Sutton Dock

[t-b-g]

This is the link to the original topic:

 

http://www.rmweb.co....ck/page__st__50

 

I can't show you the original trackplan because one was never drawn! The overall size is 6' 6" by 1' 3", of which the scenic section takes up 4' 3" and the fiddle yard the remaining 2' 3" (No metres here, yet!).

 

This is the last entry on the thred, copied and pasted, so I hope it all works:-

 

Well, the end is near and I must face the final deadline........

 

To sum up Sutton Dock is quite easy. I had a dream and built it, with some very good help from a good friend, Ken Hill. In terms of modelling techniques, it doesn't push back any boundaries but it has proved to be an enjoyable little sideline between bigger projects. There hasn't been much progress since the show in Halifax and there may now not be very much for a while. I now have bigger fish to fry (that is a very poor fish dock joke, so I apologise...) and am in the middle of a proper shed building project. Once again, that wouldn't have happened without help from good friends. When that is completed, there is a layout waiting to go in it that will take much of my modelling time for the foreseeable future and I am really excited about it.

 

We have exhibited "Sutton Dock" three times now and I have to say that I have thouroughly enjoyed every one. Although limited operationally, the layout works well (not a lot to go wrong!) and it has created a lot of interest at shows. It is surprising how many folk have gone away with plans to build something like it and one or two have even asked me if I would be willing to part with it. The answer is not yet but maybe one day. There has even been a bit of talk about Sutton Dock becoming attached to Geoff Kent's "Blakeney" as there is a track through the end of that one, which is known as the "dock branch" and Geoff had ideas about building a quayside one day. So further development may be on the back burner but is not out of the picture altogether.

 

What has made the project quite exciting this last two shows was the opportunity to operate locos and stock from the "Buckingham branch" built by the late Rev. Peter Denny. All of a sudden our sleepy little layout had something that really did cause a stir at shows and we always seemed to have an appreciative crowd around the layout.

 

Although there remains much detail to be added to the layout, which may still get done if I get a few quite moments, it is closing day for the layout challenge so here are some recent shots, showing the layout, complete with "Denny" locos and stock, along with the fiddle yard, which was built with a display on the front.

 

As for including the "5". well the pub is called the "Five Jolly Fishermen" and the shed is "Sutton Fisheries No 5 Wharf" so I hope that the number is there but in a fairly subtle manner.

 

It just remains for me to thank Ken and all the others who have encouraged the project along with kind words of support and helpful information.