The festivities of Christmas are over for another year and everyone is getting ready to return to the day-to-day working routine.
As January approaches many will feel that same old feeling that comes with every first month of the year, drudgery and longing for the blissful empty days that have just gone. Many people wake in the new year with good intentions to lose a few extra pounds or take up a new hobby but more often than not break those resolutions within a few weeks of making them.
January can feel like a bit of a chore so it is important that people treat themselves during the first month of the year. With a new year comes new events in the model railway society calendar and January brings with it a host of exciting and interesting days out for all the family. Whether it be steam engines or model railways, there is always something to do on the coming weekends.
So shake off that holiday weight and the post-Christmas gloom by venturing out to some of the UK's model railway society. Maybe pick up a gift or two to ease yourself back into day-to-day life.
Here is our pick of the January 2015 model railway highlights.
Kidlington Scoutrail 2015 – Kidlington, Oxfordshire (January 3rd and 4th)
Kicking off the new year is a great day out for all the family. Hosted by the Scouts, Kidlington Scoutrail in Oxfordshire has all the very best layout from some of the many model railway societies from around the region. Hosted at Exeter Hall, the event sees a wide range of traditional and modern layouts depicting areas from around the globe.
Exhibitors confirmed for the 2015 event include Hornby Vintage Railway, Nockingbigg End, The Ninety Pence Railway and Thomas & LGB Friends. There will also be a number of vendors selling trains and accessories throughout the day.
Prices: Adults £3.50, children £1.50, concessions £2.50.
Southampton Model Railway Exhibition 2015 (January 24th and 25th)
Southampton Model Railway Exhibition is always a date modellers look out for on the calendar and this the fun starts in late January. Hosted by Southampton Model Railway Society, the 2015 event will feature over 20 high quality layouts while a host of well known traders will be in attendance selling parts and providing expert advice.
This year's event is a special occasion as it marks the 50th anniversary of the city's 3mm Society. It will be celebrated with a number of special display dedicated to this modelling configuration.
Prices: Adults £7, senior citizens £6, children (between five and 15) £3, family (2+2) £17.
Stafford Railway Circle Annual Model Railway Exhibition (January 31st and February 1st)
Rounding off January is the Stafford Railway Circle's annual model railway exhibition at Stafford County Showground. This year will see a massive 46 layouts spanning different times and nations. There is the opportunity to have a trip down memory with a number of scenic settings from the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s while there are of course the traditional steam train layouts.
As with the events taking place earlier in the month, there are a host of traders already confirmed to be attending with all of them on hand to provide advice on how modellers can get the best out of their own collection.
Prices: Adults £9