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Historic Inverness market's model railway back on track

News imagePaul Campbell A close up of a yellow and blue diesel locomotive. It is on a section of track laid on a table. Just out of focus is a group of people.Paul Campbell
Locomotives, wagons and carriages for the re-installed railway were unveiled on Friday.

A model railway has been re-installed in Inverness' historic Victorian Market.

Since about the 1970s, a scale-model locomotive and carriages travelled in a big loop along a track in the rafters of the 155-year-old shopping arcade.

The train was removed during a revamp of the market and creation of a new food hall, which opened in 2022.

Following months of work, the 361ft (110m) of new track and multiple trains were officially launched by four-year-old Rosie, who won a competition to help unveil the new-look railway.

The project was a collaborative effort involving a number of organisations, including Highland Council, Inverness and District Model Railway Club, UHI and businesses.

The market, which first opened in 1870, is in Inverness city centre.

News imagePaul Campbell Rosie is wearing a claret train driver's cap. She is holding up her winning drawing. She is at a table with a Thomas the Tank Engine loco and a yellow and blue diesel locomotive. There are other tables, and people, behind her in a food hall of the Victorian Market.Paul Campbell
Four-year-old Rosie won a competition to help unveil the new-look railway.
News imagePaul Campbell Looking down a track towards the front of a yellow and blue locomotive, which is pulling carriages. Below the track are stalls in the Victorian Market.Paul Campbell
The railway runs along walls inside the market.
News imagePaul Campbell A group of six men stand at a table with some sections of track and locomotives and carriages. Five of the men are wearing the same blue colour of tops with logos of Inverness and District Model Railway Club.Paul Campbell
Inverness and District Model Railway Club played a part in building the new railway.
News imagePaul Campbell The tracks for the model railway run along the walls of the Victorian Market. On the lower track a steam locomotive hauls a freight train. On the track abaove a blue and yellow diesel locomotive pulls red and blue carriages.Paul Campbell
Months of work went into the railway project.
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