I will be visiting Edinburg, Dublin and London in the first two weeks of May. Is there any train related places (Museum, Hobby Shop, Public Layout, etc.) that are worth visiting?
Guy
Modeling CNR in the 50's
Guy,
although I do not live on the UK, I may be able to give you some help.
The following link will give a lot of useful information how to locate a hobby shop in the places you intend to visit and also a schedule for model railway exhibitions.
UK Model Shop Directory
The National Festival of Railway Modelling unfortunately is not in May, but in October.
In London, the London Transport Museum is certainly a must see!
London Transport Museum
Although not directly related to Trains, the London Museum of Water And Steam is also worthwhile to visit.
London Museum of Water And Steam
The National Railway Museum is not in London, but in York. If your schedule permits to go there, do it! You will not regret it. It´s a two hour train ride, the ticket will be between GBP 45 and 80 for a return ticket, depending on the time of the day of travel.
I hope this helps!
Guy, if you have time to get to York, that is the location of the National Railway Museum http://www.nrm.org.uk/
You can get there by train
We almost visited some years ago, but our coach tour got to York on Boxing Day (Dec 26), and everything was closed, except for a nearby HO train exhibit.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
York is a good 2+ hours north of London by train. My wife (she's a Brit) and I were over to England last December but were on a tight budget and schedule so we sadly didn't stop in York as we traveled by train from Newcastle to London and back. We did visit John Grant (who used to post here) and had a nice time, and also visited the Sunderland train club. I know that doesn't help the OP but hopefully some of the links will. The Museum in York looks like a great place - wish I could have stopped there.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Guy Papillon I will be visiting Edinburg, Dublin and London in the first two weeks of May. Is there any train related places (Museum, Hobby Shop, Public Layout, etc.) that are worth visiting?
Also not a Brit, but wife and I have been to UK multiple times and are going again in early June.
While in London, you need to see at least one of these two well-known preserved railways (both accessible by rail). The Bluebell Railway is in East Sussex and you can catch a train from London Victoria to East Grinstead (northern end of Bluebell). http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/bluebell.html
Then there's the Mid Hants Railway. The rail connection is at Alton. You'd go from London Waterloo to Alton. http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
You didn't say how you're traveling in Britain. Are you renting a car, flying, or taking a train. If by car or train, you've got to stop in York to see the National Railway Museum (not to mention the York Minster and that funky touristy area known as The Shambles). http://www.nrm.org.uk/. To the northwest of York (if by car), there's the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. http://www.nymr.co.uk/
If you're really into a rail day out, check out the mainline steam excursions that will be available. http://uksteam.info/tours/trs15.htm and go down to the ones in May. Trust me on this, when Brits run steam, it's an all day affair. If you can be in the Fort William area of Scotland on 11 May, that's the start of "Jacobite" service. The train goes over the Glenfinnan Viaduct (of Harry Potter Hogwarts Express fame). Fort William is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from Edingburgh. Jacobite info here: http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/dates-times-prices-jacobite-steam-train.cfm
You can Google "hobby shops in edinburgh, uk". There are several. Here's info for Harburn Hobbies: http://www.harburnhobbies.co.uk/acatalog/How_to_Find_Us.html If you go to Alton to ride the Mid Hants, there's http://www.altonmodelcentre.co.uk/ . Shops in Greater London Area: http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/county/Greater%20London
Incidentally, if you want rail and model rail publications, go into any W.H. Smith (the one in Victoria Station will overwhelm you with rail publications).
Hope this helps.
Andre
When in Edinburgh you could do no worse than going to Waverley station and buying a return ticket to North Queens ferry the reason well you will travel over one of the engineering marvels of the world( its a world heritage site) the Forth Railway Bridge(check out google). Also there is the Scottish railway preservation site at Bones which has preserved Scottish artifacts and has engines in steam. If you can get through to Glasgow there is a wonderful Museum of Transport alongside which is a restored four masted ship.
Thanks all. I will try to visit some of those attractions despite a tight schedule.