Most little boys would be chuffed to get a model train set but Prince George is having a full-sized locomotive built in his honour.

The 18-month-old, who was given a wooden train when he visited Father Christmas in Thursford last month, is having a passenger steam train created by the LNWR George the Fifth Steam Locomotive Trust for him.

Work began in 2012, with the blessing of his parents Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, and when complete the Prince George, numbered 2013 to mark his birth year, but based on the 1910 design, will carry passengers on the national rail network and heritage railways, potentially out of Euston station.

There is a core of five people working on the project with work being done across the country, but this month trustees Bruce Nixon and Paul Hibberd will be bringing the sections completed so far to the capital so visitors at the London Model Engineering Exhibition at Alexandra Palace can have a look at what they have achieved so far.

Bruce says: “Ten years is a normal time scale for this kind of project but it depends on rate of fundraising – with the nation behind us it can be done in five.

“The estimated cost is £1.5million and the money has come from voluntary contributions and it is hoped that the general public will be keen to contribute.“ The three-day exhibition will also feature hundreds of displays to keep the whole family entertained for hours, from gas-turbine locomotives, collections of scale model ships, scale steam engines, remote control trucks, boats and aeroplanes plus futuristic rockets and robots.

Marvel at the moving Meccano displays, get into gear for the return of Robot Wars, be gobsmacked by extraordinary matchstick display of historical ships such as HMS Victory and dazzled by aerial displays by the British Model Flying Association and a special display representing 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the World War One.

Also hoping to set a new Guinness World Record will be the members of Tamiya Trucking Group who will attempt to get into the history books with the longest moving convoy of radio controlled vehicles.

Alexandra Palace, Great Hall, Alexandra Palace Way, January 16 to 18. Details: 01926 614101, londonmodelengineering.co.uk