THERE is a treat in store for model railway enthusiasts at Rainhill Village Hall as a popular exhibition returns.

The Rainhill Model Railway Club is set to take over the village hall once again for its annual event, with hundreds of visitors expected to visit over this weekend.

There will also be a free vintage bus service travelling from the North West Museum of Transport on Hall Street to take people to the exhibition.

"We will have 15 layouts in five different scales on show, some of which are visiting us for the first time," said Peter Hughes, treasurer of the club.

"It is our main event of the year, we have one before Christmas for the children and this is the main event.

"We are probably looking at around 600 coming over the weekend, I would think."

There will also be six 'show you how' demonstrators on hand at the event.

"It is the 19th event we have had there and they have always been successful and we get quite a few people travelling to see us, so we must be doing something right," added Peter.

"The layouts will cover a wide variety of themes from the narrow gauge to the other end of the scale. There will be the Leeds Weeklyn Hill which is all operated by mobile phone and depicts a locomotive depot. That's coming from the North East and there will be others from Yorkshire and Cheshire for the weekend, it's quite a good mix."

The event takes place at the village hall on Weaver Avenue on Saturday, March 5 from 10am to 5pm and Sunday 6 from 10am to 4.30pm.

Admission will be £4.50 for adults or £3 for children, or a family ticket is £12 for two adults and two children. The bus will run at hourly intervals from 11.30am each day between the museum and village hall.

Visit www.rainhillmrc.org.uk for more information on the club.