Alex Hern, in his interesting piece about a perceived ageing of model railway enthusiasts, is correct that the hobby has more older people in it than younger ones (‘An aged hobby’: enthusiasts struggle to keep model railway industry on track, 14 January). This is partly because many use the concept of model railways to recreate something representing the railways they remember from their younger years. However, there are young people who like to buy models representing the trains they can see today.
Alex regrets the ceasing of the Warley National Model Railway exhibition that used to annually excite visitors to the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. But a different occupier of the NEC space for 2024 was announced recently under the guidance of enthusiast and music magnate Pete Waterman. In recent years his model railway projects have been shown in Midlands cathedrals, and moving to the NEC can bring in a wider audience.
I volunteer at the Famous Trains model railway in Markeaton Park, Derby, and have noticed recently a small but significant influx of volunteers of university age, together with a continued addition of people who have just retired and who are looking for something to do with their time, knowledge and skills. They find that they enjoy showing off model railways to the public, which at Famous Trains they can do every weekend and Monday. This is one model railway whose public visitor numbers have increased significantly in the last couple of years, from at most 7,000 a year to over 9,000. So it’s not all aged doom and gloom.
Colin Boocock
Derby
• Now you can publish my anguished letter about age and model railways. There was a time when I might have envied Rod Stewart for his women. Now I’m jealous of the space he has for his layout.
Prof Keith Hayward
London
• Do you have a photograph you’d like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers’ best photographs galleries and in the print edition on Saturdays.
