IT was full steam ahead for the 28th Model Railway Exhibition last week.

The two-day event staged by the Lytham St Annes Railway Society took place at the Lowther Pavilion and Gardens last Saturday and Sunday (July 31 and August 1), featuring a 12 tonne steam roller and a A full size Blackpool tram.

In addition, enthusiasts from all over the country, with some travelling as far as Darlington and Bath, exhibited their working model railways based on British lines.

Internationally famous wildlife artist David Shepherd attended the show on Saturday. Equally recognised for his work depicting locomotives and elephants, David displayed original paintings as well as bringing the David Shepherd Conservation Foundation display bus, which has travelled more miles promoting help for endangered species than the distance from Earth to the moon and back.

Exhibition manager Allan Judd said: "It was a great two days and it went very well.

"This is an annual event and since the start we have continued to get bigger. This year was no exception as again we attracted more people than the previous year.

"It was a great coup for us to get David Shepherd here - he was thrilled to bits with the event.

"We have found that this event is a tourist attraction and not just an event for the serious enthusiasts. Obviously the weather helped us, but we didn't have a bad word from anyone."

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