Second event showcases awesome model railways alongside RC fighter jets and cars.
Stonham Barns Park – one of Suffolk’s premier leisure, retail and holiday venues – will be hosting its second ever Model Railway and Remote-Control Show on Sunday 24 March which will be bigger and better than the first as it will combine railway, aircraft and even full-sized vintage buses!
This year’s show will be supported by Eastern Counties Bus Preservation Group who will be running a free shuttle bus from Stowmarket Railway Station via Stowupland, Earl Stonham and Stonham Aspal to Stonham Barns Park for the show to provide a link for potential visitors who do not have access to a car or who just love a vintage bus ride!
The Eastern Counties Bus Preservation Group have restored a number of local buses from the 1990s – from Suffolk and Norfolk – to keep them running for future generations to enjoy. Says Jamie Vendy, of the Eastern Counties Bus Preservation Group: ‘We are delighted to be running this service for visitors to the Model Railway and Remote-Control Show. We are all transport fans at the end of the day and so it is only right we support each other where we can. It’s an awesome show and so we encourage as many people as possible who can to pop in to support it – and we’ll give them a free ticket to ride!’
‘We joined Stonham Barns Park Big Bus Show last year and this year we are hosting it! This is a brilliant venue for the region, and we are excited to be even more involved in the show than we were last year. It has increased our profile with enthusiasts and that’s good for the future of vintage buses in the East of England.’
The Model Railway and Remote-Control Show will demonstrate the amazing skill of a range of model railway enthusiasts who recreate the beauty and wonder of rail transport systems in perfect detail. Visitors can expect to see around 16 of the best model railways layouts from around the UK covering all major scales/gauges and meet members of a variety of clubs and societies. There will be a range of model railway layouts on show from manufacturers including Hornby, Bachmann and Dapol.
Added to this will be remote-control exhibits of all shapes and sizes with the largest being some fighter jets, a Jet Provost and a Lancaster Bomber from the Bury Model Flying Club.
Said show organiser Richard Ward, ‘Model trains and railway settings have always been popular in the UK and the hobby is still very big news today. As with most things, the hobby boomed during the time we were all confined to our homes during the pandemic.’
‘It is an infinitely creative hobby and new technology has brought a new dimension to the pastime. Who doesn’t like to see and hear historic trains in small scale settings. It is the hobby that keeps giving. It’s not only building the layouts, but also enhancing them by adding landscaping and weathering. Model railways offer infinite layout possibilities and that’s what makes the subject so interesting.’
‘Our debut show ignited the imagination of both exhibitors and visitors and this year we are broadening the appeal of the show with the addition of static displays from the Bury Model Flying Club along with other remote-control exhibits including Scaletric sets.’
James Ladell and his son Alexander from the Bury Model Flying Club will be attending the show with a number of their scale models. Both participate in world events flying – most recently representing England in Italy – and the pair are looking to do the same in Qatar 2025.
Added James Ladell, ‘What a fantastic opportunity to show the public what a great hobby building and flying radio-controlled model aircraft can be. We wanted to support this event as a club as it brings together people who are passionate about models and how they can work together to achieve remarkable things.’
‘It’s a hobby that can lead young people to STEM sciences to help with their future careers and so very useful too. We have every type of model aeroplane ranging from a WW1 Fokker Fighter to a hugely impressive WW2 Lancaster bomber that is awesome to watch. However, we will be keeping our models firmly on the ground for this show – while running one or two of them up for fun!’
‘We are looking forward to meeting other enthusiasts from the modelling fraternity – to talk tactics – and hopefully to make it a day to remember.’
There will be food and drink on site as well as many traders alongside the models and layouts. Children can ride on Stonham Barns Park very own mini train round the site, and there will be other attractions around the site on the day.
Tickets are £7.50 per adult, with under 12s entering for free! Exhibitors and traders will also be offered free entry and pitches.
Free shuttle bus timetable – 24 March 2024
