Everybody, especially grown-ups and young kids, loves scale models. That’s everything from large radio-controlled model aircraft and ships – through detailed model cars, trucks, tanks, figures, space & sci-fi, scenes & dioramas – to elaborate model railways in all gauges down to tiny z-scale. There are whole worlds in miniature on display at model engineering shows, exhibitions and other events, for the whole family to enjoy. And the entry fees are usually as ‘cheap as chips’!
So, if you happen to be in the neighbourhood when a model show/display is taking place, why not pop along?
These are some of the shows and exhibitions in 2026 that I’m aware of so far.
| Wonderworks Model Show | 17 Jan 26 | The WonderWorks, Westwood Industrial Estate, Margate, Kent | Wonderworks is Hornby’s brand museum. This will be their second annual model show. |
| Syston Model Railway Society Winter Exhibition | 17/18 Jan 26 | Birstall Social Club, 16-18 Wanlip Lane, Birstall, Leicester LE4 4JS | Eleven layouts in 00, HO & N gauges plus nine traders. |
| Irvine Model Railway Exhibition | 24/25 Jan 26 | The Scottish Maritime Museum, Linthouse Building, Irvine, KA12 8BT | The Kilmarnock District Model Railway Club’s show with around 10 club & guest layouts plus trade and craft stalls. |
| Erith MRS January Exhibition | 24/25 Jan 26 | Harris Garrard Academy, Yarnton Way, Thamesmead DA18 4D | Erith Model Railway Society will be exhibiting upto 35 layouts plus traders, societies demonstrators and other exhibits. |
| Southampton MRS Exhibition | 24/25 Jan 26 | Barton Peveril College, Chestnut Ave, Eastleigh, Southampton SO50 5ZA | The Southampton Model Railway Society show will have over 20 layouts plus traders, societies and demonstrators. And a will have a test track, in ’00’, ‘EM’, ‘TT’, N gauge, 2mm fine scale and Z gauge, where you will be able to test locos. |
| Normanton & Pontefract RMS Exhibition | 24/25 Jan 26 | Pontefract Racecourse, Pontefract Park, Park Lane, Pontefract WF8 4QD. | Layouts, plus societies and traders. (No more info at this stage) |
| Kendal Model Railway Exhibition | 24/25 Jan 26 | Kendal Leisure Centre, Burton Rd, Kendal LA9 7HX | Eleven layouts in OO and n gauges, plus traders and other societies. |
| Bolton IPMS Show | 25 Jan 26 | TS Community Stadium, De Havilland Way, Bolton BL6 6JW | Club models and trade stands (no web page) |
| Festival of British Railway Modelling 2026 | 07/08 Feb 26 | Doncaster Racecourse, Bawtry Rd, Doncaster DN2 6BB | Large show with a selection of 30+ layouts and 60+ traders, clubs, and societies from across the country. |
| Morecombe Model Exhibition | 14 Feb 26 | Morecambe Library, Central Drive, Morecambe, Lancashire LA4 5DL | Clubs, groups and individuals displaying a wide range of models and miniatures including: Aircraft, tanks, military vehicles, ships, submarines, Warhammer and more. No traders though. |
| Bournemouth Model Railway Exhibition | 14/15 Feb 26 | Kinson Community Centre, Pelhams Park, Millhams Road, Kinson, Bournemouth BH10 7LH | The East Dorset N-Gauge Society show will have 25+ layouts in a variety of gauges, plus traders and societies. |
| Weston-super-Mare Model Railway Show | 14/15 Feb 26 | Priory Community School, Queens Way, Weston-super-Mare BS22 6BP | This is a Burnham & District Model Railway Club event. They usually have around 20+ layouts in various scales, plus traders. |
| East Anglia Model Show | 21 Feb 26 | Inspire Dome, Lindbergh Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9QX | Ipswich Branch of the International Plastic Modellers Society celebrating 21 years of modelling. |
| South Cheshire Militaire ‘Universal Model Show’ | 22 Feb 26 | Malbank 6th Form College, Welsh Row, Nantwich CW5 5HD | South Cheshire Military Modelling Club’s annual show of military models, figures, aircraft, ships, railways, science fiction, wargames, and flying aircraft, plus traders. |
| Midlands Garden Rail Show | 28 Feb/01 Mar 26 | Warwickshire Event Centre, Southam Road, Leamington Spa, CV31 1FE | Over 15 layouts in the larger gauges and scales including Gauge 1, O Gauge, G Scale and others, plus 40 traders. |
| Gauge O Guild – Spring Show | 07 Mar 26 | Kettering Leisure Village, Thurston Drive, Kettering NN15 6PB | This is the 70th anniversary of the “7mm” or Gauge O Guild and they have four railway modelling exhibitions lined up this year. This is the first. |
| Romsey & District Rail Modellers Society Annual Exhibition | 07/08 Mar 26 | Crosfield Hall, Romsey SO51 8GL | Their 46th Annual Exhibition. No details yet but last year they had 13 layouts in a variety of scales & gauges, plus traders. |
| Redditch MRC Show | 07/08 Mar 26 | Trinity High School & Six Form Centre, Grove Street, Redditch B98 8DS | Last year’s Redditch Model Railway Club show had around 30+ layouts of their own and from clubs around the country, plus traders. No details yet on the 2026 show. |
| Sodbury Vale MRC March Exhibition | 14 Mar 26 | Aerospace Bristol, Concorde Hanger, Hayes Way, Patchway Bristol BS34 5BZ | Details not available yet, but Sodbury Vale Model Railway Club had 18 layouts plus traders, demonstrations, and 5 visiting societies last year. |
| Narrow Gauge North 2025 | 14 Mar 26 | Pudsey Civic Hall, Cote Ln, Pudsey, Leeds LS28 5TA | Annual NGN show with 20+ layouts/exhibitors plus traders |
| Spa Valley Spring Model Railway Show | 14/15 Mar 26 | Tunbridge Wells West Railway Station, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5QL | Not clear yet (Nov 2025) how many layouts and traders will be exhibiting. |
| London Festival of Railway Modelling 2026 | 21/22 Mar 25 | Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way London N22 7AY | Usually around 40 hand-picked layouts by The Model Railway Club, in a range of scales and gauges, from the UK, Europe and the USA, plus 70+ traders. (I usually buy paints & tools here) |
| Royston Model Railway Exhibition | 28 Mar 26 | Bassingbourn Village College, Royston SG8 5NJ | Royston & District Model Railway Club exhibition with around 22 layouts plus demos, societies and traders. |
| York Model Railway Show | 04-06 Apr 26 | Knavesmire Stand, York Racecourse, York YO23 1EX | It’s a large show. Some 39 layouts in a range of gauges, plus 40 traders, societies and demonstrators will be at this year’s show. |
| Shildon MRC Spring Exhibition | 05/06 Apr 26 | Locomotion, 1 Dale Rd, Shildon DL4 4RE | Shildon Model Railway Club’s spring show with 20+ layouts, 20+ traders, plus societies & groups |
| HWDMRS – MRX26 Spring | 11 Apr 26 | Cressex Community Centre & Social Club, 203 Cressex Road, High Wycombe HP12 4PZ. | The High Wycombe & District Model Railway Society’s spring show will have 10+ layouts plus traders. |
| Macclesfield Model Railway Exhibition | 11/12 Apr 26 | King’s School Sports Centre, Alderley Rd, Macclesfield SK10 4RH | MMRE’s annual exhibition, bigger than before and in a new, larger venue. |
| Cheltenham Model Railway Exhibition | 11/12 Apr 26 | St. Margaret’s Hall, Coniston Road, Hatherley, Cheltenham GL51 3NU | Nine layouts listed so far (last year it was 15) plus displays, model road vehicles and trade stands. |
| Calne Model Railway Show | 11/12 Apr 26 | Calne Community Campus, White Horse Way, Calne SN11 0SP | The Calne model Railway Society’s 30th annual show with 15+ layouts in various gauges plus 15 traders. |
| G1MRA Spring Show | 18 Apr 26 | Statfold Barn, Statfold Country Park, Ashby Road, Tamworth B79 0BU | The Gauge One Model Railway Association (G1MRA) which focuses on large scale steam locomotives and garden railways, usually (details not in yet) has a large track layout and Gauge One exhibits. |
| Scottish National Scale Model Show | 18/19 Apr 26 | Live Active Dewars Centre, Perth TH2 0PH | Plastic scale model exhibition with roughly 45 clubs and special interest groups exhibiting |
| National Garden Railway Show | 25 Apr 26 | NAEC Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth CV8 2LH | The 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers show featuring multiple layouts in a variety of garden scales, and a large number of trade stands. |
| Model World Live | 25/26 Apr 26 | National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham B40 1NT | The third edition of this national scale model and model railway engineering show will feature over 190 stands . |
| Saddleworth Charity Model Railway Exhibition | 02-04 May 26 | Saddleworth Museum & Art Gallery, High St, Uppermill, Oldham OL3 6HS | Small fundraising (for guide dogs) exhibition with usually around 5 layouts and 3 traders |
| SWHMRS Annual Show | 09 May 26 | Queens’ School, Aldenham Rd, Bushey WD23 2TY | No details yet but the South-West Herts Model Railway Society usually exhibit around 21 layouts in various gauges, plus visiting societies and traders. |
| Stamford Model Railway Show | 09/10 May 26 | Stamford Welland Academy, Green Lane, Stamford PE9 1HE | Market Deeping Model Railway Club’s annual show with usually around 28 layouts on display, plus societies and traders. |
| Popham Model Show | 09/10 May 26 | Popham Airfield, Coxford Down, Winchester SO21 3BD | Annual radio-control model aircraft show on Popham Airfield with statics displays of RC model cars, military vehicles, boats and more, plus traders. |
| Ely & District Model Railway Club exhibition | 16 May 26 | Ely College, Downham Rd, Ely CB6 3DY | Well-attended annual show. Usually around 15 layouts. |
| Sword & Lance Show | 23 May 26 | Northern Echo Arena, Darlington DL2 1DL | Figurines, military figures and plastic scale models. It’ll be the Darlington Military Modelling Society’s 51st Anniversary Show. |
| Railex 2026 | 23/24 May 26 | Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Aylesbury HP21 9PP | Risborough and District Model Railway Club show with 22+ layouts and 30+ traders |
| Gauge O Guild – Summer Show | 30 May 26 | The Robin Park Leisure Centre, Loire Way, Newtown, Wigan WN5 0UL | “7mm” or Gauge O railway modelling show. This is the 70th anniversary of the Guild and they have four railway modelling exhibitions lined up this year. This is the second. |
| Milton Keynes Model Railway Society Annual Show | 06 Jun 26 | The Ridgeway Centre, Wolverton Mill, Milton Keynes MK12 5TH | A variety of operating layouts ranging from within the club and from visiting clubs and individuals. This year they hope to have around 25 layouts. Plus trade stands. |
| Cam & Dursley Model Railway Exhibition | 07 Jun 26 | Dursley & District Community Centre, Dursley GL11 4BX | The Wings & Wheels Society’s third exhibition with 3 rooms of working model layouts in N, OO & O Gauge, plus trade, charity & society stands. |
| Weston Park International Model Airshow | 19-21 Jun 26 | Weston Park, Telford TF11 8LE | Three day model RC aircraft, helicopters and hovercraft show, now in its 30th year. |
| LMA Sleap Airshow | 04/05 Jul 26 | Sleap Airfield, Harmer Hill, Shrewsbury SY4 3HE | The Large Model Association annual airshow. RC models on static display and flying |
| Exe Model Railway Exhibition | 11/12 Jul 26 | Matford Centre, Matford Park Rd, Exeter EX2 8FD | Exe Model Railway Society’s annual exhibition. No info yet. In previous years they’ve had 30+ layouts and 15 traders. |
| Mid Suffolk Light Railway Model Mania & Hornby Collectors Show | 24/25 Aug 26 | Brockford Station, Wetheringsett, Stowmarket IP14 5PW | Modellers event day at the “Middy” heritage railway. |
| Sedgemoor Rail 2025 | 29/30 Aug 26 | King Alfred School, Burnham Road, Highbridge, Somerset TA9 3EE | The Burnham-On-Sea & District Model Railway Club’s annual Sedgemoor Exhibition usually has around 20+ layouts & 10 traders. |
| Harrogate Model Railway Show | 31 Aug 26 | Constance Green Hall, St Aidan’s School, Harrogate HG2 8JR | The Harrogate Model Railway Group’s annual exhibition will have an unspecified number of layouts, trade stands, demonstrations & societies. |
| Gauge O Guild – Guildex 2026 | 05/06 Sep 26 | Bingley Hall, Stafford Showground, Stafford ST18 0BD | “7mm” or Gauge O railway modelling show. This is the 70th anniversary of the Guild and they have four railway modelling exhibitions lined up this year. This is the third. |
| South West Model Show | 12/13 Sep 26 | The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset BH20 6JG | Two days of modelling madness, and not just tanks, there’ll be planes, ships, trains on display… plus traders, modelling demonstrations, and competitions. |
| International N-Gauge Show | 12/13 Sep 26 | Warwickshire Event Centre, Southam Road, Leamington Spa CV31 1FE | A range of modern, steam, continental and American N-gauge layouts, plus society displays and specialist suppliers. |
| Ayr Model Rail Show | 19/20 Sep 26 | Walker Hall, South Beach, Troon KA10 6EF | Annual show. Typically around 12 layouts, plus trade stands. |
| Spa Valley Autumn Model Railway Show | 19/20 Sep 26 | Tunbridge Wells West Railway Station, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5QL | Featuring around 30 layouts in a variety of scales, including N, OO, O, OO9, S, and other gauges, and 10 trade stands. |
| Stafford Model Railway show | 26/27 Sep 26 | Bingley Hall, Stafford County Showground, Stafford ST18 0BD | Running for almost 60 years, the Stafford show claims to be the ‘largest established independent model railway show in the country’. With usually over 50 layouts it is certainly one of the biggest. |
| Aldershot Model Railway Exhibition | 10/11 Oct 26 | Alderwood Leisure Centre, Aldershot GU12 4AS | Farnham & District Model Railway Club usually show 23+ layouts, plus demos and traders. No details yet and venue not confirmed. |
| Exeter Garden Railway Show | 24 Oct 26 | The Matford Centre, Marsh Barton Ind Estate, Exeter EX2 8FD | The South Devon Garden Railway Group’s annual autumn show highlighting layouts and exhibits in promote railways from O gauge to Scale 3. |
| Cheltenham Model Railway Exhibition | 24/25 Oct 26 | St. Margaret’s Hall, Coniston Road, Hatherley, Cheltenham GL51 3NU | Six layouts listed so far, plus displays and trade stands. |
| Rail-Ex Taunton 2025 | 24/25 Oct 26 | Taunton School, Staplegrove Road, Taunton TA2 6AD | The Somerset Railway Modellers Club usually display around 40 layouts in N gauge, OO9, HO, OO and O gauge, plus traders, associations & demos. |
| Spalding Model Railway Exhibition | 31 Oct/01 Nov 26 | Springfield Events Centre, Spalding PE12 6ET | Spalding MRC’s annual show. Last year they had around 30 layouts and attracted over 2,500 visitors. |
| LOMEX | 31 Oct/01 Nov 26 | East Coast College, Lowestoft NR32 2NB | The annual Lowestoft Model Engineering and Model Making Exhibition has a mixture of scale models, steam traction engines & locomotives, RC aircraft and boats. |
| Wycrail Exhibition 2026 | 07 Nov 26 | Historic Brunel Railway Shed, Station Approach, High Wycombe HP13 6NE | The High Wycombe & District Model Railway Society’s autumn show will have 22+ layouts in a variety of scales and gauges including N, TT, H0, 00, 7mm, and 00-9 narrow gauges, plus 10 traders and five society stands. |
| IPMS Scale ModelWord | 07/08 Nov 26 | Telford International Centre, St Quentin Gate, Telford TF3 4JH | International Plastic Modellers’ Society (IPMS) annual show. Last year they had over 190 displays featuring thousands of models, plus 120 traders. |
| Solrail Model Railway Exhibition | 21/22 Nov 26 | ENERGUS, Blackwood Road, Lillyhall, Workington CA14 4JW | At least 15 layouts, plus demo, society & trade stands. |
| Gauge 0 Guild Winter Show | 12 Dec 26 | Kempton Racecourse, Sunbury-on-Thames TW16 5AQ | “7mm” or Gauge O railway modelling show. This is the 70th anniversary of the Guild and they have four railway modelling exhibitions lined up this year. This is the fourth. |
NB. This page is being continually updated, but things change: events get postponed, cancelled or there’s a change of venue. Always double-check on the organiser’s website before visiting.
