The British Motor Museum will host the Great British Model Railway Show on Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 October supported by some of the biggest names in the industry, including Hornby and Bachmann. This dedicated weekend will feature over 40 model railways, representing all interests and scales, along with specialist traders selling scenic materials, accessories and complete trains sets.

This event is also one of the biggest model railway shows in the Midlands, run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. The show includes 40 layouts of various scales, over 30 specialist traders, a modelling skill zone and family-friendly displays for all to enjoy. From modest-size shunting layouts, to titanic masterpieces in miniature, visitors can come along and be inspired! 

The show is a perfect event for families who are looking for a different and fun day out with the children. Not only can they enjoy looking at the layouts and model trains but they can also explore the Museum, home to over 400 historic British cars. What’s more, visitors can head to the Junction 12 Café for delicious hot meals, sweet treats and refreshments.

Tom Caren, Shows Manager at the British Motor Museum, said, “This family-friendly  show is hugely popular and enjoyed by so many. You can admire the range of models, browse the trade area to find that perfect train project, and speak to builders about their projects to get some handy tips and advice.”

Those visiting on Saturday 25 October can hop on the free bus service from Leamington Spa Railway Station to the British Motor Museum. Tickets are available for the show and Museum access, as well as just for the show. Advance tickets are discounted so it’s best to book online before the day of your visit.

For more information please call 01926 895300 or visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/great-british-model-railway-show

About Royal Enfield

The oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production, Royal Enfield has created beautifully crafted motorcycles since 1901. From its British roots, a manufacturing plant was established in Madras in 1955, a foothold from which Royal Enfield spearheaded the growth of India’s mid-sized two-wheeler segment. Royal Enfields are engaging, uncomplicated, accessible and fun to ride; a vehicle for exploration and self-expression. It’s an approach the brand calls Pure Motorcycling.

Royal Enfield’s premium line-up includes Bear 650, Classic 650, Guerrilla 450 modern roadster, Hunter 350, Meteor 350, Super Meteor 650, Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 twins, the Shotgun 650, the new Himalayan adventure tourer, the Scram 440 ADV Crossover, the iconic Bullet 350, Classic 350 and Goan Classic 350. The company recently unveiled its new city+ motorcycle brand – the Flying Flea – a fresh take on urban mobility, blending authentic design with advanced technology.

Riders and a passionate community are fostered with a rich profusion of events at a local, regional and international level. Most notable are Motoverse (previously Rider Mania), an annual gathering of thousands of Royal Enfield enthusiasts in Goa, and Himalayan Odyssey; a yearly pilgrimage over some of the toughest terrain and highest mountain passes.

A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield operates through more than 2000 stores across all major cities and towns in India and through nearly 850 stores in more than 60 countries around the globe. Royal Enfield also has two world-class technical centres, in Bruntingthorpe, UK, and in Chennai, India. The company’s two state-of-the-art production facilities are located at Oragadam and Vallam Vadagal, near Chennai. Across the world, Royal Enfield has six modern CKD assembly facilities in Bangladesh, Nepal, Brazil, Thailand, Argentina and Colombia.

Motorcycles may be only 3% of all registered vehicles on the road, but they account for 15.5% of all traffic fatalities annually. While the pure joy of riding on the open road throughout the United States includes incredible natural vistas, you want to take every precaution possible so your ride is safe, comfortable, and accident-free.   

There are some simple pre-travel tips you can take to lower the risk of your upcoming road adventure. You want to create a situation where the thrill of curved mountain passes or relaxing coastal rides outweighs safety issues. A road trip can span hundreds to thousands of miles, meaning you need to consider car shipping for secondary vehicles, maintenance issues, packing, safety, and logistics before the first wheel turns.  

The British Motor Museum has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious West Midlands Tourism Awards 2026. The Museum has been nominated for an award in the Large Visitor Attraction category and will find out if it has won this highly coveted award at a special ceremony in early 2026.  Forty of the region’s best visitor-facing businesses have been shortlisted across 14 different categories.

Now in their sixth year, the West Midlands Tourism Awards celebrate the region’s best accommodation; business, cultural and sporting event venues; food and drink settings; and visitor and heritage attractions. They are organised and funded by the West Midlands Growth Company, which leads the region’s Destination Development Partnership. Regional winners will automatically feed up to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, which champions the best in England’s tourism industry each summer.

Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum said, “We are delighted to be shortlisted as a finalist in the Large Visitor Attraction category, which is a brilliant testimony and recognition of the entire team’s hard work. 2025 has been a fantastic year for the Museum with the opening of The Rubery Owen Gallery, Beep-Beep, Yeah! and new events like the Summer of Senses laying the groundwork for exciting developments in the future. To win this award would be the icing on the cake and we look forward to hearing the result early next year!”

Andrew Lovett OBE, Chair of the West Midlands Tourism & Hospitality Advisory Board, said: “The West Midlands Tourism Awards is one of my favourite dates in the diary – an opportunity each year to celebrate and honour the best people and businesses, which make visiting our great region so memorable. Awards provide a big boost to businesses in a competitive market where economic headwinds can be substantial. I congratulate every one of this year’s shortlisted venues – including those running our fantastic independent tourism businesses – and wish them every success on the night.”

For more information about the West Midlands Tourism Awards visit http://westmidlandstourismawards.com/ To find out more about the British Motor Museum please visit www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk

0. Four automotive apprentices win once-in-a-lifetime experience to drive 1904 Thornycroft Tourer – in the world’s longest-running motoring event – later this year.
1. Competition launched by SMMT and British Motor Museum to celebrate industry’s latest generation of apprenticeship talent – with winners from Aston Martin Works, Bentley, Caterpillar and JLR.
2. Competition reflects how far automotive skills and technology have travelled in past century – from early petrol engines to the latest zero emission cars.

Four talented automotive apprentices have won a once-in-a-lifetime chance to drive a 121-year-old car in the Veteran Car Run, the world’s longest-running motoring event, later this year.

The rare opportunity to get out on UK roads behind the wheel of a 1904 Thornycroft Tourer follows a competition launched by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) in partnership with the British Motor Museum to mark National Apprenticeship Week, with ambitious apprentices sharing personal stories of how automotive heritage has inspired them to pursue a dream career in the sector.¹

The winning four – Matthew Cresswell, Product Design & Development Engineer Apprentice at Caterpillar; Matt Ferley, Panel Shop Apprentice at Aston Martin Works; Connor Heath, Applied Professional Engineering Apprentice at JLR; and Sophie Reynolds, Project Management Apprentice at Bentley – represent a new generation of talent getting to grips with the industry’s very latest skills while understanding the role of past innovation in the UK automotive industry’s success.

The Basingstoke-built Tourer was a cutting-edge innovation upon its debut in 1904, fitted with a prop shaft instead of a chain drive to enhance its smoothness, helping it finish first in the Veteran Car Run – previously called the Commemoration Run – on several occasions prior to the Second World War.² More than a century on, technological innovation remains at the core of the industry, with new vehicles now powered by different energy sources, with more than 130 car models now available as zero emission.³

While there are more than one million electric cars currently on the road in the UK,⁴ there are just two examples of the Tourer – making it a prized possession in the British Motor Museum’s collection.

The apprentices now have the chance to learn how to drive the Tourer and its Edwardian-era transmission, steering and braking systems with a visit to the British Motor Museum, before they embark on the 60-mile London to Brighton run on 2 November.

Stephen Laing, British Motor Museum’s Head of Collections & Engagement, said, “Cars like the Thornycroft represent an era of rapid change in the early 1900s, employing the brightest of minds to design, build and sell the latest in technology, the motor car. How history repeats itself! We’re delighted that some of 2025’s top-level apprentices will be joining us on the unique experience that is the Veteran Car Run.”

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “What’s considered cutting-edge technology has changed dramatically over the past century – with zero emission cars now a familiar sight on our roads, and vehicles that may not even require a human driver likely to arrive soon. What has stayed constant, however, is the automotive industry’s boundless capacity for innovation, driven by a talented and passionate workforce. It is immensely inspiring to see a new generation of apprentices embrace the challenges facing the industry but also retain a keen interest in its illustrious British history.”

Apprenticeships are a crucial recruitment path for automotive employers seeking to gain raw talent and add in-demand skills to their workforce, particularly given the rapid pace of technological development, with more than 3,200 people having started an apprenticeship in the past two years alone.⁶

Veteran cars, meanwhile, defined by the Veteran Car Run as those dated before 1905, (see note 5 below) remain a thriving part of the UK automotive landscape, with hundreds of historic models set to join the 123rd edition of the prestigious event this year. The Run began in November 1897 to celebrate the Light Locomotives on the Highway Act, passed the year before, which raised the speed limit for light vehicles from 4mph to 14mph – an early example of how legislative change can unlock innovation such as that seen in the Thornycroft Tourer, and in the years that followed.