French visitors at model railway exhibition

There were lots of amazing scenes at the Pendle Forest Model Railway Society exhibition in Colne at the weekend.
Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition:  Malcolm Andrew from Burnley with his model layout of the once proposed Bacup to Burnley line. Picture by Paul Heyes.Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition:  Malcolm Andrew from Burnley with his model layout of the once proposed Bacup to Burnley line. Picture by Paul Heyes.
Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition: Malcolm Andrew from Burnley with his model layout of the once proposed Bacup to Burnley line. Picture by Paul Heyes.

Lots of people went along to see the impressive layouts, and many children had a great time looking round them.

As well as the layouts on display at Park High School, there were also numerous stalls selling model rail material and the chance to have a meal or refreshments.

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Pendle Forest’s own massive Ecclesford model – which won a national award three years ago – was on show again. It is so realistic and includes firefighters dealing with a bad blaze at a shop!

Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition:  Malcolm Andrew from Burnley with his model layout of the once proposed Bacup to Burnley line. Picture by Paul Heyes.Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition:  Malcolm Andrew from Burnley with his model layout of the once proposed Bacup to Burnley line. Picture by Paul Heyes.
Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition: Malcolm Andrew from Burnley with his model layout of the once proposed Bacup to Burnley line. Picture by Paul Heyes.

And there was also a Burnley scene on show. “Heasandford Station” has been created by Malcolm Andrew, based on the plans to create a new railway there back in the 1840s. That plan never saw the light of day but he has shown what it would have looked like had it been built. Although small the model is very realistic.

There were 14 other models on show with great scenes, some in towns and others in the countryside.

Rolling stock included old steam engines and modern diesels and on one there were trams instead. Some of the most beautiful were Wedgwood, Ludlow and Waterhulme.

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Fellow model railers from Pendle’s French twin town, Creil, went along there and demonstrated locomotive construction.

Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition: Jack Wintersgill aged 4 from Padiham, waits patiently for the next train. Picture: Paul Heyes.Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition: Jack Wintersgill aged 4 from Padiham, waits patiently for the next train. Picture: Paul Heyes.
Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition: Jack Wintersgill aged 4 from Padiham, waits patiently for the next train. Picture: Paul Heyes.

Visitors were invited to write comments on it and came up with: “What a splendid show”, “A wide range of scales and interesting themes” and “Something for everyone”.

They were eager to study the models and find out more about their construction and one of the models enabled people to learn about railway signalling and try their hand at route setting.

While adult visitors were able to discuss the model railway hobby, younger enthusiasts were invited to get close up to some of the larger models on show or to try running a train themselves on the Society’s “Drive a Train” layout.

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During the show, members of the public voted for their “Best Layout”, and for this they chose “Waterhulme”, a narrow gauge based on a station on the Leek and Manifold Railway.

Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition:  Logic Masson from the French club CFCE painstakingly paints one of the miniature figures. Picture: Paul HeyesPendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition:  Logic Masson from the French club CFCE painstakingly paints one of the miniature figures. Picture: Paul Heyes
Pendle Forest Model Railway Society's annual exhibition: Logic Masson from the French club CFCE painstakingly paints one of the miniature figures. Picture: Paul Heyes

“A good deal of effort goes into putting on our exhibitions,” said Pendle Forest MRS secretary David Carter. “But all our work was amply repaid by the enthusiastic response of this year’s visitors.

“It is always a pleasure to meet people who share our interest and we look forward ti seeing them again when the exhibition returns next year.”

Further details of the society and its activities are available by calling David Carter on 07770 331348.

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