Stoke Summit - OO gauge

An Exhibition Main Line

The Location

Stoke Summit is the top of the famous bank in Lincolnshire where trains begin their descent, achieving the fastest speeds on record. Indeed, it was down this stretch of line in 1938 where Mallard achieved her ultimate record for steam traction, 126 mph.

Situated between Peterborough and Grantham, this very fast stretch was the final part (before the Selby diversion) of the East Coast Mainline to be opened, bypassing the original Peterborough - Boston - Lincoln - Doncaster section of the old Great Northern Railway.

Passing through gentle, rolling Lincolnshire countryside it is still very rural today, though all the beautiful mechanical signalling has gone, the signal box has been demolished and overhead catenary infests the scene. Stoke Tunnel and the Burton Coggles farm overbridge are still extant, reminding us of the vernacular building styles adopted by our original independent railways.

Steam Period

What is depicted represents the time scale 1957 - 1964, the most interesting period when steam was being replaced by diesel. Contemporary photographs, O.S. maps and our own site pictures and observations were used as a basis.

Diesel Period

Though still popular on the exhibition circuit as a steam/early diesel period layout, Stoke Summit can now be presented with trains operated entirely by diesel locos.

Unlike the West Coast Main Line (Euston – Manchester and Liverpool originally) the East Coast Main Line was not electrified in the sixties, thus retaining much of its LNER/BR(E) infrastructure until the late seventies. This included overbridges, other associated structures and mechanical signalling. Indeed, at Stoke the signalling remained intact until 1975, with the box lasting a little longer. Thus we can present Stoke Summit entirely accurately with blue TOPS numbered diesels and air-braked blue/grey corporate-image stock together with the survivors of the maroon period.
What can be seen is a succession of diesel loco-operated trains, mostly specially constructed new trains, along with a few from the late steam era. These range from prototype one-offs representing the beginning of dieselisation, moving on to green locos and the maroon stock right through to production deltics in blue, present at the end of our timescale. The full period depicted will be from 1961/1962 until 1975 – slightly anomalous we know, but all the locos haul appropriate stock and an attempt is made not to have two trains passing of inappropriate time periods.

The model took two years to build.

The Model

Main line - four tracks reducing to two to pass through the tunnel, designed for 'Watching the Trains Go By'.

Dimensions 30' x 11', the scenic section is along one side as shown on the plan, although it can be presented in the round if necessary.