A Wonderland in
Miniature
By Mike Hughes ©
W U D I � F Z D V E X L O G L Q J X S V O R Z L Q J X V G R Z Q 7 K L V watch as other road users moved over to let
meant that our later journey through Germany them pass. The scene was amazing. When the
was further delayed, as there were a number of � U H K D G E H H Q G H D O W Z L W K W K H E O X H O L J K W V R Q W K H
nighttime motorway closures that we became emergency vehicles turned off, their indicators
caught up in, in turn delaying our arrival at the came on and they gradually moved away.
booked hotel. As the hotel restaurant would be
closed we decided to stop at a service station 7 K D W Z D V Q � W D O O , Q W K H 6 F D Q G L Q D Y L D Q V H F W L R Q
for our evening meal. Again the standards of W K H U H � V D O D U J H Z D W H U D U H D U H S U H V H Q W L Q J V K L S S L Q J
food were well above what we would expect in movements. Even the ships are all computer
this country. F R Q W U R O O H G , W � V D O P R V W X Q E H O L H Y D E O H M X V W K R Z
much is happening at the same time.
Our hotel, the Leonardo Stillhorn was expecting
us, and our coach organisers had us all checked ) R U R X U J U R X S W K H P D L Q D U H D R I L Q W H U H V W R U D W
into the hotel in record time. This left just enough least we thought it would be until we got there)
time to sample some of the delights of the hotel was the American section. Here you can see a
bar before we retired to bed for the night. train with 5 locos and 64 cars moving through
typical American countryside. Or so you think. In
Next morning I was looking forward to a fact it moves from mountains to plains to desert,
refreshing shower. Little did I know just how to high sierras via Los Angeles to Florida and
refreshing it was going to be! The water was D O O V R V H D P O H V V O \ W K D W \ R X G R Q � W U H D O L V H \ R X � U H
almost freezing cold. To shower in that certainly eyes are being taken from one detailed scene
woke me up. I discovered that I was not alone. W R D Q R W K H U ' L G , V D \ ) O R U L G D " 7 K H \ � Y H H Y H Q
There had been a problem with the heating at managed to capture the sight of a space shuttle
Awesome, inspirational, jaw dropping, mind
the hotel which they quickly admitted and the W D N L Q J R I I � W K D W � V K R Z P X F K G H W D L O W K H U H L V
E R J J O L Q J L P S U H V V L Y H E U H D W K W D N L Q J M X V W K R Z G R
free drinks in the evening certainly helped to
\ R X G H V F U L E H + D P E X U J � V 0 L Q L D W X U : X Q G H U O D Q G "
take the sting out of that shower. This is one exhibition which is constantly
7 K D W � V Z K D W , K D G W R G H F L G H D I W H U D W U L S R U J D Q L V H G
moving and constantly changing. We saw the
by members of the National Model Railroad
Replete after a large breakfast our group made latest project, an airport which will not only have
$ V V R F L D W L R Q % U L W L V K 5 H J L R Q 7 K L V L Q F O X G H G F R D F K
its way to Miniatur Wunderland, the main W U D L Q V D Q G U R D G Y H K L F O H V K R Z P D Q \ Z L O O E H W D [ L V
travel to and from Hamburg plus a whole day
purpose of our trip. Our group organiser, Alan I wonder?) arriving and departing but will also
in Hamburg with the main visit to a converted
Deane, booked us in and we made our way up feature planes landing and taking off. Just how
warehouse that now houses Miniatur Wunderland.
W K H V W D L U V W R � Q G D F R P S O H W H Z R U O G L Q P L Q L D W X U H W K H \ D U H J R L Q J W R G R W K L V , G R Q � W N Q R Z � V H H P V
which went from Switzerland to Scandinavia , � O O K D Y H W R Y L V L W L W D J D L Q
For me the journey began in the very early
Y L D $ X V W U L D . Q X I � Q J H Q + D U W ] + D P E X U J D Q G
K R X U V R I ) U L G D \
th
November 2009, when I
America! Starting with a relatively small section 2 I F R X U V H D O O W K L V G R H V Q � W K D S S H Q E \ F K D Q F H
joined the coach at Redhill. The rain was yet
showing dioramas we then moved to the main The project requires a large team of talented
again coming down hard, but our drivers, Alan
S D U W R I W K H G L V S O D \ 7 K H � U V W S D U W Z H F D P H model makers as well as computer experts to
' H D Q H D Q G % R E 1 R U U L V D V W U X H S U R I H V V L R Q D O
to represented Switzerland. This was truly programme the computers that control the whole
were unphased by that. Our stop at Dover
L P S U H V V L Y H , Q I D F W L W W R R N X S W Z R � R R U V L Q K H L J K W site. Here are some of the stats shown with
Harbour enabled the last of our party to join us.
of the former warehouse. There was a collective F X U U H Q W D Q G � Q D O � J X U H V W K D W Z L O O D P D ] H \ R X
Then the ferry crossing? Well the windy weather
intake of breath with various oohs and aahs
G L G Q � W P D N H I R U W K H V P R R W K H V W R I F U R V V L Q J V E X W coming from every direction. / D \ R X W D U H D V T P !
as we neared Calais the seas became calmer % X L O G L Q J S K D V H V
and we were soon on French soil. Although we, as a group, are primarily 7 U D F N O H Q J W K P D O P R V W P
L Q W H U H V W H G L Q $ P H U L F D Q P R G H O U D L O Z D \ V 7 U D L Q V !
A quick stop for fuel brought the realisation Miniatur Wunderland goes much further than & D U V F D U U L D J H V
that on the European continent diesel fuel that. There are working roadways, motorways / R Q J H V W W U D L Q P P
is cheaper than petrol – as much as 40c or D Q G W R Z Q V F H Q H V Z K L F K L Q F O X G H W U D I � F O L J K W V W K D W 6 L J Q D O V
in some cases even more. Can you imagine the vehicles obey. The attention to detail with all 7 X U Q R X W V S R L Q W V
having your fuel cheaper? No wonder many sorts of individually varied scenes combined to & R P S X W H U V
of our long distance hauliers complain about maintain your interest no matter which direction / L J K W V !
foreign competition with their reduced costs. you looked. Then the light appeared to fade ) L J X U H V
Initially, the weather was not kind with a heavy from day into night. As it did so the whole scene 7 U H H V
shower of rain and hail. Luckily it soon melted was transformed with the buildings, trains and 0 D Q K R X U V !
and, as the rain eased off we made our way the various motor vehicles all lighting up. You
W K U R X J K ( X U R S H ) U D Q F H % H O J L X P W K H Q + R O O D Q G could make out the cars and trucks with their
rolled seamlessly from one to the other as we braking lights, working indicators and headlights
V S H G D O R Q J W K H � U V W S D U W R I R X U M R X U Q H \ , Q G H H G being easily seen. The bridges, cranes, the
W K H N S P O L P L W L P S R V H G R Q F R D F K H V V H H P H G pop concerts, the open air camping sites, the
to be about the right speed for us to weave our motorway tunnels all came to life.
Z D \ W K U R X J K W K H Q H Y H U H Q G L Q J V W U H D P R I O R U U L H V
We stopped at a Dutch service station where, in In this magical world night soon becomes day
addition to the ubiquitous McDonalds, we found again and the scenes once more transformed.
a restaurant complex called La Place with food, Still there is too much to see and hear. At one
including freshly squeezed juice and smoothies point I heard the sound of emergency vehicle
that would have put some major restaurants V L U H Q V D Q G H Y H U \ R Q H � V D W W H Q W L R Q Z D V G U D Z Q W R
to shame. What did seem strange was that an articulated truck which came to a halt on the
Z H Z H U H U H T X L U H G W R S D \ F W R X V H W K H W R L O H W U R D G Z D \ Z L W K L W V W U D L O H U D S S D U H Q W O \ R Q � U H 7 K H
facilities, although this ensured that there was special effects included smoke as well as what
an attendant who kept them clean and tidy. D S S H D U H G W R E H � D P H V F R P L Q J I U R P W K H W U D L O H U
The emergency services were soon racing to
Suitably refreshed we set off again, but then we the scene from all directions. As they did so you
found that, as we passed some cities, the Friday could see the blue lights, hear the sirens and
34
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44