While camping in Hemsby this summer we were invited to the largest indoor railway attraction in the UK. Wroxham Miniature Worlds is located close to the centre of Wroxham in Norfolk – right in the heart of the Norfolk Broads. It’s actually directly opposite the ‘human sized’ railway station, which is rather appropriate!
Wroxham Miniature Worlds consists of over 10,000 square feet of model railways and racing cars. All are on permanent public display. At the entrance the children are given a quiz to complete as they walk around.
The installations are divided into zones; for the model railway tracks, the zones are geographic.
European Railway Layout
This 800 square feet display includes a theme park, city centre, snow-covered mountains, lakes, rivers, castles and churches. There’s lots going on – even the cars and buses are zipping around! We especially liked the snowy Alps landscape, and the double-decker train carriages.
Great British Layout
This 500 square feet OO gauge layout is quintessential Britain. At one end there’s a typical rural scene, with a village, farm, farm machinery, country lanes, horses and cows. Hillsides and peace and serenity exist here … Then you move to a more urban setting, with a canal basin surrounded by industrial wharf buildings. The city centre (more suburbia really) has a high street, formal gardens – and lots of emergency service vehicles on standby! The mainline station is reached via some impressive viaducts, and is a very busy station.
Japanese Layout
This was my favourite layout as it perfectly depicts the hustle and bustle that is Japan. This N gauge layout has, of course, the famous Bullet train whizzing around. This scene is full of skyscrapers, small villages, the coastline, mountains and a Shinto temple. You could spend 20 minutes admiring this layout, and you’d still miss some of the details!
Little Brick World
This installation is, basically, LEGO City on a very grand 250 square feet scale! An airport, cargo ship dock, train station, garage, major construction site, Police station, hospital, park, shopping centre … if you look really carefully, you might see Star Wars characters, Batman and other super heroes going about their daily business!
Adjacent to the layout is a display cabinet full of discontinued LEGO kits – the really large impressive ones like the Pirates of the Caribbean Black Pearl ship, Tower Bridge, and ones from Harry Potter and Indiana Jones.
Slot Car Layout
On the morning we visited, this 400 square feet exhibit was VERY popular among the young boys (and their grandparents, come to think of it!) This is a very impression track layout, worthy of any Formula 1 race. As well as pit lanes, the track cuts through a dunes scene. It is all under automation that slows the cars on corners, so they don’t speed off. I’m a Scalextric fan, so I watched this for ages!
Indoor Garden Layout
This G scale garden layout is a lot of fun. It covers 400 square feet and gives an idea of what could be achieved with even a modest-sized garden. We particularly liked the giant rabbit eating grass … enough to scare any of the passengers in the passing trains!
Plane and Train Simulators
Toby LOVED this … He got to sit in front of the controls of a train and drive it up the track! I think he was quite shocked at how difficult it was.
They also have some plane simulators, but these were really popular so we didn’t get a chance to try one out. Looked really good though.
Also …
In addition to the above there is an OO gauge layout under construction. What is nice is that it isn’t hidden behind a screen – you can watch it being built if you visit regularly. It’s going to be very impressive when completed.
As most people who know her know, Millie-Mae has never been a ‘girly girl’ – she’s not into dolls. At Wroxham Miniature Worlds there is an impressive dolls house workshop exhibit, along with a Sindy/Barbie display. It certainly brought back memories from my own childhood. As did the Vintage Toy World exhibit … lots of toys I remember my brothers – or me – having back in the 1970s!
Overall, we had a really enjoyable visit to Wroxham Miniature Worlds. There is a lovely, comfortable café as well as a shop selling model railway accessories and train-themed pocket-money toys. We definitely recommend a visit. For more information, please visit their website here.
Disclaimer for Wroxham Miniature Worlds, Norfolk – A Whole World of Wonder!
PackThePJs was invited along to experience Wroxham Miniature Worlds. In return we have written this honest review. The opinions and views above are our own and haven’t been influenced in any way.
