Model railway open days

GAINSBOROUGH Model Railway Society celebrates two important anniversaries during its open weekend on 16th and 17th June - the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and 150 years of the Flying Scotsman express between London and Edinburgh.

Chairman Richard Woods said: “In the days of steam the royal family travelled much more by train than they do today, and King’s Cross station was favoured for many royal journeys, particularly to Sandringham, as it avoided the elaborate formalities if the monarch entered the City of London.”

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“Special engines were used for these trains, maintained in pristine condition with white cab roofs, and we have in our collection models of two of these locomotives, which hauled the royal train on many occasions between the 1920s and 1950s.”

“We will also be running engines which were named in honour of the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935 and the coronation of his son, the present Queen’s father, King George VI in 1937, as well as the engine which pulled the royal train to the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Kent in York Minster in 1961.”

The second anniversary being celebrated is that of the Flying Scotsman express which began to run between London and Edinburgh in June 1862.

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“We will be running models of many of the types of engine used to haul the train, from the Stirling Single of 1870 to the Deltic diesels which were pulling the train a century later, not forgetting of course the engine Flying Scotsman with which our Society was associated for many years,” said Richard.

The open days are at the clubrooms in Florence Terrace on Saturday and Sunday from 1.30pm to 6pm. Admission £4 adults, £3 children and senior citizens, family ticket £10.