What is Rapido Railex?
We’re putting on a show! Over 2 days in September we are taking over the Market Hall in Maidstone with an exhibition of high-quality model railways.
This is also a chance for you to come and meet the Rapido Trains UK team in person to discuss projects past, present and future, see new samples as well as getting the scoop on some new and exciting announcements we will be making shortly beforehand!
In addition to this, we’ll have trade stands for you to invest in your model railway including the chance to get 3D-scanned by Modelu for your own personalised 3D-printed figures, grab some rolling stock from some of our Official Retailers, beautify your layout with products from some of our partners and much more.
What can I see at the show?
An exciting selection of high-quality layouts are planning to attend
| LAYOUTS | TRADERS |
Overlord (OO) Based on Southampton and Portsmouth dockyards, the layout attempts to depict the hectic activities to be found throughout the Southern ports of England preparing for the Normandy invasion. Tanks await loading, mechanised infantry columns search for their embarkation point. There are specialist vehicles such as bridge layers, rocket launchers, mine clearers and amphibious tanks. Landing ships, and escorting vessels prepare to put to sea. Overhead, gliders make their way south, watched over by anti-aircraft guns and barrage balloons. And finally, the NAAFI, provide a continuous supply of drinks to the nervous troops.  |  Custom laser scanning, figure and detailing parts in a range of scales. |
| Bury Thorn and Sons (O) Bury, Thorn & Sons is a 7mm scale layout representing a small portion of a fictitious tar distillery set somewhere in the West Riding of Yorkshire in the late 1950’s to early 1960’s, with the rest of the works and the British Rail exchange sidings being located ‘off scene’. The layout is home to an eclectic range of industrial locomotives, with representatives from most of the major Yorkshire based manufacturers along with a number from the rest of the country. The tank wagons are equally eccentric in their form!  |  Specialists in British and Continental wagons, rolling stock, parts and accessories. Stockists of Hornby, Rapido, Dapol, Accurascale, Heljan, Gaugemaster and more. The Wagon Yard regularly commission exclusive wagons from a variety of manufacturers along with undertaking commission work for modellers, shops and preservation societies. |
| Bryn Stwffwl (009) A twin-level 009 Welsh slate layout. Featuring vast slate walls and an otherwise barren landscape that dwarfs the tiny locomotives and their trains showing that less is sometimes more when it comes to modelling.  | Tony’s Trains of Rugby Established shop in Hillmorton near Rugby everything you need for your model railway. The shop has been shortlisted for Retailer of The Year in multiple magazines and prides itself on great customer service. |
| Leysdown (P4) Of the standard-gauge light railways of Kent, one of the most successful was the Sheppey Light Railway, conceived by the islanders in the 1890s and engineered by the well-known Holman F. Stephens. Leysdown, the terminus, was the largest station on the line and served the embryonic seaside resort offering very limited facilities including cattle pens along with a horse and carriage dock. After being absorbed into the South Eastern & Chatham Railway the line was improved, enlarged and partly standardized. With ownership passing to the Southern Railway and then British Railways (SR), closure took place in 1950 with the last train on Saturday 2nd December.  | Kernow Model Rail Centre |
Redbridge Wharf (00) Redbridge Wharf depicts a layout based on the area of Redbridge, Hampshire. The station was opened in 1847 by the Southampton and Dorchester Railway and became a junction in 1865 when the “Sprat and Winkle” line opened to Romsey and Andover. The large area of drained marshland between the wharf and the station was used as a material holding area. This then became the sleeper works including the manufacture of sleepers, bridge timbers and cast track components. In the final years of operation, the site was used to assemble long welded rail sections and set out large point work complexes. The focus of the layout is the wharf, with the works behind, and Redbridge station and junction to the rear.  | Primo Handcraft Primo Models specializes in realistic model scenery. Our offer includes a broad range of high-quality, hand-made trees of different types and sizes as well as, bushes, grass clumps, and flowers.  |
Whiteoak Light Railway (O 16.5) The Whiteoak Light Railway is a narrow gauge line serving the backwaters of Kent. The scene here represents the railway’s namesake town, Whiteoak, which hosts several industrial units and a passenger station, edging onto a dockyard on the Thames estuary.  | Rails of Sheffield Meet the team from Rails of Sheffield, one of the UK’s leading and most popular retailers! They will be on hand to showcase their latest exclusive samples and hand out some free merchandise.  |
| Bryn Y Brenin (OO & 009) Bryn Y Brenin Mawr is a fictious terminus between Pwllheli and Caernarfon in North Wales and features both Standard and Narrow Gauge lines. The Standard Gauge line is a small single platform terminus with run round loop and is based on the Cambrian line as it is today, complete with fully working ETCS In-Cab Signalling (presented to the public with a drivers cab display on the layout) It is home to the terminus of a fictious ‘little trains of Wales’ tourist Line, the Cwellyn Lake Steam Railway, and features interlocked Semaphore Signalling and a Turntable.  | Coastal DCC Suppliers of DCC Equipment from a variety of different Manufacturers. With help and advice always given.  |
| Bristol Harbour (OO) “Bristol Harbour” depicts the Stothert & Pitt Dockside Electric Cranes, located at M Shed, Bristol. The Stothert & Pitt cranes were built in Bath in 1951, working at Princes Wharf, Bristol up until the 1970’s. They were all sold for scrap but had a stay of execution when bought back by the newly formed Bristol Industrial Museum.  | Buggleskelly Station Buggleskelly Station is the home of scale model maker Tom Marshall. Add a comedy cameo to your model railway or diorama with our unique buildings, figures and rolling stock.  |
| Bryford County Terminal (HO) Set somewhere on the Eastern seaboard of the USA, Bryford County Terminal sits at the end of a shortline connected to one of the larger Class 1 railroads. Commodities moved to and from the warehouses are varied – hence the selection of different car types. Typical motive power is a four-axle switcher, but it isn’t unknown for a venerable SD40-2 to turn up.  | World of Railways World of Railways is the UK’s leading website for model railway news, railway and heritage railway news. We pride ourselves in providing features, reviews, interviews and practical guides on all aspects of model and real railways.  |
| Clyre Valley (009) The layout represents a 2’6” main line narrow gauge railway, not in the first flush of youth, but well maintained and capable of handling heavy traffic. Set in Cornwall, the railway runs between Port St George (aka Padstow) and Bodmin and handles significant China Clay traffic as well as passengers and general goods. The section modelled is the area between Wadebridge and Bodmin. Starting at St Breock, just outside Wadebridge, the line leaves the river valley climbing to a remote moorland junction at Buckland Newton. Heavy freight trains are banked up the gradient to the junction where the branch to Blissland Abbey diverges from the main line to Bodmin. This is a “might have been” railway – exploring a “what if” some standard gauge secondary lines in mainland UK had been built to narrow gauge.  | Double O Association The organisation catering for both new and veteran railway modellers working in 4mm scale using a track gauge of 16.5mm – the most common for models of UK prototypes.  |
| Folly Lane (OO) Folly Lane is based somewhere in the Southern Region – Wessex, Sussex or Kent but loosely based upon Halsmere with aggregate yard next to the station with working level crossing & signals with wide range of stock and interesting running options using DCC system.  | 009 Society The 009 society caters for all aspects of small scale narrow gauge railway modelling, both for the beginner and the experienced modeller alike, for the scratch-builder, the kit builder and the modeller who prefers proprietary ready to run equipment |
| Bowaters (O 16.5) The layout depicts the Northeastern corner of Kemsley mill in the 1960s. The paper mill still operates from the original buildings, and some of the locos and wagons are still running on the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway (SKLR).  | |
| Dinsdale 1820’s (OO) Dinsdale is set somewhere on the S&DR route, but it’s not a model of a particular station, just a pastiche operating period locomotives and primitive rolling stock.  | |
| Croxley Hall Depot (OO) ‘Croxley Hall Depot’ is an 8ft long 4mm Scale layout based on a servicing depot for London Undergrounds heritage tube stock and ‘Steam on the Met’ locomotives. The layout is DCC controlled, with rolling stock all being sound fitted. Day/night lighting, a wireless signal-box lever frame and a moving vehicle system along the depot’s service road provide additional interest.  |
When and Where?
WHEN: Friday 19th and Saturday 20th September 2025, 10am – 4:30pm
WHERE: The Market Hall, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8LW
5 minutes walk from Maidstone West Railway Station.
Ample parking is available at the nearby (pay at machine or via RingGo app).
The Market Hall is a wheelchair-friendly venue.
Tickets
Early bird tickets for RAPIDO RAILEX are just £7.50 per adult. Kids are FREE when accompanied by a paying adult. On the door tickets cost £10.
Each ticket covers 1 day of attendance at the show, you are free to come and go during the day.
