Brent Knoll’s St Michael’s Church will be holding a railway funday on Saturday October 5th with a range of train-themed activities.
The free event includes an exhibition of railway art, photography and history plus model railways for kids to play with, and videos of steam railways. It runs from 10am-4.30pm.
It is aimed at all ages and organiser Ged Keele, one of the local church members, is drawing on a lifetime’s experience of steam railways that started 80 years ago when he was evacuated from London to Cornwall in 1944 to escape the doodlebugs that were targeting London.
“My brothers and I were trainspotters in the 1950s, and Johnny became a keen amateur photographer. I have put together a poster display of lifetime experiences and have collated a series of Johnny’s prints of steam engines, which will be on display.”
Local priest Eric Petrie is a well known railway artist and his art will also be on display.
A series of home-produced videos will be projected on the church’s new big screen. These feature steam on the West Somerset Railway, a preserved South African steam train and vintage steam railways in France and Germany.
Ged adds: “There will also be an opportunity for visitors to see, and play with, examples of model railways; a Dublo model railway that we are building with the help of Brent Knoll Primary School children, and Brio for the very young. Mac and Viv Hares will also bring their electric model train that runs through their garden.”
There will be a raffle and light refreshments available. The exhibition is free, but donations are invited towards the upkeep of St Michael’s Church.
Children over 5 years, including adults, will have an opportunity for hands-on experience of model railways at £2 per session.
