Warley 2011
The Broom Junc. team seen receiving the LMS Society Warley Trophy, are L-R as follows: John Parry, Andy Beaton, John Seward receiving the trophy from David Hunt (Chairman, LMS Society) Paul Jones (Exhibition Manager) and Simon Stanley
The 2011 winners of the LMS Society's Trophy at the Warley Model Railway exhibition held at the NEC Birmingham on Sat-Sun 19/20 November, was adjudged to be the Warley club's 'Broom Junction' layout, which was operated throughout the exhibition in the LMS period. Modelled on a realistic single track line, it performed to a high standard commensurate with it portraying a busy LMS country branch location, and as will be seen in one of the pictures, coal trains were one of the mainstays for this branch.
The Judges comments - "A number of layouts were set in the LMS 1923-48 period, and they, along with a variety of eligible high standard individual LMS locomotive and rolling stock exhibits, were therefore eligible for the LMS Society Warley Trophy. David Hunt and Nelson Twells looked around 'everything LMS' several times on both days, before comparing notes, and deciding that the Warley Clubs' ex-MR & SMJR Broom Junc. layout had all the necessary characteristics they believed necessary for an award winning layout....quality modelling, accuracy of layout and models to prototype, realistically operated, and overall presentation to the public."
The judges also stated, that the general standard seen on LMS layouts, and in many individual LMS exhibits, including individual rolling stock items, was to a generally high overall standard, and all were in serious contention for the LMS Society award.
The faithfully modelled to scale length, Broom Junction station in Warwickshire, on the Midland line from Barnt Green in the north, to Evesham, at the junction with the Stratford-on-Avon and Midland Junction line to Stratford.
GWR lines were only a short distance Broom, and the presence of one of that Company's motor vans seen leaving the station yard, was likely to have happened in the LMS period.
The layout has a good stretch of track, allowing realistic length trains to be run, as this ex-LNWR 0-8-0 is seen heading towards the station area.
The real Broom Junction on 8th September 1949
