They are the dedicated group of model-makers who have vowed to keep their hobby on ‘track’.
Members of the Co Donegal Railway Restoration Ltd held their second annual Model Railway Exhibition in Kees Hotel in Stranorlar at the weekend.
There were no iPods, computer games or hand-held gadgets that make more noise than a swarm of wasps.
Yet the exhibition held my children’s attention for more than two hours.
Now take it from me, not even a private showing form Jedward in our kitchen could do that.
There is something timeless about a train set which makes you want to sit and watch it all day.
Last weekend’s exhibition featured train station replicas form across the country from as far away as Schull in Co Cork to the old Letterkenny Railway station close to Oatfields Sweeet Factory.
But it was not just the attention to detail which is given to each and every last one of the model train sets which makes such an exhibition captivating.
Like many organisations, it is the people who make this exhibition a huge success.
Each owner and railway enthusiast was more than willing to take time out an chat about their model and in general about trains.
The exhibition consisted of a total of fifteen different models all built fROm scratch with some as old as 80 years.
Not just that but a full length mini-train brought children (and some adults!) the length of the exhibition hall.
Needless to say two hours was not enough with only the promise that we will return for the next exhibition being enough to pacify three small children.
Two minutes after we left Kees Hotel, the eldest child, 7, already knew what he was asking Santa for – a model railway.
Ends
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