About SOLRAIL
History
Workington has hosted Model Railway Exhibitions in the town for several decades. Originally in the Carnegie arts centre and organised by the Workington Model Railway Club, when faced with declining membership, the club folded and the future of the exhibition looked bleak. In stepped Alistair Grey and the Workington Transport Heritage Trust who were instrumental in finding a new home in the Moorclose Sports Centre and ran the event as a fund raiser with the help of several local model railway enthusiasts.
The WTHT, with limited resources were unable to continue supporting the exhibition and it was once again in jeopardy.
A group of local railway modellers, rail enthusiasts, and model engineers, (some with long associations with the exhibition) got together and formed a not-for-profit company with the goal of continuing the annual model railway exhibition. In 2014 the exhibition moved to the excellent ENERGUS venue where we have staged the event very successfully since.
Today
There was no exhibition in 2020 due to the global pandemic. The November 2021 attendance was slightly down on previous years, with generous local support, particularly from Numech. We remain on course for several more years of exhibitions.
Solrail comprises a small number of dedicated volunteers. We are always happy to welcome anyone willing to contribute to the running of the exhibition. If you would like to exhibit, or help support the 2 day event, during or leading up to the exhibition, we would love to hear from you.
We make a special effort to welcome family visitors which is why we do not charge admission for accompanied children.
We attract support from several local groups and are especially grateful for the help and cooperation we enjoy from the West Cumberland Guild of Model Engineers.
The Exhibition Manager is Mr. P. Tuer
Reflections.
Our 2023 Exhibition was another significant step forward for the team. We saw a significant boost in visitor numbers which will help the exhibition remain a firm fixture in the Calendar. We owe a great debt to the small team of volunteers who come together every November to bring you the show. This year was quite a challenge because the two Phils, normally helping to manage the exhibition, were both behind their own personal layouts. It is both vital and heartwarming that the team is able to welcome new members willing to give up their time over the weekend, and contribute greatly to the event.
Once again we want to pay special thanks to the Energus team, our hosts. We count ourselves extremely fortunate to enjoy a magnificent venue that is staffed by a brilliant and motivated team who give us exceptional support. We really appreciate it. Special praise to the IT team, Security, and the refreshments staff who coped with an unprecedented demand for meals on Saturday.
We welcomed more children than ever before , and the room set aside for seasoned finescale modellers was always very busy. We recognised several visitors who come back to us every year from Scotland, The North East, the Fens, and the East Coast.
While several large Model Railway Exhibitions in the country have faltered in recent years, Workington continues to grow in size and scope. We thank all of you who continue to support us and we look forward to seeing you again in November 2024.