A model railway exhibition in North Devon has proved a roaring success, raising almost £2,000 for charity.
The first-ever event in Bideford managed to generate £1,950 for Barnstaple charity Amigos and has been so popular that organisers have already booked the Pannier Market to host next year's event.
North Devon Gazette reports that people from far and wide came to see some of the finest model train and railway sets that collectors have brought to exhibit. Visitors were wowed by the various layouts that modellers displayed in the hall and organisers are already looking to the 2014 edition.
Maurice Peare, of Osborns Models, told the news provider: "It was such an overwhelming success for a first attempt in Bideford that we will be duty bound to do it again next year.
"In fact, we have already booked the Pannier Hall once again for the Sunday of the late May bank holiday weekend. It was great to see the Pannier Hall so busy and everyone enjoying themselves."
The success of the Bideford exhibition once again emphasises the popularity of model railways with a wide range of people. From young children all the way up to the elderly these layouts provide a sense of wonderment and for the older generation a sense of nostalgia for when the steam trains dominated the rails.
While there is a range of more modern models available such as scaled-down versions of the Arriva Cross Country High Speed Train and East Midlands High Speed Train, there is no beating the versions of the famous steam engines.
Iconic trains such as the Flying Scotsman and The Mallard are big favourites and rekindle a time when the UK was truly one of the pioneering countries in terms of rail travel. These exhibitions have been able to show off the various famous engine that once graced the nation's network and numerous exhibitions are taking off all over the UK, fuelling success for future events in the coming years.