The Christmas Model Railway Show

The Manchester Model Railway Society celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025 with an expanded exhibition featuring 26 top-class layouts and an ambitious “Timeline Display” that spans two centuries of both real and model railway history.

Beginning with Trevithick’s 1804 Pen-y-Darren Locomotive, the timeline charts landmark moments such as the opening of the Liverpool–Manchester Railway, the end of broad gauge, railways in wartime, nationalisation, Beeching, and the return to modern rail investment. It also showcases key figures—from the Stephensons and Brunel to George Hudson and Dr Beeching—alongside the great locomotive designers who shaped the network.

The exhibition also highlights the evolution of model railways, where MMRS played a significant role, particularly in the decades following the Second World War. Visitors can discover iconic mid-20th-century layouts, influential modellers such as P.D. Hancock, Peter Denny and Iain Rice, and the work of notable MMRS members. Alongside these historic displays, the show features some of today’s finest modelling talent, including nine winners of the prestigious Railway Modeller Challenge Cup. Pre-booked adult tickets start from £11, supervised children attend for free, and the step-free venue offers excellent public transport links.