MODEL railway enthusiasts from across the country came together for an eclectic display of locomotive delights.

More than 1,000 people attended the 56th Model Railway and Transport Exhibition, held at Barrow Sixth Form College and hosted by Furness Model Railway Club.

The trains may have been miniature but there was maximum enjoyment as families, model makers and fans packed the exhibition.

Clubs from places including London, Preston and Liverpool came to display intricate layouts mimicking popular railway routes and painstakingly crafted over a number of years.

Russell Peters, chairman of the Furness Model Railway club, toasted an exciting weekend.

He said: “There has been a great attendance from families and people who have come from all over the country.

“We have had a great range of exhibitors showing layouts based on North Wales, North West England and America.

“There is plenty to do for the kids - as well as the adult kids.

“This show is a big event people who love model railways across the north west.”

Mr Peters explained how much hard work went into crafting the model railway layouts, with exhibitors spending two years to build the scene and potentially a further five refining it.

He said: “To build a model you need a number of skills, cutting wood, laying track, you need electric knowledge and an artistic side to sculpt a scene.

“Some models are produced in a few months, some take several years.”

Mr Peters, 67, has been into the hobby for 40 years and said people’s love of the hobby came from the real thing.

He said: “People enjoy riding on trains and they try to replicate that experience by having their own versions.”