The Annual Model Railway exhibition held jointly by Rotary Newton Aycliffe and Shildon Model Railway Club will take on a new format in 2021. Instead of the usual busy event at the Newton Aycliffe Community Centre on Burn Lane, a virtual event is being staged online.

Around twenty layouts will be featured along with traders and preservation societies. The organisers are delighted to be able to show “Newton Burrows” a layout belonging to Johnny Jones who was one of the founders of the event. The large “00” layout, built in a former cricket pavilion, represented somewhere in the North East in the 1950’s. Built by a group of Johnny’s friends it could have eight trains working at once and featured a ‘working’ coal mine, reflecting Johnny’s early life at Wheatley Hill. Johnny sadly passed away in 2014 and is sadly missed not only by Rotary members but by many people on the town.

The other layouts to be shown will be from a range of scales, periods and types, reflecting the best in quality from not only the North East but from across the country and possibly even further afield.

Proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to ‘Heel and Toe’, a charity caring for disabled children across County Durham and Darlington.

To gain access to the exhibition from 20th March 2021 visitors should visit www.rnarailwayexhition.com where access to the exhibitors page will be made available, after obtaining your password via the Just Giving link and hopefully donating.

Further details are available from John Burrows 07870 210269.