The Abingdon Branch line, as it looked in 1948, was on display on Saturday at the 39th Annual Abingdon Model Railway Exhibition. The branch line has been constructed over the last 10 years with the help of hundreds of photographs (many viewable at www.abingdonbranch.co.uk).
Near The Abingdon Branch line was the Radley History Club, with their book “Radley People and the Railway”, together with railway memorabilia.
Abingdon Area Archaeological and Historical Society were also there with pictures of Abingdon Station.
The show was a mixture of railway layouts, modelling traders, and societies. There were 50 stalls in all. The cup for the best layout was presented, by Cllr Mike Badcock, Chairman of the Vale, to St. Ruth, which is based on Penzance station.
The St. Ruth model depicts a typical day in September 1965, with a beach in the foreground, and houses rising behind.
It’s great that the leisure centre runs these types of events, my only gripe is that customers (attending the event or using the leisure centre facilities) park on the residential estate on Hadland Road. I thought this would be resolved with the additional parking but yet again, Hadland Road was full of cars causing problems for residents.
I agree with Elsie.Why not let visitors use The Centre’s own Car Park? That is what it is there for.
I don’t doubt there’s a reason…but £8 for adult entry….that’s just too much.
Would loved to have had a mooch around though…perhaps another time?
I had heard about this event, even out here in Kenya !!! So it is great to be able to see the pictures, I only wish I had been able to come in person ……..
I see Mike Badcock trying to get his face everywhere possible as usual