Tributes to founder of leading model railway exhibition

THE organisers of one of Britain’s most popular model railway shows, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, have paid tribute to its founder, who died last year.

Exhibitors and enthusiasts from as far afield as Wales, Somerset and Kent are attending the long-running York Model Railway Show over the Easter weekend. As well as celebrating the landmark anniversary, this year’s event has an added poignancy as it is celebrating the life of Mike Cook.

The retired schoolteacher, who lived in Malton and died in December at the age of 79, founded the show and had organised all 49 of the previous events. One of his last model railway layouts is on display at the event at York Racecourse, which started on Saturday and runs until today.

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The acting exhibition manager, Mal Scrimshaw, 63, a community centre manager from Hull, said: “Not only are we marking the 50th show, but we are celebrating the life of Mike and all that he did to help establish what has become one of the leading events of its kind in the country.”

More than 3,500 visitors had attended the model railway show by yesterday lunchtime, and organisers are hopeful that the figure will have doubled by the time the event ends today.