light signalling in time which should enhance it even more and there are plans to completely rebuild the station platforms as the board joints are a little too visible at the moment. Below are some of the pictures taken during the construction of the layout and also some taken at events where it has been on show. Following our move to new premises (August 2010) it has been possible to continue work on Sumner-Brook which has been "off the road" for a year or two while our new modern image layout "Lostwood Bridge" was being constructed. There is now an additional track behind the station to allow shunting without tying up the main line loop and scenic improvements are also being carried out.

The viaduct taking shape with John Baker hard at work installing the stone facing. This is the first section of the layout to have scenic work done. The rest of the sections are stored away awaiting working space which should be available after our exhibition.

Another view of the viaduct now that it has been covered in stone faced Plasti-card and weathered slightly. Also in view are some of the arches that lead up to the station entrance (yet to be built)

Dave, Les and Roger paint brushes in hand putting a coat of priming colour on the base before the ballast is laid.

Looking down what will be the front of the layout with the track layout through the station clearly seen. The station will have two platforms with the 4 main lines running through between them. At the far end will be a re-fueling depot (left) and a cement works (right)

A view looking up the set of canal locks that are being built by Graham, one of the team involved with this layout. The locks will be on the viaduct end of the layout.

The diesel refueling depot under construction at the left hand end of the layout using the body of an old "Tanker" wagon. Pipes are constructed from electrical cable glued into place and painted.

Again at the far left of the layout a "Aggregate" works is under construction. Apart from the Hopper towers which were part of a kit, the rest of the works is being scratch built from bits of plastic and cassette tape..

Platforms and some scenery are beginning to improve the appearance of the station area at the front of the layout. Still plenty to be done but we are getting there.

The latest scenic addition is the cut price motor repair shop by the viaduct. this is at the right hand end of the layout

The station area is now showing signs of being almost completed. The line of pylons under construction can be seen running along the back, and the road leading up to the station is being marked out. Les can be seen in the distance with paint tin in hand giving a coat of "Midland Red" to the baseboard edges.

The complete layout seen at the 2006 exhibition in the Champness Hall where it all ran very well for its first full session of intense operating

The changes made to the station approach with the canopy over the existing building. Some of the original people are still to be put back in position and name-boards installed on the ends.

Progress on the station platforms is now almost complete. The canopies on the platform and the ones over the entrance are actually from Roger Bottomley's junk box, being very old "Triang" items!! Having been painted to remove the plastic look and they fit very well here. Lighting has also been fitted and another lamp on each platform will be added when our favorite model shop gets more stocks in. Also on this picture the uprights for the overhead lights can be seen. A big improvement on illuminating the layout.

A view of the left hand end of the layout showing the refueling depot with the pylon wires behind going down to the sub station. Further back can be seen the stone and gravel works with a row of wagons loaded and ready to go. This picture was taken when the model was at an exhibition in Worsley 2006.

The station area has now been rebuilt and totally refurbished with new platforms and supports for the canopies. It is seen here at the Hazel Grove exhibition in October 2007

Sumner-Brook is available for other exhibitions if requested. To book this layout for your show please contact a committee member of the Heywood Model Railway Group. John Essex

Keep checking this page for updates.

This page updated 26th August 2010