Babbacombe Model Village

Babbacombe Model Village is a miniature village and railway located in Babbacombe in Torquay, Devon.

Babbacombe Model Village
The Model Village, as seen in 2012
Babbacombe Model Village is located in Devon
Babbacombe Model Village
Location within Devon
General information
TypeMiniature Village
AddressHampton Avenue
Babbacombe
Torquay
Devon
TQ1 3LA
Coordinates50.482705°N 3.520458°W / 50.482705; -3.520458
Construction started1963
Technical details
Floor area4 acres (1.6 ha)
Website
Official Website

The model village was opened in 1963 by Tom & Ruth Dobbins,[1][2] who had previously opened another model village at Southport in 1957.

Miniature landscape
The Model Village

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. The model village is primarily one town, an entirely fictional one, but many buildings within them are based on UK prototypes and landmarks (including Stonehenge and the Shard).

Names of shops and other features include humorous puns, such as Marks and Sparks, Woolies, Amanda Lofe - Home Baked Bread & Cakes, Ivor Faggot Butcher ('I've a faggot' - a reference to the traditional English meat dish), A. Kingbody Sports Centre ('Aching Body') and Terry Bull Gardening Service, Decorators ('Terrible').

The village also includes a model railway, castle and windmill.

Some of the popular models at the village include the burning house, Stonehenge, the Shard, the EastEnders indoor scene and the dragon castle.

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

In summer months, the Babbacombe Model Village is open until 10.30pm, weeknights with the village illuminations switched on. The Shard in the centre of the village is also lit up.[3]

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.
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