Ludlow Racecourse hosts model train exhibition

The exhibition was staged by the Craven Arms and District Model Railway Circle and was held at a pavilion at Ludlow Racecourse.

Members of the club had 18 layouts on display, showing a mixture of gauges and scenes from different eras, with some continuous loop and end-to-end layouts.

John Clark, from Craven Arms, is club treasurer and said the exhibition is an essential part of fundraising for the club.

He said: "We have to rent our club premises at Clungunford Farm and our exhibitions help us raise the money to pay for that, as the subs alone don[t cover it.

"The money we raise at the exhibition also enables us to make a donation to charity and this year we will be giving that money to Severn Hospice.

Mr Clark, 71, said his favourite era for railway modelling is the early days of diesel, just after Doctor Beeching had swung his axe and steam had been relegated to history.

He said: "A lot of us got into model railways after we became interested in trains and were given a train set as children - but youngsters today don't seem as interested in railway modelling as they used to be.

"We do have some junior members in the club, but I think young people today are far more interested in the digital world with their computers and iPads.

"It is also quite an expensive hobby, though you can save a lot of money by buying second-hand, as long as you know what to look for."

The club holds two model exhibitions per year, one at Craven Arms and the other at Ludlow.

Mr Clark said the venue of the Ludlow show had been praised by visitors, members and those running trade stands at the show.

He said: "It's a lovely place to hold our show, with ample parking and also the added atmosphere from having the railway line running close by.

"At last year's show we were lucky to have a steam train run past just as we were closing the show – it connects many of us to why we got into this hobby in the first place."