Balmoral Show: Tyrone brothers are model farmers

The set – which remembled a classic model train set up – is part of a stall belonging to Millwood Crafts, based on a farm in Co Tyrone.

Sadly the motorised element is for display purposes only, to attract attention to the expertly built miniature farmyard sets ... and it certainly worked as show-goers young and old stopped to stare at the scene of ‘agriculture in motion’.

The company was started in 2005 and is run by brothers John and Benny Robinson, based on a farm outside Benburb in Co Tyrone.

Employee Stephen Livingstone, who was manning the Millwood Crafts stall at Balmoral Show, explained the spectacle: “There’s a motor that drives the chain and on the chain there’s wee spikes, on top of those we put the tractors and it drives them round the circuit.

“The moving part of it was created as something eyecatching to show off what we’ve got for sale.”

While you can buy individual farmyard components, the complete farm set – comprising a livestock yard, farm yard and milking parlour – will set you back £360.

Authentic accessories include items such as a diesel tank, cattle crush and a big bale silage trailer.

Stephen explained how the company began: “In 2005, John’s son wanted a farm set for Christmas but everything he looked at was too flimsy so he designed his own.

“His son is grown up now and doesn’t play with it any more but he’s showing real Hereford bulls.”