Model railway creation by Pete Waterman set for our towering event, The Greatest Gathering, in Derby
In a unique collaboration, Alstom and Key Model World are partnering to create the Model Railway Village, a key attraction at The Greatest Gathering, a major railway event held at Derby’s Litchurch Lane Works [1][2]. This three-day charity festival, taking place from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 August 2025, is the world’s largest-ever gathering of historic and modern rolling stock [3].
The Model Railway Village aims to celebrate craftsmanship, creativity, and community, as stated by Andy Butters, Managing Director of Derby Litchurch Lane Works at Alstom. The village will feature multiple high-quality model railway layouts, reflecting railway heritage and modernity [4].
A central highlight of the Model Railway Village is Pete Waterman’s Making Tracks 3 layout, a 64-foot-long OO-gauge model of Milton Keynes Central railway station. This striking layout, created by the renowned music producer and railway modeller, serves as an educational and visually appealing addition to the exhibition [1][4].
Other notable layouts in the Model Railway Village include Mick Bryan's Deadmans Lane, Eric French's London Underground layout - Harefield Road, Key Model World's own Twelve Trees Junction, and Mark Pearson's Welby Lane RTC [4].
Derby Litchurch Lane Works, covering 90 acres, is one of the world's largest rolling stock factories and holds significant historical importance. The factory was opened by the Midland Railway in 1876, and the city of Derby has been building trains continually since 1839 [2]. In 2022, Derby was chosen by the Government as the home of Great British Railways following a public vote between contender cities [5].
The Model Railway Village is designed to inspire the next generation of railway engineers and enthusiasts, while supporting the wider celebration of Railway 200, marking 200 years since the Stockton and Darlington Railway opened [1][4]. A full series build of the new model railway layouts will be featured in Key Publishing's Hornby Magazine from July-September, and a video series on Key Model World will be released this summer [6].
The new laser-cut modular building kits developed by PJM Models, used for constructing the model railway layouts, will be available for purchase at The Greatest Gathering on the Key Model World stand in the Model Railway Village [7].
Key Model World and Key Publishing are part of a larger company that operates in the UK and Ireland, producing Hornby Magazine and Modern Railways magazine, among other publications [8]. This partnership between Alstom and Key Model World is a testament to their shared commitment to fostering the model railway hobby and promoting railway heritage and innovation.
References: 1. The Greatest Gathering 2. Derby Litchurch Lane Works 3. The Greatest Gathering: World's Largest-Ever Gathering of Historic and Modern Rolling Stock 4. Model Railway Village 5. Derby chosen as home of Great British Railways 6. Key Publishing 7. PJM Models 8. Key Model World and Key Publishing
- The Model Railway Village, a collaborative effort between Alstom and Key Model World, aims to promote a smart and sustainable lifestyle by showcasing home-and-garden lifestyle elements, such as the new laser-cut modular building kits developed by PJM Models, which are available for purchase at The Greatest Gathering.
- Demonstrating a commitment to fostering the model railway hobby and promoting railway heritage and innovation, Alstom and Key Model World's partnership will also inspire the next generation of railway engineers and enthusiasts, as showcased in the full series build of the new model railway layouts featured in Key Publishing's Hornby Magazine.
- In addition to celebrating railway heritage and modernity, the Model Railway Village at The Greatest Gathering will also reflect various aspects of mobility, including the high-quality model railway layouts like Pete Waterman’s Making Tracks 3, which illustrates the evolution of railways from the historic to the modern era.
