Gosport Model Railroad Club hosts exciting exhibition

19 September 2024 Connor Steel

A SMALL club in Gosport have held a recent exhibition at the Parish Centre in Alverstoke; which helped to showcase the creation of model railroads that have been designed by its members and is part of quarterly displays that are enjoyed by the general public.

The Gosport Model Railroad Club has run in the town for about 25 years and currently has around 30 members; half of whom are active and attend the monthly meetings. Ted Humber coordinates the exhibition / club meetings and he gave some background, saying:

“The club originally began as an American Railroad Club, but that ‘around six years ago the club expanded to encourage more members. This is what I would call a very amateur club, we do it for enjoyment.”

Humber continued to state that running the exhibitions once a quarter is “great for local people to come and have a look” at what the club does, whilst adding that it also ‘hopefully raises a few quid” to help members and its ambitions.

At the exhibition, various members had setups displaying their models. One such member was John Gowan, who has been part of the Gosport Model Railroad Club for around 15 years. Gowan was demonstrating how to ‘weather’ the models in order to make them look more “make them look more dirty”; further stating that he “likes anything creative” and “enjoys creating something unique.”

Another member showcasing their work at the exhibition was Bernice Robinson, a new member of the club who joined in May 2024. Robinson’s models were unique among the others on display as they were made entirely of Lego; which she told us had been collected over many years and that “creating models has been a therapy” for her.

Using Lego allows Robinson to change her layouts for each exhibition, with this exhibition’s model having a summer beach theme. Robinson’s Lego models demonstrate a change to the traditional art of railroad modelling, a sentiment that Humber echoed as he said:

‘Model railwaying has changed a lot over the last 20 year and a lot of people are interested in electronics. The modernisation of railroad modelling has ‘made life easier in a lot of respects and a lot harder in others”.

The Gosport Model Railroad Club’s exhibition displayed an impressive range of skills and demonstrated a strong sense of community. The club and exhibitions are organised by locals for locals, with the aim of teaching visitors about the fascinating hobby of railroad modelling. The next exhibition will be held at Alverstoke Parish Centre on November 16 (Saturday).

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