Yorkshire loves its railways. England's largest county is a great sprawl of land with tracks snaking in and out of the rolling hills.
The region is still in love with its steam trains with regular services still taking place on a daily basis. The Scarborough Flyer allows passengers to relive the joy of hopping on a steam train and travelling from the big city and out to the seaside. Cities such as Harrogate and York have proud railway histories with the latter being home to the National Railway Museum since its opening in 1975.
Here people are able to see some of the most famous steam engines ever to grace the UK's rail network. Famous locomotives such as the Mallard, the Flying Scotsman and even the Hogwarts Express from the Harry Potter films have all been showcased at the York museum. People from all over the globe travel to this popular attraction which goes to highlight how synonymous Yorkshire is with the railways.
It is not just the real thing that people are interested in, as model railways are also highly popular across the region. The National Railway Museum boasts two impressive sets, one which spans the length of the Great Hall, while others tracks the history of the Hornby brand with a number of limited edition or rare models.
Yorkshire will once again be turning its focus to model railways when the Skipton & District Railway Society holds its 2014 exhibition. The annual event will take place on the summer bank holiday (August 23rd to 25th) with a host of modellers invited and a number of layouts pencilled in to be in attendance.
The society has been running since 1968 and still maintains a founding member – Geoff Holmes. It is dedicated to bringing together like-minded people who share a passion for all things model railways and the annual exhibitions allow it to showcase some of the projects members have been working on for the public.
It currently owns four layouts – the Lofthouse, Dolores, Wards End and Croglam Castle. These vary in terms of specifications with 7mm O gauge and 4mm OO gauge all represented in its collection. Members also fund their own projects such as Whiteadder Junction which mean that the society's funds are not affected while the work is carried out.
However, the biggest day on the society's calendar is its annual exhibition. Being held this year at Aireville School, Gargrave Road, Skipton, people will be able to view not just the various layouts that members have been working but a range of guest layouts that have been specially invited for the event.
Although not confirmed as yet, the society has invited layouts such as the Mellor Shed (OO), Cleggsworth (N), Acton Parkway (OO), Rose Cover (OO) and Festive Lane (N). A host of traders are also expected to be in attendance including Milnsbridge Models, MTFG Hobbies, JDM Models and John Taylor Uncommon Kits.
Admission is priced at £4 for adults, £3 for children and concessions while family tickets are available for £12.