Model Railway

I went up from the Buttermarket on Saturday to Salem Chapel - the old school room at the side of the chapel, which was an art gallery for a while, is now filled corner to corner with the model railway layout showing Hay Station as it was, and the buildings around it. I can't remember who built it originally, but it languished in a shed or attic for years, and is now being lovingly restored. They've even built a model of the old gasworks (now houses) though the space on the model is a bit smaller than the actual size of the gasworks.
While I was there they were running the model chemical train, which took ammonia through Hay - it was a waste product at a chemical works somewhere in South Wales, and was taken up to another factory to be made into fertiliser.
The enthusiasts who are running the layout are also collecting local railway memorabilia. They even have a bit of the original horse-drawn tramway track. Made out of wrought iron, it provided a guide for the wheels of the cart/carriage, and could only be about a yard long - any longer and the iron would crack under the weight of the cart.
The Model Railway will be open every Wednesday and on the first and third Saturdays of the month between 10.30am and 12.30am, and then again from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

They can be reached at http://hayhistorygroup.co.uk/modelrailway/

and modelrailway@hay-on-wye.co.uk