Shrewsbury charity event attracts hundreds of model railway fans

The annual Model Railway Day was held at Christ Church in Glebe Road, Bayston Hill.

Fans travelled from all over the country to exhibit and see the wide range of railway layouts in most gauges showcasing some of the most modern electronic systems, as well as Hornby Dublo and Hornby O gauge layouts which are over 60 years old.

Organiser Jack Parry, from Radbrook Green, was overjoyed with the turnout to the event, which is in its 33rd year.

"We had more than 500 people through the doors," he said. "And we raised £1,750 for York House, a local charity for young people who have learning disabilities. It was a great day and the most often heard phrase was 'I had one of those'. We are really pleased with how it went and although many of the visitors were from the local area, we had people coming from Southport, Lancashire, Caernarvon and the West Midlands."

Along with the trains, the displays included other models and toys, such as Bayko buildings, Meccano sets, Minic cars and Dinky Toys, as well as demonstrations of how to build the models and scenery.

David Knight, who helps to organise the event, said: "One of the features of the day was hands-on exhibits for everyone to try out. Winding up old Hornby clockwork engines and watching them perform has been popular with youngsters in past exhibitions, but there were also some very detailed, fine scale models to see in action which will have taken hundreds of hours to build."

The exhibitors who attend do so at their own expense – some of them travelling long distances to take part.

Fiona Craig, manager at York House, said: "The funds we receive help us to provide activities and specialist equipment which enrich the lives of the people here.

"Last year's money went towards the purchase of a specialist bath for the residents. Over the years the donations from the railway day have really helped us."