Opening Times:
Saturday: 10.00 - 18.00
Sunday: 10.00 - 17.00
(Open to advance ticket holders 9.30 am each day)
The 2009 Warley National Model Railway Exhibition is now fast approaching.
The Exhibition is open to the public on Saturday 21st November from 10am to 6pm and on Sunday 22nd November from 10am to 5pm
The Exhibition is to be held in Hall 5 of the NEC, allowing 16,500 square metres of hall space, and the Show will once again be the Premier Model Railway Event in the United Kingdom.
Tickets for The 2009 Warley National Model Railway Exhibition at The NEC are available - the Saturday show sells out very quickly so advanced booking is essential. Book by calling The Ticket Factory on 0844 338 8000 or online at www.theticketfactory.com.
The star of the show is going to be the centrepiece locomotive the K1 Garratt of the Welsh Highland Railway. Built by Beyer-Peacock Ltd of Gorton Manchester in 1909 and supplied originally to a mineral railway in Tasmania. The locomotive is unique as the first built to H.W.Garrattts innovative design for articulated locomotives to his patent application filed in July 1907.
Features of the Exhibition are as follows:
- At least 75 working model railway layouts in all popular scale gauge combinations (some not quite so common!). Many are new and extended layouts, representing model railway prototypes from three centuries! In particular there will be 21 layouts representing overseas prototypes.
- We are pleased to welcome eight layouts from outside the U.K., to add to the variety and quality on display for the benefit of our visitors. We welcome our exhibitors from other parts of Europe, namely Ireland, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, France and Germany. This reflects the organisers commitment to the continued development and enhancement of the Exhibition. These overseas layouts have proved extremely popular at the Show in recent years, as they are rarely seen in the UK.
- There will be an opportunity to experience Pete Waterman’s “Building Leamington Spa” presentation in the DVD Cinema, presented by Pete, and including a display of some of the models featuring on this superb O gauge line, owned by the Waterman Railways Heritage Trust.
- For the younger enthusiasts Junior Modellers corner will include a number of layouts built with younger modellers in mind. Following the success of the Junior Modellers Workshop, initiated some years ago at the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition, this feature continues to enable junior modellers to "have a go". See also progress on the new layout of Warley MRC Junior Section.
- Trade representation will include in excess of 150 traders which is the largest model railway trade gathering in the United Kingdom. In addition to the sponsors of the Exhibition, namely Bachmann Europe, PECO, Graham Farish, and Midland Counties Publications, also present will be Hornby, Dapol, and Heljan together with a large selection of specialist manufacturers and suppliers to the hobby. The Exhibition is known to be the "modeller’s marketplace" in the midst of the modelling season.
- Demonstrations are an established feature of this Exhibition. Again there will be around 25 demonstrators prepared to show their skills and instruct modellers of all levels of ability. Some of the demonstrations will be "Shows You How" demonstrations looking at some of the basic aspects of model railway construction together with well-known experts looking at specific subjects and sharing their skills. An interesting demonstration will be provided by the Kendal MRC. Often visitors ask what is involved in erecting a large layout at an exhibition. This is the opportunity to find out! The club will be erecting their 4mm scale layout ‘Ashrigg Bank’ during the Saturday of the Show, and dismantling it on the Sunday!
- The multi-gauge test track, introduced last year, returns, enabling models to be tested, whether bought at the show or brought to the show for testing.
- Static Models are again to the fore with Showcases of models from various Clubs, and a model engineering display from the Kinver Society of Model Engineers.
- Competitions will be held for the Bachmann Cup for the best layout in 4mm/3.5mm scale, the Calvert Trophy for the best N Gauge or 2mm scale layout, the Chiltern Railways Modern Image Trophy for the best Modern Image layout in any scale, the Virgin 7mm Trophy for the best 7mm scale layout, the Kirtley Models trophy for exhibits in scales larger than 7mm, and the Glascott Narrow Gauge Trophy for an exhibit modelled in narrow gauge. Both the LMS Society Trophy and the Glyn Humphries trophies will also be presented.
- Following success in earlier years, in association with Bachmann Europe, we have produced two Limited Edition Tank Wagons in 4mm scale. The limited production run of 500 each item will only be available at the Exhibition. The wagons are in the livery of Lane Brothers, Walsall and will retail at £8.50 each. One of the wagons will be ex-works condition and the other weathered, with differing running numbers. Whilst this is the same operator as last year, this year’s models are based on a later tank wagon, and represent the Walsall depot. 100 of each will be available for sale on the Sunday of the Show.
For more information on the Show visit www.thewarleyshow.co.uk
