Leeds Model Company Exhibition at the Brighton Toy and Model Museum

Until 21st October 2012, the Brighton Toy and Model Museum will be home to a very special display of locomotives and Southern Railways rolling stock, made by the Leeds Model Company (LMC).

Started in 1912 by Rex Stedman, the Leeds Model Company also known as Leeds or LMC produced various '0' gauge model railway stock. For the more affordable market, they produced rolling-stock made of wooden bodies with lithographed paper decals which when got tired looking could be replaced with a fresh set of decals. They also produced a range of rolling-stock using the then new 'Bakelite' plastic material as well as more beautiful 'made to order' items from the more expensive end of the range.

If you are particularly interested in the history the Leeds Model Company, pop in and purchase a copy of David K. Peacocks book 'The Leeds Model Company 1912-2012: The First One Hundred Years, selling for £19.95 in our collectors shop.

"Coronation Scot" exhibition, November 2012

The Coronation Scot bullet-train (1937-1939) was arguably the finest steam train that Britain ever built, and is a critical part of Britains's railway heritage.

However, the run of the blue-and-silver “streak” was cruelly cut short by the onset of World War Two, and the prototype red-and-gold second-generation “luxury” version of the train, which was proudly sent to the US for a promotional tour, was left stranded on the wrong side of the Atlantic when war broke out and never got to go into service on UK track.

With the onset of war, the train was withdrawn, streamlining on all the locomotives was stripped, the “stripped” loco class was renamed the “Duchess” Class, and the memory of the train faded from history.

 

2012 is the train’s 75^th anniversary, and the Museum is putting together a collection of Coronation Scot artefacts and memorabilia, along with some of the greatest Coronation Scot and Coronation Class locomotive models ever made.

We’ll be launching the exhibition with a special "Coronation Scot" Train Running Day on November 10th, where we’ll be unveiling our 1930s Bassett-Lowke Coronation 6220 loco pulling a complete set of nine B-L carriages, on our 1930’s layout, forming a train that’s around thirteen feet long.

Since none of the blue Coronations or their carriages exist any more, this is probably the closest you’ll ever get to seeing the real thing.

FAIRGROUND EXHIBIT OPEN THRU OCT 31

FAIRGROUND EXHIBIT OPEN THRU OCT 31

From June 26 through October 31, 2007, visitors are guaranteed to be entertained by our new Fairground exhibition. Come and admire colourful miniature swing-boats, dodgems, carousels and and rollercoasters and as well as an authentic, life-sized distorting mirror, which is sure to raise a smile!

During the opening, music from this beautiful fairground organ filled the streets, surprising passers-by.

'Hop on a Bus' - Special Exhibition

The Museum is holding an exhibition entitled 'HOP ON A BUS', displaying model buses and memorabilia. The exhibition was opened on Tuesday 1st of May by Roger French, Managing Director of Brighton and Hove Buses, and runs from 1st of May to 16th of June inclusive.

The Museum is promoting the bus and, in particular, Brighton and Hove Buses, with its exhibition. This is all part of the Museum's programme 'Making History Fun'.

Chris Littledale, founder of the museum, welcomed Roger French to the event and both made relevant speeches. The exhibition launch was a charming event as Roger is a great supporter of the Toy and Model Museum and of the bus industry.

FALMER'S 'TOY STORY' EXHIBITION TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28TH - JAN 2007

GCSE art students from Falmer High School have been hard at work preparing for a very special exhibition at the Museum.

The joint project is part of the 'Big Draw' and the exhibit will open on Tuesday November 28th and will run thru January 2007.

Click the poster below for an enlargement.

Click to view full size printable poster
(200K pdf document)

Dr Who exhibit now on display

EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!

A collection of Daleks

"Is There A Doctor In The House?"….. "Yes There Is!"

Those of you lucky enough to have visited the museum this summer will have seen our latest exhibition: a wonderful display of Dr Who Memorabilia.

Following a surprise phone call from Brighton Palace Pier, who explained to us that the sheer quantity of items destined for inclusion in their Dr Who Exhibition was too large for the available space, it was mutually agreed that the remaining exhibits should come to us.

The exhibits in question are in fact the renowned private collection of David Howe, a long term fan of all things Doctor Who and an author and publisher of several authoritative books on the subject including Transcendental Toybox (the complete guide to Doctor Who memorabilia).

They are professionally displayed in two showcases which formerly housed our Brighton seaside-themed display and Britain's garden models. They range from the expected Dr Who related books, posters, jigsaw puzzles, games, badges and figures right through to the more obscure items such as frisbees, watches, yoyos, painting sets, slide-projectors, bubble bath and even pants… no, you're not seeing things, pants. And naturally, there are quite a few of our old friends the Daleks.

Dr Who memorabilia

But WHO has come to the display (if you'll excuse the pun)? Well, our volunteers have booked in a vast array of visitors who have come specifically to see the exhibition. We've seen everyone from young children and their families recently acquainted with the Doctor through the new television series, to people wanting to re-live their memories of the original television programmes from the 1960's and 1970's, and last but not least the die-hard Dr Who fans, often wearing their prized Dr Who T-shirts and badges.

The exhibition will remain in place until the end of January 2006, so there's still plenty of time to catch the Doctor and his memorabilia. Don't leave it too late though as the Tardis never stays in one place for too long!