Miniature masterpieces: Model railway exhibition welcomes thousands of visitors

CREDIT ITV BORDER
Up to two thousand railway enthusiasts were expected at this year's event. Credit: ITV Border

The organisers of a model railway exhibition say they are hopeful the event will return next year, after thousands of people attended this year's convention.

It is the thirteenth year of the annual Cumbria Railway Exhibition, which was held in Workington in West Cumbria on 16 and 17 November.

Philip Tuer is a volunteer at Solrail, the Cumbrian non profit which organised the event. He says visitors have travelled from all over the UK to attend.

"We've had quite a few from the Northeast today, who have come across and I've seen one gentleman from Shropshire, quite a few from Scotland.

"The standard of modelling has been absolutely phenomenal and the feedback provided so far has been very positive."

Organisers say people came from all over the UK to attend the event Credit: ITV Border

Organisers say they have already received bookings for next year and but would like to see more young people taking up the hobby.

Richard Morsley from Solrail said: "Model railways are typically classed as an older man's hobby at the moment because of the cost and the intricacy involved.

"However, there are a lot of young modellers coming onto the scene and it helps that celebrities are on television making them. I suppose it was classed as a boy's toy at one time but now it's accepted by lots of people as a hobby."

Model rail enthusiast Kevin Smith says he will continue adding to the layout. Credit: ITV Border

Kevin Smith from Askam-In-Furness, South Cumbria, displayed his model railway at this year's event after building models became a full-time hobby since retiring two years ago.

He told ITV Border: "The big difference is that a full size diesel engine uses big hammers, whereas the engines [on model railways] uses tiny tweezers."

He says: "It takes immense amounts of patience painting the little figures, which are only six millimetres high is a laborious job that needs a magnifying glass and a lamp."

"It is a continual effort to refine the detailing on it and it will never be finished, there will always be something extra to add."

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