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Stoke Summit - Wolverhampton MRC


Andy Y

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Shall we approach them then? However, could you put up with loads of rivet counters stomping through your shed commenting on the fact that the shed is the wrong colour or they thought they were visiting the home of M.Thatcher?

Best avoid this idea I think?
P

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On reflection No Phil.

I was at Retford (The model) when some ungrateful moron complained that there was not enough food to go around. Our host provided it for free and allowed us the hospitality of his home and that was the gratitude he was shown !!!

No !!   I would not be able to stomach that for sure.

I believe although I can't confim this, that at a later Gathering of Invited Guests (for want of a better expression) an item was stolen. If that is fact they deserve their hands chopping off.This by a so called friend, like you need enemies.

Can't comment on Mrs T as that is somewhat political, but I would have given her a piece of my Garden with pleasure had she chosen to use it.

Regards,Derek.

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Shame I'm sure that there are many, many folk who'd love to own it. Space most probably the issue....

 

Agreed, if it were mine I'd love to update it to early 90's period, OHLE and shiny Intercity 225s pounding those tracks!

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Agreed, if it were mine I'd love to update it to early 90's period, OHLE and shiny Intercity 225s pounding those tracks!

 

Thats what I would have done as well (or present day) which no doubt would have upset a whole lot of people!

 

There were over 170 watchers. Shame I'm sure that there are many, many folk who'd love to own it. Space most probably the issue....

 

Space and the price I would say plus transport.  I suspect if the starting bid had been lower it would have attracted more attention and would have eventually gone for the higher price.

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A couple of years ago, before deciding on my present layout plan, I'd have bought this using a small loan. I know it appears 'expensive' but if you are as bad as me at wiring it would have been worth it. OK so it would have been 'modified' to go in the loft but hey.........

The time it would have taken me to produce something to this standard would have been ....well I just wouldn't have achieved it.

If you think that this is maybe 10 DCC loco's worth of layout then it don't seem too bad really.....

If the plan had been to exhibit, it would have been interesting. However, expanding the 'time scale' would have been the way I'd have added a fresh approach. I'd have gone for mid 50s to pre Electrification (no sign of any prep for OHL infrastructure) and invited folk to run their stock if it were up to the required standard for exhibitions (and I say that without reservation).

I do hope someone goes for it.

Phil

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I also wonder if the starting price had anything to do with it.

Alan,

         It might well have done. Was it £1,500? I didn't look.

 

If it were £1,500, that's reasonable in my opinion. Granted, with 70-odd shows under its belt since 1997 it's hardly 'new', but I can say it was exceptionally well-built from 9mm, top-quality birch ply, the supervision being done by a carpentry lecturer. No fudged-up 2 x 1 and Sundela (is that the right spelling?) or chipboard, and not flat-earth either. The wiring, too, was properly done, planned properly by someone who knew what he was doing and fixed by guys who could solder - properly. Trackwork was hand-built on the front on the fast lines (flat bottom rail and wooden sleepers) and SMP on the slows. Fiddle yard trackwork is Peco Code 100 live-frog (for durability), with the 'Vs' tightened up by using an etched insert. Since I laid all the fiddle yard trackwork (and laid and ballasted all the scenic-side as well) and soldered all the droppers, I'm relying on memory as to how much track was needed. There are at least 40 points and over 200 yards of plain track. All points are independently switched via micro-switches, the stock rails and switch rails are permanently bonded and the points are fired by Peco point motors, route setting being achieved by an electric pencil, a diode matrix and an extremely powerful CDU. Only two points needed replacement during the layout's exhibition life - these were lifted and repaired - which says a lot for the durability of the fiddle yard track.

 

Though hardly likely to win any prizes for scenic or architectural modelling, it's got a scratch-built signal box by Pat Ryan, a scratch-built tunnel mouth by me, a scratch-built bridge by Norman Turner, five, part scratch-built signals by Rob Kinsey and over a 100 trees made by Stuart Brasier. 

 

It all still works perfectly, comes complete with all wiring and control equipment (apart from two umbilical controllers for the front), is free-standing and is still in excellent condition. If it is £1,500, then that sounds good value to me. This is not a sales pitch, by the way, but it sounds a bit like it, I admit!

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£1500 is good value.  My 14 x 8 shed has consumed several hundred pounds of materials already, and I'm not even at track laying stage yet!

 

On the other hand, I wouldn't chose to buy Stoke Summit for two reasons.  Firstly, it's too big for any space I'm ever likely to have - and that's a deal breaker right there.  Secondly, it's a lot of layout that doesn't offer me much interest for home use.  It was great seeing it at a show - I spent quite some time watching a parade of realistic Eastern region trains - but for a home layout I want something more than just a parade of passing trains.

 

I was hoping one of the model railway museums would snap it up, but I have to say that without the parade of accurate ER trains, what would be the point?  It was the brillaintly realised sense of time and place that was the magic of Stoke Summit for me.  The trains and the landscape are completely interwoven.

 

All it lacked was the smell of creosote and the illusion of a hot summers day train-spotting would have been complete.

 

And as for those of you suggesting it should be OHLE equipped and modernised!  For shame!  ;)

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As has been alluded to by others, the problem is someone having all of the following:

a.) The money to buy it

b.) The space to store it / run it

c.) The stock to run on it

d.) The desire to buy a layout rather than build one

 

I have b and I am unsure on d, but i have very little of a or c, and I'm sure most other people will be similar, but everyone might well have the letters in different orders.

 

Having said that, I can't help be feeling there must be someone, somewhere that it would work for

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Some excellent comments.

 

I'm glad folk have appreciated what the layout set out to achieve - a 'stage' on which the 'stars' (the trains) could perform. It was built entirely with exhibiting in mind, and to a single operator at home, with regard to 'interest' in operation, it doesn't really fit the bill (though I'd still find it infinitely more exciting than the dozens of shunting planks that are constructed).

 

When I had my shed built, I considered retiring Stoke Summit here. It would have been permanently installed, and I'd have cut off the backscene to just above the land height and driven the trains from outside (with a mate inside operating the fiddle yard). I'd got most of the appropriate trains anyway, but I wanted a constructional project to get stuck into for my 'retirement', and, as mentioned, Stoke really 'works' at exhibitions. But, for those who want a big layout ready-made, might it fit the bill?

 

As for those who'd 'futurise' it (though there really is no such word), you'd have to demolish the 'box, move the leads for the fast/slow lines at least a scale half a mile further south, fit a triangular top to the bridge and make the whole scene just about invisible by 'planting' the thickest undergrowth (overgrowth?) and mature trees everywhere!

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I'm still trying to persuade somebody to take the plunge !

He has a ready made room for it, has an interest in that particular part of the world, lives about half an hour away from the location, and knows one of the builders.

I will have to work on him a bit harder!

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I would have definitely pitched in to purchase Stoke Summit if this had been in N Guage having seen the layout in Glasgow. Unfortunately I just don't have the space or garage large enough to accommodate 30ft x 8ft 6". I'm very surprised that the layout failed to attract a serious £1,500 bid on eBay which was a steal in my opinion.

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On reflection No Phil.

I was at Retford (The model) when some ungrateful moron complained that there was not enough food to go around. Our host provided it for free and allowed us the hospitality of his home and that was the gratitude he was shown !!!

No !!   I would not be able to stomach that for sure.

I believe although I can't confim this, that at a later Gathering of Invited Guests (for want of a better expression) an item was stolen. If that is fact they deserve their hands chopping off.This by a so called friend, like you need enemies.

Can't comment on Mrs T as that is somewhat political, but I would have given her a piece of my Garden with pleasure had she chosen to use it.

Regards,Derek.

 

That, I understand, is true, Roy was somewhat annoyed by it.

As for complaining about lack of food............................

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On reflection No Phil.

I was at Retford (The model) when some ungrateful moron complained that there was not enough food to go around. Our host provided it for free and allowed us the hospitality of his home and that was the gratitude he was shown !!!

No !!   I would not be able to stomach that for sure.

I believe although I can't confim this, that at a later Gathering of Invited Guests (for want of a better expression) an item was stolen. If that is fact they deserve their hands chopping off.This by a so called friend, like you need enemies.

Can't comment on Mrs T as that is somewhat political, but I would have given her a piece of my Garden with pleasure had she chosen to use it.

Regards,Derek.

 

This is precisely why my ECML layout which is in the planning, shall be very much a home layout, which shall be open to friends/operators only. It's wonderful how Roy opens his house up and disgusting how disrespectful people can be. Did Roy ever get the stolen items back?

 

Great news if you can secure something Phil!

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Tom,

not as far as I am aware.

Roy has every right to be annoyed,it is the lowest of low to do something like that when you have been invited to someones home.

 

Phil,

For once I have to disagree with you over the price for Stoke Summit, the baseboards are from Top Quality Plywood ,made by a Lecturer in Carpentry and they would cost about £1500 these days.Then there is the fact that this is a layout to Drool over and it's ready to set up and play with Operate.

 

I hope it does get to find a good new home.

 

Regards,Derek.

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