Devon Holiday Post V: Babbacombe Model Village...
Nestling close to the sea in the small village of St Marychurch, Babbacombe Model Village surely has to be one of the UK's premier model villages. Opened in 1963 by Tom Dobbins, the massive village has been slowly growing ever since. Covering 4 acres of land, the village includes well over 400 models with over 300m of model railway track as well! The price of admission is well worth the visit, it really is. The model village seemingly never fails to bring a smile to someone's face with it's countless model figures which are modelled in many differing, humorous and yet equally realistic situations. Once through the entrance, the true expanse of the village is revealed to the visitor...it is massive! As you make your way down the meandering pathways many different model's catch your eye. It's not really possible to describe even a small amount of the village's features but I can at least try!
The village includes many lamplit streets, a lake, a city centre, trucks, cars, a football stadium, a windfarm, three railways, a quarry, a castle, a cricket club, bridges, boats, a beach and much, MUCH more!! As I said, it isn't by any means possible to describe it all!
Below is seen the massive city centre which, when illuminated in the evening, look's absolutely fantastic! The centre includes many big-name shops and a tramway!...
Now for the three railways. The new railway includes a 45mm gauge 'shuttle' line, usually operated by either a 3-car German 'Ice' Train or a 3-car Virgin Voyager look-a-like. The new railway was built to connect with the new Olympic Stadium which is being built to model that which will be used for the upcoming London 2012 Olympics. The train is 'programmed' to shuttle up & down its track all the time with minimal intervals for 'loading passengers'(!) in between! The train, which today was the 'Ice' Train, can be seen below on one of its journeys back from the new Olympic stadium...
The 2nd railway is indoors and is a large 'O' gauge layout named "Babbacombe Junction". With automated train control via colour-light signalling & block sections the locomotive's effectively operate themselves! The line has 2 or 3 circuits which traverse the room, with many trains operating at once, obeying the signals of course! A model of Thomas the Tank Engine was also spotted making it's merry way around the layout with only one wagon in tow! The building in which the model railway is housed also includes bridge plates, name plates, posters and a large 'O' gauge model locomotive shelved on a display track. The large & very interesting layout can be seen below...
Now we go to railway No3, the original garden railway which, by looks of it, is also 45mm, if not it is 'O' gauge! This railway works its double-track way around the lake passing two stations and a signalbox. The line also makes its way under 2 bridges and also through a small shed in which the trains are obviously housed when not in operation. Interestingly, though the railway is double-track, it looks like the main running line is built with different track to the other line. Also, I've only ever seen the "Up" (clockwise) line running, the other looks old & derrilict. The railway's main feature is the grand suspension bridge which carries the 2 tracks above the large pond. In the image below, the Virgin liveried Class 47 diesel can be seen hauling it's four Virgin liveried coaches across the bridge. Note the many fish which are swimming below happily as the train passes by above!...
I've included the following image as a closer view of the seemingly "vintage" Virgin train as it passes alongside the footpath before running through the storage shed...
As well as the fantastic model village itself, the attraction as includes a well-stocked shop, cafe and a 4D Theatre (well worth a look as well!) and, for this year only, a large indoor model Circus exhibit which will be leaving the model village after this season has ended. So why not go along & visit Babbacombe Model Village, its only 2 miles or so from Torquay Harbour and is a fantastic day out for the young & old alike! Thanks for reading folks, final post coming asap! Good day.
Nestling close to the sea in the small village of St Marychurch, Babbacombe Model Village surely has to be one of the UK's premier model villages. Opened in 1963 by Tom Dobbins, the massive village has been slowly growing ever since. Covering 4 acres of land, the village includes well over 400 models with over 300m of model railway track as well! The price of admission is well worth the visit, it really is. The model village seemingly never fails to bring a smile to someone's face with it's countless model figures which are modelled in many differing, humorous and yet equally realistic situations. Once through the entrance, the true expanse of the village is revealed to the visitor...it is massive! As you make your way down the meandering pathways many different model's catch your eye. It's not really possible to describe even a small amount of the village's features but I can at least try!
The village includes many lamplit streets, a lake, a city centre, trucks, cars, a football stadium, a windfarm, three railways, a quarry, a castle, a cricket club, bridges, boats, a beach and much, MUCH more!! As I said, it isn't by any means possible to describe it all!
Below is seen the massive city centre which, when illuminated in the evening, look's absolutely fantastic! The centre includes many big-name shops and a tramway!...
Now for the three railways. The new railway includes a 45mm gauge 'shuttle' line, usually operated by either a 3-car German 'Ice' Train or a 3-car Virgin Voyager look-a-like. The new railway was built to connect with the new Olympic Stadium which is being built to model that which will be used for the upcoming London 2012 Olympics. The train is 'programmed' to shuttle up & down its track all the time with minimal intervals for 'loading passengers'(!) in between! The train, which today was the 'Ice' Train, can be seen below on one of its journeys back from the new Olympic stadium...
The 2nd railway is indoors and is a large 'O' gauge layout named "Babbacombe Junction". With automated train control via colour-light signalling & block sections the locomotive's effectively operate themselves! The line has 2 or 3 circuits which traverse the room, with many trains operating at once, obeying the signals of course! A model of Thomas the Tank Engine was also spotted making it's merry way around the layout with only one wagon in tow! The building in which the model railway is housed also includes bridge plates, name plates, posters and a large 'O' gauge model locomotive shelved on a display track. The large & very interesting layout can be seen below...
Now we go to railway No3, the original garden railway which, by looks of it, is also 45mm, if not it is 'O' gauge! This railway works its double-track way around the lake passing two stations and a signalbox. The line also makes its way under 2 bridges and also through a small shed in which the trains are obviously housed when not in operation. Interestingly, though the railway is double-track, it looks like the main running line is built with different track to the other line. Also, I've only ever seen the "Up" (clockwise) line running, the other looks old & derrilict. The railway's main feature is the grand suspension bridge which carries the 2 tracks above the large pond. In the image below, the Virgin liveried Class 47 diesel can be seen hauling it's four Virgin liveried coaches across the bridge. Note the many fish which are swimming below happily as the train passes by above!...
I've included the following image as a closer view of the seemingly "vintage" Virgin train as it passes alongside the footpath before running through the storage shed...
As well as the fantastic model village itself, the attraction as includes a well-stocked shop, cafe and a 4D Theatre (well worth a look as well!) and, for this year only, a large indoor model Circus exhibit which will be leaving the model village after this season has ended. So why not go along & visit Babbacombe Model Village, its only 2 miles or so from Torquay Harbour and is a fantastic day out for the young & old alike! Thanks for reading folks, final post coming asap! Good day.
1 comment:
That is a very nice village. It would be wise to have a guide for all types of Devon accommodation and tourist information in order to speed up my holiday experiences. It's good that Devon holiday guides are now online for inquiries.
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