Model Railway Weekend to feature 38 exhibitors and son of Thomas the Tank Engine creator

Photo: Andrew P.M. Wright

The son of the clergyman who created the world famous Thomas the Tank Engine children’s books will be taking part in the Swanage Railway’s first Model Railway Weekend featuring 36 nostalgic layouts, fascinating model locomotives and an exciting narrow gauge ride-on train.

With attractions at the Purbeck Mining Museum, next to Norden station - as well as at Corfe Castle station, Harman’s Cross station and the next door village hall and Swanage station – the lots to see and do event, for all ages, takes place on Saturday and Sunday, 11 and 12 April, 2026.

Well known children’s railway author Christopher Awdry – son of the late Reverend Wilbert Awdry – will be signing copies of his enchanting books at Swanage station between 11.30am and 12.30pm as well as between 2pm and 3pm on the Saturday and Sunday.

Among the evocative model railway layouts on display will be depictions of much-loved stations long since closed by British Rail – including Bournemouth West, Broadstone and Shillingstone.

Including seven model railway traders along the Swanage Railway, there will also be meticulous layouts showing Swanage and Corfe Castle stations as they looked in the heyday of British Railways – the Corfe Castle display travelling from the Netherlands.

The Swanage Railway’s first Model Railway Weekend is sponsored by Model Railway Solutions of Poole in Dorset, PECO’s long established and highly respected Railway Modeller magazine as well as the PECO model railways company, founded in 1946, which is based at Beer near Seaton in Devon.

With booking in advance via the Swanage Railway website, the public also has the chance to experience the thrill and excitement of driving a standard gauge 1950s ex-British Railways Class 08 diesel shunter at Swanage station. The minimum age for participants is 18.

With booking also in advance via the Swanage Railway website, the public also has the chance to drive a five-inch gauge miniature model of a 1960s British Railways ‘Hymek’ diesel locomotive at the Purbeck Mining Museum next to Norden station. The minimum age for participants is 12.

With tickets bookable on the day at the Purbeck Mining Museum, the public also has the chance to experience the excitement of riding on a five-inch narrow gauge portable miniature railway featuring battered-powered models of steam and diesel locomotives, working signals and a fully functioning level crossing.

The leading organiser of the Model Railway Weekend is Charlie Rogers, from Bournemouth, who has been a life-long model railway enthusiast and volunteers his time on the Swanage Railway as a steam locomotive fireman when not working as a train engineer on the national railway network.

Charlie explained: “We are thrilled to combine our full size steam and diesel trains with their smaller counterparts to present the Swanage Railway’s first Model Railway Weekend which promises fascination and excitement for both children and adults alike.

“With 38 exhibitors and seven traders across the Swanage Railway, the event offers a range of different model railway scales and gauges

“The Model Railway Weekend has taken a lot of planning and organisers so I would like to thank the many people that have helped to bring the idea to an exciting reality,” added Charlie.

Combined entry and train travel tickets for the Model Railway Weekend are available from the Swanage Railway website at swanagerailway.co.uk as well as from Norden, Corfe Castle and Swanage station ticket offices on the day.

The model railway exhibitions – including those at Harman’s Cross village hall next to the station - are free for all passengers with valid train travel tickets.

For those people without valid train travel tickets, a separate £5 entry ticket will be available on the door for entry to Harman’s Cross village hall.

Anyone interested in finding out about varied Swanage Railway volunteering opportunities should contact volunteering officer Kelly Griffin by emailing iwanttovolunteer@swanagerailway.co.uk while details about volunteering can also be found at swanagerailwaytrust.org/volunteering.

Story and photograph by Andrew P.M. Wright,

Swanage Railway official photographer and press officer.