Abingdon & District Model Railway Club held their annual Abingdon show on March 1st 2014.

The exhibition guide reminded parents that “model railway scenery is delicate and fingers can cause havoc with someone’s pride and joy.” There was a special railway layout where children could have a go but it did not look as good as this one.

The real station at Rewley Road Oxford was dismantled in 1999, but the model occasionally tours and visited the show this year, and got a good write up in the Oxford Mail.

The models are beautiful to look at, real works of art, and a delight to look round.

Some of the enthusiasts looked to be in their seventh heaven.

Just to say that in June, Didcot Railway Centre have a special educational event for schools where children will be evacuated on a steam train during a WWII air-raid, and will then learn how they are expected to earn their food and board in their temporary homes. For anyone involved in education who want to find out more email: education@DidcotRailwayCentre.org.uk.

Thanks to Mike for a preview of the Abrail 2014 exhibition. He says …
 
Alas, the passenger service from Abingdon was closed in 1963 and when, in 1983, the MG car factory was closed, the station and railway line, that had sat there since 1856, went with it to be replaced by an old peoples home, a supermarket and a bus service.

So Nicola Blackwood, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, will have to be content with reviewing much smaller trains when she opens the Abingdon Model Railway Show. The show, staffed by a team of 170 drawn from the whole of the south of England, will bring together 25 working layouts, 20 retail trader outlets plus Club and Society stands and demonstrations to provide a veritable modelling extravaganza.

The 38th annual Abingdon Model Railway Show is the largest model railway exhibition in Oxfordshire, and is on Saturday, 1st March at the White Horse Tennis and Leisure Centre, Audlett Drive, Abingdon. Entrance price is £8.00 per adult and accompanied children under 16 are free. See admrc.org.uk for more details.

(The pictures are from the blogs visit to the 2009 exhibition.)