Bekonscot Model Village and Railway

Located a short train ride northwest of London in Beaconsfield, Bekonscot Model Village was the creation of local resident Roland Callingham in the 1920s. He drew up a plan and built it in his large back yard with the help of his household staff. It was originally just intended for the enjoyment of himself and his guests, however in the 1930s it caught the attention of the press and the public and soon began to draw a regular stream of visitors who were encouraged to make a donation for charity. This village became the inspiration of other miniature villages and parks throughout the world. While it now levies an admission charge, Bekonscot Village continues to use all of their profits to support charities both locally and around the world. It has been visited by over 14,000,000 people.

The site actually consists of six fictional villages in a miniature landscape that depicts England in the 1930s. In addition there is a very sophisticated Gauge 1 model railway covering a distance of 10 scale miles through the village. Some of the trains have been running for over 50 years. To get an idea of the detail and work that went into this model railway, not to mention the village itself, check out the video at the bottom of this page.

In addition to all of this there is the Bekonscot Light Railway that encircles the perimeter of the site and provides rides for visitors.

In spite of being a little ways out of London, this attraction is well worth the little extra time it takes to visit it.

They are open from mid February until the end of October.

For more information about Bekonscot Model Village including hours and charges visit their official website.

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