Following on from the interest shown by the public, especially Teachers, visiting the International ‘N’ Gauge Show (TINGS) in September, the result of a whole class project completed by the year 4 children at St. Lawrence CofE Primary School, Napton on the Hill, Warwickshire, will be on display again at the National Festival of Railway Modelling at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham over the weekend of Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd November 2025.
A teacher at Napton School and a member of the Leamington & Warwick Model Railway Society, was inspired by the teaching materials made available by the Railway200 project. He gave a lesson on railway history and introduced his class to the practical project he had planned. Homework was set to investigate and bring back some ideas for a circus diorama and to collect any items that were to be included in their scene. At the beginning of July 2025 two full morning sessions took place at the school. Towards the end of the second session the club volunteers collected each of the mini-boards to set up a display of the work away from the classroom. When connected, and after some rigorous track cleaning, it was possible to run a train.
As a result of the interest shown in the display of the children’s work in September the Leamington & Warwick Model Railway Society have been invited to team up with the Japanese model railway manufacturer, Kato, to run a workshop at the National Festival of Railway Modelling at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. Kato will provide all materials and members of the model railway club will assist visitors to make their own diorama based of the Kato Mini Diorama Circus theme. Those taking part will be able to take home the own diorama once completed.
Any teachers visiting the show will be welcome to discuss how the project was inspired by the materials created and available from the Railway200 project website to help educate about 200 years of the modern railway.