Corporation Model Trams – East Lancs Model Tramway Supplies

Who are CMT?

Corporation Model Trams was started in 2017 by John Whitehouse and Matt Summers following a chance meeting and discussion at the Crich 2017 Model Exhibition. Matt had just started to use CAD design and 3D printing to produce a few specific Blackpool trams under the Matt Summers Trams brand and John was well versed in kit production through his resin ELMTS Kitchen Kits range. With a joint desire to really turn up the quality of Tramway Modelling, they agreed to join forces and so CMT was born.

“The CMT ethos is quite simple – we aim to produce the highest quality and accuracy tram kits possible. As such, we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible, with us already proving a number of people wrong (we like to prove people who say something isn’t possible wrong). Our increasing N gauge range is testament to this as the detail we can get in N is very comparable to that in OO kits from only a couple of years ago. We’re constantly experimenting and improving, and pushing what is possible with 3D printing technology to its limits.”
Matt Summers

Two CMT Blackpool Pantographs visit Bradley Jones’ Liverpool layout – a green and cream railcoach livery example built by John and one in the as delivered condition in red and white built by Matt.

“Our first experiences of trams were those in Blackpool. In the 1980s it was Britain’s only tram system and I was a regular visitor to Blackpool from East Lancs and rode on many of the tramcars of the day. Matt lived in Fleetwood right on the tramway with them rattling passed from morning until night in an array of types and colours. This is represented in our catalogue which currently has a large of proportion of our range being Blackpool Corporation (and Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad) tramcars. We enjoy regular behind the scenes access to the Tramway Archives and the Heritage Fleet to ensure our kits are as accurate as possible.”
John Whitehouse, CMT Operations Director

As ELMTS’ own in-house brand, CMT is only available us. Here on our website and in our eBay store we sell the kits 3D bodies, accessories online shops. We can also offer them on a body (or chassis only) basis by emailing us with your specific requirements, from time-to-time on eBay, or direct from our ‘factory’ webstore located via the Shapeways (who are one of our 3D manufacturers) platform at https://www.shapeways.com/shops/corporationmodeltrams.

A CMT ‘Long John’ Blackpool Railcrane in OO on John’s home layout. Brush 637 is doing the rare honour of towing Long John whilst its regular partner 259 is in John’s paint shop.

The level of detail CMT manages in their products is phenomenal. This is the N gauge (1:148 scale) version of the ‘Long John’ Blackpool Railcrane built by Matt. Such is the resolution of 3D printing, it is difficult to believe this is half the size of John’s OO effort above. The markers on the cutting mat are centimetres, showing just how small this is.

The range continues to grow, with systems other than Blackpool gaining an ever increasing amount of attention with trams from the Southend, Accrington and Burnley systems having had the CMT treatment in recent months with a lot more planned. To complement trams with specific period vehicles and iconic scenery, a number of non-tram projects continue to be undertaken and released. Fleetwood’s Pharos Lighthouse and the Little Bispham Tram Station have already been seen on the exhibition circuit fitted on Matt and John’s N gauge layouts, and the Blackpool Gondola Bus due for release in mid-2020 is our first foray into the bus world.