A model railway built by the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine delighted thousands of visitors to the Bluebell Railway Model Railway Weekend.

Ffarquhar Branch, the famous layout built by Reverend Wilbert Awdry, was a standout attraction when railway enthusiasts and families gathered to see the legendary miniature railway in action.

Normally housed within a faithful recreation of Awdry's study at the Talyllyn Railway in Tywyn, the layout only leaves Wales once or twice each year for carefully selected exhibitions.

Its appearance at the Bluebell Railway was significant. Wilbert Awdry was an early member of both the Bluebell and Talyllyn Railway Preservation Societies, and immortalised the Sussex heritage line in his 1963 Railway Series Book, Stepney the Bluebell Engine.

To celebrate the real Stepney’s 150th anniversary, visitors were able to see Awdry's original model of the character displayed alongside the real locomotive that inspired one of his best-loved characters.

Built and operated by Awdry himself, Ffarquhar Branch continues to run exactly as he intended.

Volunteers still operate the layout using the Reverend's original working timetable, while his own handwritten commentary is read aloud to audiences, recreating the engaging demonstrations he gave at exhibitions throughout his lifetime.

"Ffarquhar Branch is far more than a model railway. It is an extraordinary piece of literary, railway and cultural history created by one of Britain's most influential authors,” said Luke Ryan, Awdry Historian and Media Creator of the Talyllyn Railway.

"Watching it operate exactly as the Reverend Awdry intended, complete with his original commentary, provides a wonderful insight into the imagination and attention to detail that brought Thomas and his friends to life.

"It was fantastic to see visitors of every age gathered around the layout at the Bluebell Railway. Many arrived with childhood memories of the Railway Series, while younger visitors were discovering the magic of Awdry's world for the very first time."