Nelson's Model Railway Exhibition

Nelson’s Model Railway Exhibition

Our Next Exhibition is

05 - 06 September 2026

The History of, Nelson's Model Railway Exhibition

This venture started off in 2004 by two well-known railway ‘gentlemen’- Mike Ramsden of Britannia Models and

Malcolm Cotter (President of Garden City Model Railway Club) talking Ian McEwan into organising a Model Railway show

in Nelson. Ian and two members of the International Railway Modellers of Nelson - Terry Sutton and Brian Galpin, booked

the Stoke Memorial Hall for the 19^th-20^th March 2005 and booked in dinner for the Saturday night at the Turf Hotel just

50m from the hall for the exhibitors and traders. This formula continues and is successful to a city that no longer has a railway

running to it. The show has been very popular and averages 1200 to 1350 viewers over the weekend.

As can be seen we had 12 layouts, 4 displays and 9 traders and the weekend was a success although

there were some teething problems of fitting the layouts in the hall so that the public had room to view

and move between the various layouts and displays. Now as the plan of the hall and all its dimensions

are on a computer and the measurements of layouts known, it is an easier and more accurate exercise

in mapping out the floor plan for each exhibition. After the 2006 show it was decided to hold the

exhibitions biennially alternating with the Cromwell show so that there is a circuit of model railway

shows around the South Island, a legacy to the work of Malcolm Cotter.

Any extra income that accrues is donated to worthy causes such as Nelson Railway Society

which is restoring a Wb locomotive, the Nelson Society 0f Modellers and Fifeshire Foundation.

Local organisations such as the Leisure Marching team and the City of Nelson Pipe Band have

raised funds by providing the light refreshments for the show participants and viewing public.

This upcoming 2022 Exhibition will be held in a new venue just around the corner and only less than

a 100metres from the Turf Hotel, due to an earthquake order being placed on the Stoke Memorial Hall.

From 2022, the Exhibition has been held in the new venue.