Doncaster will always have its name firmly ingrained into the history of UK railways.
The South Yorkshire town is home to Doncaster Works and has produced some of the most iconic steam trains to ever grace the nation's rails. The iconic Mallard was built in Doncaster and went on to become the fastest steam engine ever when it managed to reach 126mph in July 1938. It was not only the recognisable train to come off the production line in the town as the Flying Scotsman was also product of Doncaster Works.
Designed by the famous Sir Nigel Gresley, the Flying Scotsman revolutionised the UK's passenger railway network. It was able to connect Edinburgh Waverley and London King's Cross with a non-stop service. Prior to the dawn of Mallard, the Flying Scotsman was also proud holder of the land speed record after becoming the first steam engine to travel over 100mph. It brought the two capitals closer together and changed rail travel forever.
Needless to say Doncaster has a rich history when it comes to railways and this coming weekend (February 8th and 9th) it will be celebrating this proud tradition. British Railway Modelling (BRM) and Warners Shows, with support from Doncaster & District Model Railway Club, will be holding The Festival of British Railway Modelling at Doncaster Museum and Exhibition Centre.
There will be a host of vendors from all over the UK attending the event and visitors will be able to see over 30 British layouts depicting various areas of the nation's landscape. Traders, clubs, societies and demonstrators will make up 80 stands in the great hall while there will also be a number of free seminars on how to get the best out of a collection.
It is the 17th year of the event and it promises to be bigger and better than ever before. The BRM will bring a modelling hobby to life with a number of separate areas including the British Railway Modelling, RM Web and Model Railways Live all of which will be providing free demonstrations and talks about the latest products. Around 6,000 visitors are expected across the two days along with thousands of models available to purchase.
However, it does not stop there as attendees will be in for a real treat as one of the rarest collection of railway memorabilia will be on show. The Doncaster Grammar School Collection is normally not open to the public but for this weekend people will get the chance to see some items from years gone by.
This is an absolute must for railway enthusiasts as the collection includes nameplates and letter from Sir Nigel himself. The event is in recognition of the 75th anniversary of Mallard's world speed record and honours the hard work that went on at Doncaster Works to ensure that the famous steam train was able to achieve this accolade.
The fun kicks off on Saturday at 10:00 GMT finishing at 17:00 GMT while on Sunday the event will close at the earlier time of 16:30 GMT. Tickets can be purchased in advance or on the day.