Model steam comes to town

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A seaside layout

There is something about model railways that retains a fascination for children of all ages, from 5 to 90 (and probably beyond). Well, now is the chance for all of us to re-live our youth when a Model Railway Exhibition arrives in town on Saturday April 28.

Expected to be the largest show of its kind in Sussex and the first in Rye for over 20 years, it will include more than 20 railway layouts and a number of trade stands and is taking place at Rye College from 10am to 4:30pm.

Supported by modellers and clubs from around the south east, the variety on display is impressive with layouts ranging from a steam depot to one based on the Rye and Camber tramway and with scales from the tiny Z gauge up to O gauge.

This writer remembers being given a Hornby Dublo set many years ago when about 10 years old and, despite being put off travelling by train thanks to the ineptitude of Southern Rail, the miniature version has fascinated me ever since. Accompanying a friend (who has a magnificent layout in his attic) to a similar exhibition in Folkestone two or three years ago, I was amazed at the quality and the detail that the modellers achieved and also the technology used in the operation of many of the models. Long gone is the simple transformer that only enabled one train at a time to run on the track. Now control is via a laptop with trains running to a pre-planned schedule, signal lights changing, level crossings operating and, in one case, even traffic moving on an adjacent scale road. 

So, all you boys of an uncertain age out there, make a note in your diary – oh, and you are allowed to bring the real children with you.

 

Photo: Dakota Dibben

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