NO, the police have not started running their own trains – but this is a faithful recreation by model maker Bill Hall, of an actual engine.

The model, which was on view at the annual railway exhibition organised Monmouth Rotary Club on Sunday, was inspired by a 1980s railway safety film.

The five-inch scale locomotive was made from a kit and painted by Mr Hughes who is a member of the Tintern-based Wye Valley Railway Society which operates a miniature railway at the Old Station in the village.

It also features hand-painted nameplates featuring the Monmouth coat of arms and the insignia of HMS Monmouth.

He said: “Both Monmouth Town Council and HMS Monmouth gave permission for this engine to be re-named.

“The signs are hand-written and I made the nameplates which are made from four pieces overlaid to give a 3D effect.”

The annual model railway exhibition was held at Monmouth Leisure Centre on Sunday (February 7) and featured some 40 layouts.

The event attracted many visitors and the money raised will go to Rotary charities.

The layouts included several by members of the Forest of Model Engineering Society as well as others from across the country.

There was also the opportunity to see the progress being made on a model of Monmouth Troy station which it is hoped will feature at an exhibition in the town to mark the centenary in 2018 of the end of the First World War.

Father and son Dave and Matthew Watkins have used old photographs to assist in recreating the station in the days of steam.

Matthew said: “As far as we’re aware there are no models of Monmouth on display anywhere.

“Everything has been been scratch-built but we’ve still got some way to go.”

Dave said: “We are hoping to have it finished in two years for an exhibition about the end of the First World War.

“We’ve been asked to recreate the station from that era showing the troops going to war.”