SOME of the great railways of Europe were brought to life in miniature at the weekend.

Darlington Model Railway Club held its annual exhibition at the College of Technology yesterday and on Saturday. One of the stars of the exhibition was a layout set in France during the First World War, when trains played a vital role transporting troops and supplies to the front line.

Another display was Jayzack, a fictitious mid-European narrow gauge country station, which was served by digitally controlled locomotives.

Others among the 12 principal displays included children's favourite Thomas the Tank Engine, and a line serving a sandstone quarry, set in a Pennine valley. It also featured an entry, called Darlington Parkgate, from the host club. Pictured is Roland Johnson, from Middleton St George, near Darlington, with a model based on Swiss, Austrian and German trains.