Aberystwyth Small Model Railway Exhibition!
 
New for 2024! (Updated 21 October 2024)
 
This new one day show, will be held on Saturday 26th October (the first Saturday of October half term). It will be held in their new Display & Events space at Aberystwyth station: layouts will be displayed alongside their full-size counterparts, whilst narrow gauge steam trains will be running as usual on the line to Devil’s Bridge outside. The event promises to be a great start to October half term, with plenty for all the family to enjoy!
 
The exhibition opens at 09:30 and goes on to 16:30. Entry is free if you buy a VoR train ticket on the day, otherwise it is £5 per person if just attending museum/exhibition.
In that regard; there will be two round-trip trains to Devil’s Bridge on the day - the first departs Aberystwyth at 10:30 (returns by 13:30), the second departs Aberystwyth at 14:00 (returns by 17:15)
 
Vale of Rheidol Railway 
Park Avenue
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 1PG  
 
01970 625819
 
[email protected]
 
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=vale of rheidol railway
 
https://www.rheidolrailway.co.uk/
 
Registered charity No. 1076037

 
 
 
15 Layouts plus Demonstrators have been confirmed and they are:
 
Ffarquhar Branch Exhibited by the Talyllyn Railway (Luke Ryan / Steve Thorpe) (00 gauge):Built in the late 1960s by the Rev.Wilbert Awdry, this is the original Thomas layout! Featuring scratch-built locos and stock, the layout represents Ffarquahar station: a passenger terminus at the end of a branch line, with another branch leading to the quarries via a street tramway. The layout is operated to the Reverends original timetable, and is accompanied by a scripted commentary to bring it to life. Every moment happens for a reason, making the operation very ‘railway-like’. The earliest model on the layout is ‘Annie’, which was scratch-built in 1927 by the Reverend when he was just 16 years old! Castle Bank Sidings by Andy Pannett (7mm Scale): The layout measures 16′ x 2′, and is a ‘fiddle yard to fiddle yard’ end-to-end layout that runs through an 8ft scenic section. The layout is set somewhere around in the Glasgow suburbs during 1977 and primarily on a freight only route, but does see an irregular DMU service. The route is also used as a diversionary route for trains heading for the West Highland line. Loco classes 08,20,25,26,27 and 37s are in regular use. Hulme End by Paul Holmes (0-17.5 [17.5mm gauge & 7mm Scale]): A finescale end-to-end model of ‘Hulme End’ (the terminus of the Leek & Manifold Railway). Built to true 17.5mm gauge, the layout is set soon after the opening of the railway in 1905. The layout is 23′ by 3′, and all stock is correctly modelled for the era represented. Whiteoak Light Railway by Allen Lawe & Nyall Rudge (0-16.5 scale): The Whiteoak Light Railway is a fictitious narrow gauge railway serving the Thames estuary in Kent, and is 13′ by 4′ in size. The layout depicts Whiteoak station and yard, which hosts several industrial units and a dockyard with a fishing boat. The layout is a tail chaser “roundy-roundy” with a fiddle yard off scene to the rear. It is set in the 1940s-1950s after the railway was disposed of by British Railways (Southern Region) and passed into private ownership. by Allen Lawe & Nyall Rudge Afon Adit by Martin Rich (O9 [7mm/1Ft]): A 7mm scale layout, using 9mm gauge track to represent 18″ gauge. The layout represents a gold mine somewhere in Mid Wales, and is loosely based on the Gwynfynydd Gold Mine near Dolgellau. The main features are the illuminated galleries (or adits), as well as a working hoist. Four locos are present (using Kato chassis), along with scratch-built skip wagons. Little Himalayan Railway by Giles Perkins (009): The Little Himalayan Railway is an ultra-compact 009 ‘pizza layout’, with the spirit of the world-famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway at it’s detailed heart. With three interleaved spirals, it depicts a typical switchback as the line climbs steeply via hilly terrain, tunnels, cuttings, bridges and a rural station. Over 5 metres of running are packed into the 80cm diameter layout, and up to three trains can operate at any one time! The majority of the layout is scenic, illustrating the parallel road route common to the DHR. Knott-on-Wye by Max Birchenhough (00 gauge): A 4mm scale ‘Inglenook’ shunting layout, set in an indeterminate era. Motive power is provided by small shunting locomotives, and a number of different eras will be represented during the show. Bron Aberffrwd by John Alderslade (009): Bron Aberfffrwd is a model of Aberffrwd station on the Vale of Rheidol Railway, modelled in ‘009’ scale. The layout features traditional VoR stock, as well as a few surprises! Children can look out for the various animals hidden around the layout. Earlshill by Andrew Barker (N gauge): A large (12′ x 2′) circular layout in N gauge, representing the Southern region in diesel and EMU days. Llandyfai by Ashley Griffiths (4mm scale) Llandyfai is set somewhere in South Wales during the Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) franchise era, from 2003 until 2018. The layout is end to end, with a small single platform with three small sidings for various local freights flows. Bottom Hole by Triston Lister (N gauge): Bottom Hole is based in a 1:1 bathroom environment: the model is a single circuit around a water treatment works, set into a toilet pan! Visitors are invited to operate the train by use of the flush button: note the copy of ‘Railway Modeller’ magazine, strategically pleased for easy reading… Graig Wen (7mm ‘O’ gauge): A small colliery layout on two levels, featuring a fearsome gradient between the two.
Inglenook by Phil Thorogood (16mm scale): An interactive 16mm scale narrow gauge shunting layout, based on the ‘Inglenook’ principle. Motive power is provided by radio-controlled battery locos, and visitors may be lucky enough to have a go themselves! Llandywrau by Jo Vincent & Paul Towers (009): A small ‘009’ scale narrow gauge layout, illustrating the potential of modelling in such a small scale.
Puffin Colliery by John Stephens (00 and 009): Puffin Colliery is located in the Welsh Countryside, it has its own narrow gauge feeder line which provides a connection with the main line to transport coal to the docks. The Narrow gauge is powered analogue, and the main line fiddle yard is DCC Powered (allowing for sound locomotives to be used). Occasionally for the youngsters they might get a chance to see a few famous faces appearing! Watch out for the operating mine and their maybe some repairing going on in the engine shed too.
16mm Narrow Gauge Display, by Neil Phillips & Simon Reeves: Neil Phillips will be displaying his fascinating collection of scratch-built models of locomotives from the Brecon Mountain Railway, modelled in 16mm scale (32mm gauge). Look out for a model of Arn Jung ‘Graf Schwerin Lowitz’, displayed adjacent to the prototype! Simon Reeves will be providing some 45mm gauge models of Vale of Rheidol Railway locomotives and rolling stock on static display, again alongside the prototypes where possible. Fairbourne Railway (display stand) by Graham Billington.  A display stand provided by Graham Billington, providing information/leaflets and sales from the Fairbourne Railway. Talyllyn Railway Young Members Group: A display stand from the Young Members Group (YMG) of the Talyllyn Railway, representing volunteers aged 14 to 25. Dr TJ mallard: Finescale brass modelling demonstrations, 0-16.5  Demonstrations of working in brass, from fine scale modeller Dr T.J.Mallard. He will be displaying his fine-scale narrow gauge locomotives (notably of the Lynton & Barnstable Railway), as well as explaining and demonstrating his construction techniques.  
 
Also Attending:
 
Model Rail Magazine
Model Rail magazine will be in attendance, giving out back issues and taking details of subscriptions. They will also be showing samples of their new ‘009’ Rheidol tank models (see Revolution Trains, below).
 
Revolution Trains
Revolution Trains will be showing samples of their new ‘009’ Rheidol tank models, produced in collaboration with Model Rail magazine. It is hoped that painted samples will be available from the factory for display.
 
 
 
 
 

Event details