Manchester Model Railway Society, the third oldest model railway group in the world, is preparing to open its 84th public exhibition this December.

The Manchester Model Railway Society’s annual exhibition attracts enthusiasts from not just the UK, but from across the globe - with this year's event even attracting a visitor from Australia.

This year’s exhibition, which takes place over the weekend of December 9th and 10th at The Sugden Centre, will showcase experiences and enthusiastic modellers as they deliver interesting demonstrations and answer questions from the audience.

Take the whole family along for a day out to remember

There will also be a range of stalls from a variety of traders, societies and organisations, stocking unique, small gifts for the transport enthusiasts in your life.

The exhibition is the perfect day out for not only those who love transport but also for novices who simply fancy wandering around the stalls and learning more about this fascinating hobby.

Hundreds each year are drawn to the unique opportunity of being hands-on with the layouts and being able to operate several themselves.

Step into a world of imagination and fun this December

Exhibition coordinator, Philip Sweet, commented on how one keen ticket holder is travelling to the exhibition from the other side of the world.

“We usually get three or four visitors who fly in from Ireland or France to visit the show, but this is exceptional," he said. "The MMRS is the third oldest railway modelling group in the world. This shows we have a worldwide reputation as well.”

The ticket was bought by Dean Craddock from Perth in Western Australia and was sold only hours after they first went on sale at the beginning of September. Dean is an ex-pat from the West Midlands who is visiting his family for Christmas and hopes to squeeze in as much railway content as he possibly can before returning home.

Get up close with these incredible working models and layouts

“I'm heading over towards the end of November so there will be lots of rail travel in England, Scotland and Wales, a few rail museums, heritage railways, a couple of exhibitions and so on, then heading back to Perth WA early January," Dean said.

And he's hoping the exhibition will spark some inspiration and equip him with some great ideas for his very own project.

"I'm in the early stages of building my new layout so I'm looking for some inspiration and ideas that I can use. I want to take lots of photos of buildings so I can make models of them when I get home.”

You'll even have the chance to work some of the layouts yourself

There will be plenty to keep the children entertained too with activities such as drawing, workshops, quizzes and the chance to win a complete trainset, as well as the opportunity to get up close with a large layout built entirely of Lego.

One particular layout that is sure to draw the crowds is designed to be operated by the visitors themselves - adults as well as children - so you can test your skills once and for all.

Plus, when the exhibition closes each day, its central location means that the evening doesn't need to end there as Manchester Christmas Markets are just a stone's throw away.

The exhibition website contains full descriptions and photographs of the layouts, together with detailed instructions on how to reach the venue, and information about the many other attractions.

Ticket prices

Advance tickets can be bought online with no booking fee - Adults - £11.50 on Saturday and £10 on Sunday. Children and carers can enter for free.

Adult walk-up tickets: Saturday – £14, Sunday – £12, will be on sale at the door each day from 10.30.

Children: FREE admission when accompanied by an adult (maximum of three children with each adult).

Carers: FREE admission if accompanying a disabled adult with a ticket.

Discover the full details of the exhibition and buy your tickets at www.mmrs.co.uk/exhibition