BLACKPOOL AND NORTH FYLDE MODEL RAILWAY CLUB
We exist only to make an exhibition of ourselves.
News: "Next Exhibition September 21st / 22nd 2024 "
@ Thornton YMCA, Victoria Rd E, Thornton-Cleveleys FY5 3SX.
OUR BACKGROUND
The club was founded by approx 8 members including Don Packman, Malcolm Thexton, Ken Saxton, Dave Wilson and Dave Brewer in 1980 all of whom lived in the north of the ‘Fylde’ area around Blackpool, Cleveleys and Bispham, hence the original name of North Fylde MRC.
The first clubrooms were in Poulton-le-Fylde above a bookies on Tithebarn Street next door to what was then a Model Railway Shop called ‘Troughtons’. Here the club’s first layout ‘Broughton’ was built and shown along with other layouts at the club’s first exhibition in 1982 at the community centre at Bispham.
After a couple of years and a growth in members, the annual exhibition moved to the Winter Gardens in Blackpool where it stayed until the late 80’s when, due to increasing hire charges, it moved to the Marine Hall at Fleetwood.
Here the club’s annual September Exhibition under the guidance of the late Graham Schofield prospered and grew in size and became one of the most popular in the North West.
In the early 90’s Mini-Exhibitions (now called ‘Raildays’) were introduced and held in January and July at Milton Street Community Centre, Fleetwood. These were to help club funds and raise membership and featured mainly club and members' layouts together with any locally invited ones to keep costs to a minimum. These also gave the members a chance to play trains for a couple of days which they weren’t really able to do at the annual exhibition in September.
Once again, due to an increase in hire charges together with lack of space, it was decided in 2010 that the club would move its annual September Exhibition to the Fleetwood High School and not wishing to be too nomadic we have relocated some 500 yards down the road to the Cardinal Allen School in Fleetwood.
The "Railday" or "Open Day" which is now held on a Saturday in February each year was also moved in 2010 to a new and more centrally located venue in Cleveleys, two or three minutes walk from the bus station and main shopping centre - full directions are available from the exhibition's page.
The word 'Blackpool' was added to the club’s name in 2010 so that people knew exactly where ‘North Fylde’ was located in the country as the annual exhibition was growing because more and more nationwide layouts & traders were being invited.