On display at the International ‘N’ Gauge Show (TINGS) will be the result of a whole class project completed by the year 4 children at St. Lawrence CofE Primary School, Napton on the Hill, Warwickshire, during the summer term of 2025.
Their classroom teacher, a member of the Leamington & Warwick Model Railway Society, was inspired by the teaching materials made available by the Railway200 project. A small group of club members agreed to help with his idea and investigated the procurement of mini-board bases. The idea provided for each of 32 children in his class to receive a bare mini-board and under the guidance of staff and club members develop their own personal dioramas.
The class were introduced to the project at the end of June and set homework to investigate and bring back some ideas for a diorama and to collect any items that were to be included in their scene. At the beginning of July 2025 two full morning sessions were arranged and 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.
The school were delighted with the outcome of the project and arranged an after-school display in the hall for parents and the rest of the school community to view the working railway display. The club volunteers were invited back to answer questions about their involvement with the project.
The volunteers from the railway club were so pleased with the results produced by the children that they brought the project to the attention of the Meridienne Exhibitions team who organise the International ‘N’ Gauge show at the Warwickshire Event Centre. They were impressed with the project and invited the school to display the dioramas on a stand immediately adjacent to the Leamington & Warwick Model Railway Society at the exhibition in September 2025.