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AIMREC to open interim exhibition area in the centre of Ashford


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Gresley Beat.jpg

 

From Kent Online

E1YR661EP8AZRK7KIFMT.jpg

 

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AIMREC - the Ashford International Model Railway Excellence Centre - is set to move into Unit 2 of Elwick Place, Ashford after signing a 12-month contract for the premises.

 

Staff will spend around six weeks setting up a number of interactive model railway sets in the 3,541 sq ft space.

 

It will use the Elwick Place unit as a marketing suite to promote their longer-term places to create a permanent model railway entertainment and educational centre in the town - giving potential investors a glimpse into what the project could look like. The suite will be then open to the public free of charge on weekends.

 

"While AIMREC’s board continues to seek a permanent home for a model railway experience that has the potential to draw tens of thousands of visitors to Ashford every year, this temporary arrangement gives them a chance to show off what they can offer.

 

 

AIMREC website

 

I know from talking to Cliff Parsons that several very exciting developments may take place and this is a great stepping stone towards the ultimate goal.

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52 minutes ago, Geoff Endacott said:

Excellence or Education?

 

Geoff Endacott

Their website quotes the acronym as excellence, but yes, education will occur if people see C21 modelling standards  in place of R1 curves and big flanges. 

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I've no idea what will happen to Roy Jackson's layout "Retford" (by all accounts that is still to be decided), but wouldn't AIMREC be a fitting home?  Options must be very limited for a layout of that size....

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AIMREC_press_release_Oct_2019-1.jpg

 

Preview opening date, Saturday 7 December 2019
 

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AIMREC (Ashford International Model Railway Education Centre) is pleased to announce that Ashford Borough Council has given us a shortterm lease of Unit 2, Elwick Place, Elwick Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1AE, in close proximity to
Ashford International Railway Station, within the new Picture-House Cinema Complex in the town centre, which we will be turning into a showcase suite.


The suite will be used to display some sample model railway layouts in various scales, along with display information panels showing the public as well as potential investors and sponsors of the project, our aims and vision for a future 38,000 sqft Centre located in County Square. The suite will be open every weekend until further notice, from 7 December 2019,10am to 4pm with free admission on both days for all.


We are especially pleased to announce we will be hosting the layouts of the “Men of Kent’ team from the Chanel 5 series The Great Model Railway Challenge, there will also be opportunities to meet the team themselves and talk about their experience on this TV show. AIMREC If you would like to come along and volunteer your services to help man the layouts at the suite, explain the concept and our vision to the public and/or volunteer to help at the future Centre, we would very much like to hear from you. Please contact us in the first instance at friends@aimrec.co.uk


There is ample parking near the unit which is opposite the Debenham’s department store in Elwick Road, Ashord, Kent.

 


AIMREC,

Unit 2, Elwick Place,

Elwick Road,
Ashford,

Kent

TN23 1AE

 

AIMREC press release Oct 2019-2.jpg

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Dropped in today to take a look round, only Pempoul was not working. Speaking to one of the trustees they had 550 people through the door last weekend.  The current set up is intended to gauge interest in the concept before they make a decision on permanent premises.

 

The standard of the modelling on the layouts is exceptional, I was also very impressed with the Railmen of Kent layouts - all three are there per the show finale. 

 

Well worth dropping in if you are in the vicinity.  Perhaps while your SO is looking round the shops or the designer outlet, or if you are on your way to the KESR or RHDR down the road?

 

Steve

 

 

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Well, I was in Ashford over Christmas, but not while the AIMREC showcase was open.

Hopefully I’ll be back there at the end of January and will get an opportunity to “escape” from the mother-in-law’s for an hour or two, to pop down and make a visit.

 

Has anyone else been there yet?

Any more reports?

 

Ron

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I popped into the showcase a couple of weekends ago, just for a look.

 

Not a lot to see, but another chance to admire Pempoul and the Gresley Beat, although each only had a solitary train continuously circuiting the layout and no other operation or action taking place.
The Great Model Railway Challenge and children’s layouts had no interest for me, but there are a couple of other layouts there; a rather tired looking Theobald’s Yard and a small N scale layout based on Dungeness.

 

Sadly, particularly with Pempoul and the Gresley Beat, it felt to me like discovering a forgotten and abandoned fairground, where everything was still in its place and in perfect working order, but all the people had long disappeared and the life had gone out of it.

Maybe that’s just because it was a miserable damp, grey February afternoon and there weren’t many people about. There were only another 4 adult visitors and a couple of small children present in the showcase itself whilst I was there.

 

All credit to the volunteers who are making the sacrifice and putting in the effort to man the exhibition. If it’s normally that quiet, it must be quite discouraging for them. Who knows, I might have been unfortunate to visit at a very slack time.

I hope they can make a go of the project.

 

 

.

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Hi All,

 

I see this thread is a bit old, but I thought I'd add a much needed update. 

At present AIMREC has moved out of our exhibition site at Elwick Place. We had hoped to move into Debenhams, but for the time being that is on the backburner. 

As of next month, we will open up at our new workshop site shared with Railmen of Kent. This is just outside of Ashford in Bethersden. This is a interim location whilst we try to locate and secure funding for a larger premises within Ashford town center. 

 

Due to space restrictions, we'll be running sessions with up to 10 people per hour. These will be more interactive with control of some of the layouts being handed over to our guests, gone are the days of "look but don't touch".

For more information it's best to look at our website https://aimrec.co.uk/ or Facebook

It's been a long road to get this far, but the future for AIMREC is bright. I will be an active member of the RMWeb forum and I am happy to try and answer any questions you may have.

 

Thanks

 

Mike W

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