We’re currently working on our idea for a hands-on model railway visitor attraction and creative space coming in the future to York. It’s being built by people who spend their days helping others enjoy railways in miniature.

What if you could do more than just look at the trains?

Drive them. Build the scenery. Discover a whole new hobby.

We’re developing an idea for a hands-on model railway visitor attraction in York. Somewhere people can get involved, have a go and discover just how much there is to enjoy about railways in miniature.

We want to introduce more people to this wonderful hobby, including those who might never have considered building a model railway themselves.

And we think the best way to do that is to let them try it.

More than just watching trains go round

Imagine a place where you can take control of a train, build a little piece of scenery, discover how railway signalling works or simply enjoy watching beautifully detailed miniature worlds come to life.

Our ambition is to bring together several different sides of model railways:

• Drive: Take the controls of working model railways and learn how to operate them.
• Build: Try scenic modelling, track planning and other hands-on activities.
• Discover: Explore different scales, railway eras, countries and the stories behind the models.
• Be inspired: See what other people have created and discover how you could get started yourself.

We want people to leave thinking, “I could do that!”

A hobby for more people

Model railways bring together an extraordinary range of interests. There’s engineering, history, art, design, electronics, storytelling and plenty of opportunities to make things with your hands.

They can also be wonderfully absorbing. There’s a real pleasure in concentrating on a small creative task, seeing something you’ve made take shape, or simply watching a train travel through a miniature landscape.

It’s a hobby that can be enjoyed at almost any age, alone or with others.

Yet plenty of people never get the opportunity to experience it for themselves.

We’d like to change that.

Our attraction is intended for families, curious visitors, existing enthusiasts and people who perhaps enjoyed model trains years ago but haven’t thought about them since. You won’t need any previous knowledge to take part.

Starting small, thinking bigger

The long-term ambition is to establish a permanent model railway attraction in York, a city with a rich railway heritage and visitors from around the world.

We’ve undertaken independent market research into the potential audience and spent considerable time developing the concept, exploring locations and speaking to people in the tourism and railway industries.

We’re now looking at how we can test the idea on a smaller scale before committing to a permanent home.

That could mean pop-up experiences, opportunities for visitors to try activities, and experiments to discover what genuinely captures people’s imagination.

There’s plenty still to work out, but that’s part of the adventure. We’d rather learn from real visitors and develop something that works than rush into creating something that only looks good on paper.

Built on a love of model railways

The project is being developed by Model Railway Magic Ltd, the York-based business behind TrainTrax and The Model Tree Shop.

We spend our working days helping people enjoy model railways, supplying trains, track, scenery and advice to modellers across the UK and beyond.

We also build, operate and exhibit layouts ourselves, so we understand both the enjoyment and the occasional frustrations of the hobby!

This attraction is an opportunity to share that enjoyment with a much wider audience.

[Photo 5 – Exhibition layout]

Could you be part of it?

We’re keen to talk to people who see the potential in bringing model railways to new audiences.

That includes manufacturers, distributors, model railway clubs, exhibition organisers, content creators, experienced modellers and people working in tourism and visitor attractions.

We’re particularly interested in opportunities to collaborate on small-scale trials, share expertise and introduce people to different aspects of the hobby.

You don’t need to arrive with a grand proposal. Sometimes the most useful thing is simply a conversation, a good idea or an introduction.

If you think this sounds interesting, we’d love to hear from you.

Keep in touch

We’re still at the development stage, and there isn’t an opening date to announce. But we’ll share news as plans take shape, including opportunities to see or get involved in the early trials.

In the meantime, questions, suggestions and introductions are always welcome.

Get in touch about the attraction

Model Railway Magic Ltd · York, UK