THE growing success of an annual event showcasing miniature models of railway stations has proved there is a lot of interest in the past-time.

And local enthusiasts are hoping the popularity of the Hexham Model Railway Show will act as a springboard to start a club in the Tyne Valley.

The third instalment of the show attracted well in excess of 500 people at the weekend, with people coming from far and wide to sample the variety of exhibitions on display. With around half of visitors from Hexham and surrounding areas, there were hopes a new club could be facilitated.

Show organiser Kris Fagan, the owner of Stocksfield-based Tynedale Trains, said: “A lot of people have come from across the Tyne Valley so there is definitely an interest in model railways here.

“I have a list of 12 to 14 names of people who say they want to have a club, but our problem is finding a suitable venue.

“We need somewhere dry, with electric, and where club members could leave their layout up so they can work on it at their leisure. The layouts people work on are so big that we can’t take them apart and pack away easily, so they would need to remain in place.

“There must be someone in the farming community here today who has an outbuilding which would be ideal for us.”

Hexham Model Railway Show was started in 2017 to accommodate a demand in the hobby within the local area. In addition to appealing to the tastes of model railway enthusiasts, the show was a big hit with children as various activities were held.