Model & Miniature railway exhibition @ Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre

The 2007 annual Model Railway Exhibition will be taking place on Saturday 18th August & Sunday 19th August.

Along with the superb collection of models on show there will be a miniature railway exhibition.

This will be the largest model railway exhibition so far spreading over a larger area of the Heritage Centre

Refreshments available

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Admission charges to both exhibition AND Heritage Centre

Admission: Rushcliffe Halt Loughboro' Jctn. Adults =A36.50 =A37.50 Senior Citizens =A35.50 =A36.50 Children 4 - 14 =A33.50 =A34.00 Family (2 Adults + 3 Children) =A318.50 =A321.00

"The Centre is host to several small and large indoor model railway exhibits available for public viewing and interaction!

At present there are three model railway layouts under construction - two in '00' gauge and one in '0' gauge. The layouts were started in the early spring of 2003 and progress has been tremendous with most of the track laid and scenery and wiring now well under way.

A small, but busy, group are putting together a very interesting visitor attraction of particular local interest. This is an '00' gauge layout depicting Ruddington's G.C.R. Station in the early British Railways era of the 1950s/1960s, before the main-line was unfortunately closed.

The model railway layouts are housed in their own building at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre. There are no extra charges to enter the exhibitions and there is an opportunity for youngsters to have a go at controlling at least one of the trains on the smaller layouts. "

ALSO

" The Centre is also host to an extensive outdoor model railway network built by the Nottingham Society of Model and Experimental Engineers with running tracks in 3=BD", 5" and 7=BE" gauges. The model railway system of approximately 700 metres (2300 feet) includes a workshop, station platform, turntable and tunnels. Public rides on steaming days are usually available "

We had intended to visit on Saturday but I was not feeling too well so on Sunday we set off for sunny Ruddington ( we hoped ).

My family had a great time, despite the downpours, and we would like to say a big thank you to all the staff of the Heritage Centre especially Alan Kemp who must have got soaked to the skin meeting and greeting everyone at the gate and also the operator looking after the centres collection of Thomas & Friends loco's / rolling stock. He kept insisting these were not his 'normal' choice of loco's but lets just say he was only too happy to take requests from the younger visitors for Toby or Gordon etc., thank you !

Now I would not describe myself as a 'modeler', just someone who enjoys building bits and pieces for his sons model layout. It is a lovely surprise to me that the exhibitors we see on a regular basis greet me and the family so warmly. OK we take an interest in their work / hobby, probably ask some silly ( to them ) questions and enjoy a joke or a bit of light banter but many recognise you as you walk into the room / marquee or in this case bus garage.

Now our son has autism and trains of any type / size are one of his interests. He loves looking & listening to the models travelling around the layouts and follows them up & down ( sorry if he has ever walked in front of you .... he's not rude just has autism ! ). He also likes to get involved in the displays, asking the operators to move a particular loco or collect some rolling stock, and I have to say for the most part the exhibitors are only too happy to oblige. You make his day ... and ours thank you !

A special thanks to Sam and his Dad with their 'Trunk Line' and 'The Fiddle Yard' layouts ( did your Dad get his chip dinner Sam ? ), the guys from Derby, John Quick with his 'Sheffield Bridehouses 1845' layout who spent some considerable time with my son showing him the loco's / layout. The owner of 'Sorenberg' a HO Swiss fantasy layout who also made our son very welcome and Brian Abell with his 'Valhalla Tramway Experience' ( trams being another of my sons interests ).

The exhibition had something for everyone and I feel was well summed up by a young chap watching the centres layouts in their port-a- cabin. He described one of the 'O' gauge loco's as 'ugly' and the operator replied " That's why I bought it ! ". I added " It's not 'ugly' it has 'character' .... ". The older gentleman next to me quipped " No ! it's because no one else wanted it !"

Despite the rain I think everyone enjoyed themselves ........ my family certainly did :-)

THANKS FOLKS

Chris