Once the festivities of Christmas have begun to wind down there is somewhat of a lull between the big day and New Year's Eve.
The last of the turkey will be eaten and family households will not be able to move for various selection boxes and other Christmas paraphernalia. The days between Boxing Day on December 26th and the 31st can actually be quite tedious and many people will be struggling for something to do during this time. Fear not, however, as there is help at hand in the shape of Gainsborough Model Railway Society.
As a post-Christmas treat, the group will be flinging its doors open to welcome the public to an open weekend at its premises in Florence Terrace. The event, held over December 28th and 29th, is open to all ages and could be a great outing for people that have received model railway sets or accessories for Christmas. Gainsborough Model Railway Society boasts a number of impressive layouts which are a real attraction for visitors.
The society has a number of scaled down replicas of some of the most iconic steam engines the UK has ever produced. People will be able to see the likes of the Flying Scotsman, Mallard and Papyrus coast up and down its specially designed tracks. There will also be an appearance from The West Riding Ltd and The Yorkshire Pullman models which are the highlights alongside some more conventional express trains and freight services.
Among the layouts based on the railways of the 1940s, the real gem of the Gainsborough Model Railway Society's models is a replica of London King's Cross station. This real-life scaled down model of England's busiest train train station has the ability to accommodate ten trains and has been made as close to the original design as possible. Visitors will no doubt be impressed with intricate detail that has gone into creating this replica.
It does not end there however, as the society has created part of the East Coast Main Line from London Kings Cross to Leeds. This hand built railway is one of the largest of its kind with the 'O' gauge stretching across 2,500 sq ft and has over 1,200 ft of track. Due to the sheer size of the model, it needs ten people to operate it. It has been the culmination of years of hard work which originally started in 1953.
Visitors to Gainsborough Model Railway Society prior to the new year will not only be dazzled by the impressive East Coast Main Line setting but they can also feast their eyes on the abundance of other models on display. The society boasts a collection of over 150 locomotives, 100 coaches, 200 wagons and vans, nine stations, 150 pieces of pointwork and half a mile of trackwork. There will also be experts on hand that will be happy to answer any queries that visitors may have about their own collections.
Admission is £4 for adults and £3 for children and seniors while there is a family (two adults and two concessions) available for £10. The fun kicks off at 13:30 GMT on Saturday (December 28th).