Model day out for the family
THERE WAS delight for kids and adults alike when they attended the Model Railway club open day in St Joseph’s Centre during Wexford Festival Opera.
With a selection of working trains and layouts, and exquisite craftwork by the local members, there was plenty to admire in the hall. The club members were delighted with the turnout and response they received.
Gerry Byrne, exhibition manager, explained that they had a good attendance and it was an intergenerational thing.
‘We had people bringing their kids along but they themselves had been brought along as kids many years ago. The club turns 40 this year so we are on the road for a while!’
The club operates in a purpose-built hall at St Joseph’s Community Center in Bishopswater and has 42 members, some of whom are from as far away as Waterford and Arklow.
One of the new features of this year’s show was the inclusion of some test tracks which had various trains travelling around the entire room, including a Japanese bullet train. The East London Model Railway group was also in attendance with some of their designs.
Closer to home, John Walker presented a new layout ‘Scully’s Dock’ and Gerry Byrne’s Welsh N-Gauge Cynwyd was also on display. The kids were kept entertained by some Thomas the Tank Engine layouts.
Mr Byrne said: ‘It was an occasion for members to mingle and chat with the public, and for interested people to find out more about the club and getting involved.’
The club’s big exhibition takes place at Easter time and will run, next year, on April 21 and 22 in the main hall of St Joseph’s Centre.
The club will exhibit their work in progress, large scale O-Gauge layout ‘Little Siddington’ as part of that show.