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Model Railways events - Jun 2026
- Sat 13 Jun 2026 Blaenavon's Heritage Railway (Model Railways) More...
- Model Railway Open Days
Saturday 13 June and Sunday 14 June 2026
- Sun 14 Jun 2026 Blaenavon's Heritage Railway (Model Railways) More...
- Model Railway Open Days
Saturday 13 June and Sunday 14 June 2026
- Sat 27 Jun 2026 Bluebell Railway (Model Railways) More...
- Model Railway Weekend
Saturday 27 June and Sunday 28 June 2026
'For 2026 we are pleased to announce that the event will be bigger, broader, and more exciting than ever before.'
Hi all, my name is Stepney and this year is my 150th year!
I am a small Terrier locomotive. I live and work at the Bluebell Railway. I have had all sorts of fun and adventures here at the railway and now it's my big birthday.
Some of you will know when the Rev W Awdry visited the Bluebell Railway many years ago and then wrote a story about me and the preservation work of a Heritage Railway. That was very exciting! In his book he wrote about me visiting the Island of Sodor and making lots of new friends.
Please come and visit me during our model railway weekend, meet some of my friends, some very old and some not so old. For more information sign up to our newsletter and social media channels - there are exciting things to tell you about later in the year!
We are pleased to announce that Ffarquhar Branch will be joining us at the Bluebell Railway Model Railway Weekend this June.
This is a rare opportunity to see one of the most influential and historically important model railway layouts in Britain.
The Ffarquhar Branch is a model railway of outstanding historical importance, created by the Rev. W. Awdry, author of The Railway Series. First built in 1955, it was designed from the outset as an exhibition layout, reflecting Awdry's lifelong passion for realistic railway operation and accurate modelling.
In 1968, the layout was comprehensively rebuilt into the form we see today. This redesign allowed it to fit more easily within Awdry's new home and, famously, into the boot of his new car, ensuring it could continue travelling to exhibitions. By this point, most of The Railway Series had already been written, so the layout was not created to develop the stories themselves. However, it continued to influence Awdry's work, later inspiring characters and events that appeared in his final book, Tramway Engines.
Although the layout dates from the mid-1950s, much of the rolling stock predates it. The model of Percy, for example, was built in 1948 to show the illustrator how this new character should appear during the preparation of Troublesome Engines. Similarly, the origins of Awdry's Stepney models lie in 1963, when they were constructed to demonstrate the locomotive's complex livery in three dimensions for illustration purposes.
The layout represents the terminus at Ffarquhar and its surrounding branch line, capturing the character of a lightly-built rural railway. It showcases Awdry's belief that model railways should operate as real railways do, combining visual charm with credible, engaging operation.
Today, the Ffarquhar Branch is carefully preserved by the Talyllyn Railway, and its appearance at the Bluebell Railway Model Railway Weekend offers a rare opportunity to see a layout with direct links to both railway and literary history.
We are very grateful to everyone at the Talyllyn Railway for their support in making this special appearance possible.
The Ffarquhar Branch will be on display alongside a wide range of other layouts, traders, and attractions, all set within the unique living heritage environment of the Bluebell Railway.
Bluebell Railway
- Sun 28 Jun 2026 Bluebell Railway (Model Railways) More...
- Model Railway Weekend
Saturday 27 June and Sunday 28 June 2026
'For 2026 we are pleased to announce that the event will be bigger, broader, and more exciting than ever before.'
Hi all, my name is Stepney and this year is my 150th year!
I am a small Terrier locomotive. I live and work at the Bluebell Railway. I have had all sorts of fun and adventures here at the railway and now it's my big birthday.
Some of you will know when the Rev W Awdry visited the Bluebell Railway many years ago and then wrote a story about me and the preservation work of a Heritage Railway. That was very exciting! In his book he wrote about me visiting the Island of Sodor and making lots of new friends.
Please come and visit me during our model railway weekend, meet some of my friends, some very old and some not so old. For more information sign up to our newsletter and social media channels - there are exciting things to tell you about later in the year!
We are pleased to announce that Ffarquhar Branch will be joining us at the Bluebell Railway Model Railway Weekend this June.
This is a rare opportunity to see one of the most influential and historically important model railway layouts in Britain.
The Ffarquhar Branch is a model railway of outstanding historical importance, created by the Rev. W. Awdry, author of The Railway Series. First built in 1955, it was designed from the outset as an exhibition layout, reflecting Awdry's lifelong passion for realistic railway operation and accurate modelling.
In 1968, the layout was comprehensively rebuilt into the form we see today. This redesign allowed it to fit more easily within Awdry's new home and, famously, into the boot of his new car, ensuring it could continue travelling to exhibitions. By this point, most of The Railway Series had already been written, so the layout was not created to develop the stories themselves. However, it continued to influence Awdry's work, later inspiring characters and events that appeared in his final book, Tramway Engines.
Although the layout dates from the mid-1950s, much of the rolling stock predates it. The model of Percy, for example, was built in 1948 to show the illustrator how this new character should appear during the preparation of Troublesome Engines. Similarly, the origins of Awdry's Stepney models lie in 1963, when they were constructed to demonstrate the locomotive's complex livery in three dimensions for illustration purposes.
The layout represents the terminus at Ffarquhar and its surrounding branch line, capturing the character of a lightly-built rural railway. It showcases Awdry's belief that model railways should operate as real railways do, combining visual charm with credible, engaging operation.
Today, the Ffarquhar Branch is carefully preserved by the Talyllyn Railway, and its appearance at the Bluebell Railway Model Railway Weekend offers a rare opportunity to see a layout with direct links to both railway and literary history.
We are very grateful to everyone at the Talyllyn Railway for their support in making this special appearance possible.
The Ffarquhar Branch will be on display alongside a wide range of other layouts, traders, and attractions, all set within the unique living heritage environment of the Bluebell Railway.
Bluebell Railway
