Model of 200-year-old rail line 'star' of show

Solrail's Workington Model Railway Exhibition is being held this weekend

A model crafted by a 92-year-old man to mark the 200th anniversary of a rail line is the "star of the show" at a model rail exhibition being held this weekend, organisers said.

There are 18 layouts of railway scenes at the event in Workington, Cumbria, including Garrigill, built by Bob Hetherington of Skinburness to celebrate the 1825 launch of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Volunteer group Solrail has hosted the exhibition at the Energus Building for 11 years and enthusiasts have until 17:00 GMT on Sunday to see the layouts.

Model enthusiast Rod Moore of Blindcrake, in Workington, said many of the exhibits were "works of art".

Enthusiast Rod Moore said so many hours had been spent on the layouts and they were "works of art"

Exhibition organiser Philip Tuer said: "Garrigill is a beautifully modelled layout portraying the scene that might have been in the High Pennines near Alston if the Stockton and Darlington Railway had built its proposed line there.

"This has been a labour of love for Bob taking over 40 years to get to what you see now depicting a period around the 1860s and 1870s.

"Nearly everything is built from scratch by Bob and those that visit Beamish Museum may recognise the coal drops and one or two other buildings."

The model took Bob Hetherington more than 40 years to complete

Exhibitor Mr Moore has been a modelling enthusiast for "donkey's years" and said to say his wife Joan "tolerated" his hobby was "the polite way to put it".

He said his creation of was very different from the other "works of art" layouts as they used models while he utilised west German toy trains dating from 1935 to 1975.

"I've been a modelling enthusiast for as long as I can remember," he said, adding: "I remember my first train set was a wind up one in the 1950s.

"I'd run up the stairs to get my mam or dad to wind it up, run down stairs put it on the track and it would go round once then fall off.

"I'd then run upstairs and get my parents to wind it up again - I'd do this all evening.

"I was hooked from then."

As well as trains, Mr Moore is a model aeroplane and radio-control duck lover.

He said: "I love all forms of modelling, making them and laying them out - it's a very hands-on hobby for adults and children to enjoy."

Also in display is Ballybunion by modeller Andrew Holland, from Lowca village in Cumbria, based on a unique narrow gauge stock on a monorail in Ireland.

Layout Ballybunion shows a unique narrow gauge stock

Also taking part in the show are members of the Derwent Railway Society, from Frizington, with a new layout, Cleator Inland Terminal.

Other highlights include the micro layout Cambois Bay, built by Ian Blenkinsop of Seaton.

It depicts the line near North Shields showing some of the many coal staithes that were used to transport coal from rail to sea-going vessels.

Peter Shields, of Sunderland, is also making a return to the event with his new EM gauge layout, Ravensworth Road - a diesel refuelling point and wagon repair facility near Tees Yard.