After many months of the pandemic and inactivity the Bridport & District Model Railway Club is back on track - and was able to hold its annual new year exhibition.

Members said the event which observed Covid measures and was held in the Public Hall, Beaminster, was extremely well supported by many local people and visitors who came from Bournemouth, Weymouth, Taunton, and Exeter.

Club spokesman Doug Beazer said: "The public were able to view visiting layouts, as well as our local and club layouts making 10 layouts in total. All popular scales were represented from the large ‘O’ gauge through to the much smaller ‘N’ gauge with a wide variety of scenes depicted.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

‘Shillingstone’ layout by Ron Randall

"The visiting layouts included Lymington End based on the Hampshire branch line, Frog Brewery on its first visit to club exhibitions, and Ghost River Mountain, also on its first public showing.

The club layout of West Bay proved very popular with visitors.

Club Exhibition Manager Bob Ahrens said how fortunate they were to have exhibits in Beaminster of such a high quality, quite compatible with the national level of modelling.

He said: "We were so fortunate to be able to stage this exhibition, especially having recently experienced the Covid pandemic, and the club was extremely grateful for the support of the public, many of whom reflected on the warm, friendly and family atmosphere of the day.

"There was something for everyone and I was also pleased with the generous support of the local public and visitors."

Bridport & District Model Railway Club meets every Tuesday at Askerswell Village Hall from 7pm-9pm and anyone with an interest in model railways is welcome.

The club’s next exhibition will be on Saturday, July 30 at Colfox School, Bridport.