I've visited some wonderful illuminations, light trails and festive attractions this year - now for one on a miniature scale!!

Babbacombe model village has been in Torquay for a very long time, changing and growing over the years.
So much to see, I've visited once before but never at Christmas - absolutely wonderful, I'd definitely recommend an outing if you're nearby 😊

Dogs are welcome, but I decided not to take my 2 as I really wanted to enjoy the whole village and they wouldn't have liked the slow pace!

'Everything that you see when visiting is from the vision of one individual – Tom Dobbins. One of three brothers, To Dobbin was born in 1917 in Southport, Lancashire. His career ambitions were interrupted by the second World War. During the conflict he saw service at Dunkirk and was decorated by his Majesty King George VI at Buckingham Palace.

During the post war years, he embarked upon the realization of a dream, which was simply to build one of the finest Model Villages in the country. His very first Village was a long way from Devon, opening in Southport, Lancashire in 1956.

Babbacombe Model Village opened to the public seven years later in 1963. It has been here that the imagination, humour and ingenuity of four decades has been poured.

Following on from the creation of the Model Village in Southport, Tom Dobbins began discussions with the intention of establishing a Model Village in the Torbay borough Area. As there was nothing quite like it in 1961, the proposal received a great deal of local interest. After very careful deliberation, the current position was chosen. The original site was little more than a natural valley or combe as it is known locally. The natural landscape of this part of South Devon has many such small valleys. It was in one of these in 1961 that the work on Babbacombe Model Village began.

By 1965 the Model Village had just under three hundred models of various buildings. These included a football stadium and an industrial estate and under five thousand figures. The quality of the work on display was being appreciated a mere two years after the Model Village opened its doors in 1963.

The original underlying idea was that the Model Village was to be the representation of an imaginary area of the English countryside. It was to be shown at its best in an almost ‘idealised’ form within a setting of abundant and colourful planting. Along with the district building styles of farms and country houses, were to be included lakes and waterfalls. Later, as a contrast, a substantial modern town was added.

At the start of the nineteen eighties, there were well over 6,000 figures in the village and the number of buildings had grown to nearly 400. The illuminations were by now using 10,000 miniature electric bulbs and featured the famous UFO.

It was at this time that the Founder Tom Dobbins travelled to Canada to attend the opening of a Model Village, which had been inspired by Babbacombe Model Village. The watchword for success, along with maintaining the highest standards, was being topical - Wombley Stadium with its streakers along with Hunt saboteurs.

Increasing numbers of overseas visitors and foreign students made their way to the Model Village to experience this unique depiction of the English way of life. To underline the quality of its gardens, in 1985 the Model Village was given a special award in the Britain in Bloom competition.


Since the new millennium, there has been considerable investment into the Model Village, especially our maintenance and development facilities to enable us to keep pace with and reflect our changing world.

The Model Village is well poised to continue in its own unique way with the task of portraying aspects of our collective experience. This will always be done with a view to maintaining the essential qualities we have on offer, dedication to high quality workmanship from model makers and gardeners alike.

One of the most popular additions during the noughties was the Merrivale castle and fire-breathing dragon. The dragon is animated using pneumatics and breathes fire every few minutes.

The Model Village is still evolving with new model and displays added each year. Newest additions include The Royal Crescent model, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a brand new 9-hole crazy golf course and coming summer 2023, A new indoor whimsical walk-through ‘The Mythical Kingdom’ – A land of miniature mythical characters, all magically animated to bring them to life.'
 



 



 

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