Demonstrators

Paul Bambrick Studio: Paul creates amazing scenic dioramas and backscenes. He'll show you some examples and how he does it.

Societies

Venue & Location

For those who have not visited Railex before, the whole exhibition is staged in the modern and fully disabled accessible Stoke Mandeville Stadium. Please note that the Stadium is not connected in any way with the adjacent hospital and therefore cannot be accessed via the hospital. All exhibits are located within a massive 20,000 square foot sports hall - the size of twelve badminton courts! The hall also has the best lighting you're likely to find anywhere, meeting TV filming standards.

The massive hall allows some very large layouts to be exhibited, which many other exhibitions would be unable to accommodate and consequently are rarely seen. We also invite a selection of smaller and medium sized layouts demonstrating what can be achieved in a more modest space. We pride ourselves that all the layouts displayed are of the very highest quality and are invited on this merit alone. We ensure there are wide aisles providing easy access to all areas of the exhibition, allowing a relaxed atmosphere to view layouts, or to speak with traders and demonstrators. Visiting Railex on Saturday can be extremely busy, please consider making your visit on Sunday when it will be quieter.

Height of Layouts

Although Stoke Mandeville Stadium has been designed as a fully accessible venue, primarily for the use of disabled sports persons; the height of each layout varies and is dependent on the builder. Consequently some layouts may not be at an optimum viewing height for those in wheelchairs or mobility scooters, or for young children.

We provide the following two aides that might be helpful to some visitors: a Periscope, or a Small Step-Up, for children to stand on, both of which are available from Stand 1 the Railex Info Point (these items must be supervised by the accompanying parent/adult at all times).

Lockers

The Stadium has lockers that may be used to store rucksacks, coats, motor bike helmets, etc., to save them being carried around the exhibition. These are located along the changing room corridor and require a £1 coin deposit, which is refunded after use.

Tickets

Adult - £12 - those over 16 years of age.

Children 16 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

Students in full time education (on production of student card), unemployed persons (those receiving state unemployment benefit, on production of evidence) and disabled persons (plus one accompanying carer) will be admitted free.

Tickets will be sold to the queue from around 30 minutes before opening time. There are no advance purchase tickets.

Refreshments

Refreshments and hot meals will be available throughout most of the day from the café in the Stadium foyer.

Both the café and seated viewing gallery, in the main hall, will be available for visitors who wish to relax prior to and during the exhibition opening.

Directions to the Exhibition

Stoke Mandeville Stadium is located just one and a half miles from Aylesbury town centre and situated directly behind Stoke Mandeville Hospital (both the hospital and stadium are within the town of Aylesbury).

Vintage Bus Service

We would like recommend that visitors may like to use the town centre car parks and use the free and excellently restored Routemaster (or similar) bus from Aylesbury railway station car park to the bus stop near the Elm Farm Shops that runs every hour.

By Car

Car Parking

Limited Free parking for Railex visitors is available at Stoke Mandeville Stadium in marked bays, therefore we recommend the use of the vintage bus service, above, and town centre car parks, below, wherever possible.
The roads around the stadium car parks are residential. Please be considerate of the residents and be aware of any parking restrictions. Please park safely, keeping all access areas and driveways clear.

In Aylesbury town centre we recommend the long stay Friarscroft (588 places) car park close to the station which is £3 for all day on Saturday and £1.50 for all day on Sunday detail on all town centre car parks can be found here.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital car parks that are located close to Railex are chargeable but at the weekends generally tend to be quiet. Charges are: 30 mins to 2 hours: £3.50, 2 to 3 hours: £5.00, 3 to 4 hours: £6.50 and over 4 hours: £9.00. See their website for full details. Access from the hospital is next to the Cancer Care Unit, just follow the road from the pay & display carparks.

Directions to Stadium Car Park (NEW ENTRANCE NOW OPEN) HP21 9PP

Follow the road signs to Aylesbury and then the Hospital (these are clearly marked from all major routes). Turn off the B4443 Aylesbury to Stoke Mandeville road into Stadium Approach, at the Churchill Avenue roundabout, and proceed to the stadium entrance. If using the stadium car park, please abide the rules and do not park in the disabled parking bays unless you are entitled to.

By Train

The area is served by a fast, frequent Chiltern Railways service to and from London Marylebone. If travelling from the south alight at Aylesbury (not Stoke Mandeville) and then proceed by free vintage bus, see above, in the station carpark. If travelling from the north, Birmingham Snow Hill or Banbury, change at Princes Risborough or catch a 280 bus from Haddenham station to Aylesbury Bus Station. Taxis are available from the station forecourt to the stadium a single fare should be around £3-£4, although buses run from the adjacent bus station.

By Bus

In addition to our free vintage bus service, see above, there is a Redline bus 300/130 (alternate journeys) that runs from the bus station to Stadium Approach. Every 15 minutes on Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sunday.