Babbacombe Model Village

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Babbacombe Model Village
Babbacombe Model Village.jpg
The Model Village, as seen in 2012
Devon UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Devon
General information
Type Miniature Village
AddressHampton Avenue
Babbacombe
Torquay
Devon
TQ1 3LA
Coordinates 50°28′58″N3°31′14″W / 50.482705°N 3.520458°W / 50.482705; -3.520458
Construction startedApril 12, 1963
OpeningApril 12, 1963;61 years ago (1963-04-12)
Technical details
Floor area4 acres (1.6 ha)
Website
Official Website

Babbacombe Model Village is the UK's largest[ citation needed ] miniature village located in Babbacombe in Torquay, Devon.

Contents

The Model Village offers extensive award-winning gardens, set in a beautiful valley, showcasing hundreds of hand-crafted models and scenes. It was opened in April 12, 1963 by Tom & Ruth Dobbins, [1] [2] who had previously opened another model village at Southport in 1957.

Miniature landscape

The Model Village Babacombe Model Village Overview.jpg
The Model Village

Babbacombe Model Village is set in award-winning gardens that were created in a beautiful valley. It showcases hundreds of unique hand-crafted models and scenes, with lots of puns and humour. The site is set on approximately 4 acres (1.6 ha). There are over 400 models along with 1,000 ft (300 m) of model train track in the village and over 13,000 miniature residents. The models are mostly a humorous and generic portrayal of Britain through the decades, though there are some well-known landmarks too, such as Stonehenge.

Names of shops and other features include humorous puns, such as Marks and Sparks, Woolies, Amanda Lofe - Home Baked Bread & Cakes. A. Kingbody Sports Centre ('Aching Body') and Terry Bull Gardening Service, and many more

Some of the popular models at the village include the burning house, Stonehenge, the cityscape, the EastEnders indoor scene, the Mythical Kingdom and the fire-breathing dragon.

Media

The model village appeared in an episode of Holiday of My Lifetime in 2014 with Len Goodman and Matt Allwright. It also appeared on The One Show in the same year. In 2019, the model village was used as a filming location for Don’t Forget the Driver .

Illuminations

During the summer months and for Halloween & Christmas, the Babbacombe Model Village is open on select evenings for illuminations. [3]

30 Years ago Of Babbacombe Model Village

Babbacombe Model Village '95

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References

  1. Barber, Chips (2005). devon's wild and wicked weather. Obelisk Publications. p. 29. ISBN   978-1-903585-52-8.
  2. "The bard of Exeter does a banksy with mini-druids". Western Daily Press. Europe Intellence Wire. 11 November 2005. (Access My Library)
  3. "Illuminations". Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.