Bekonscot
Encyclopedia
Bekonscot in Beaconsfield
, Buckinghamshire
, is the oldest original model village
in the world.
It portrays aspects of England
mostly dating from the 1930s. Bekonscot has been run by the Church Army
since 1978 and donates large amounts of money to charity
. It has raised the equivalent of almost £5,000,000 so far and has been visited by more than 14,000,000 visitors.
Bekonscot was first created by Beaconsfield
resident, accountant Roland Callingham (1881–1961), in the 1920s. Roland developed the master plan for his miniature empire as an addition to his large back garden, drawing in help from his staff: the gardener, cook, maid and chauffeur. Together they developed the model landscape portraying rural England at the time. The swimming pool
became the first "sea" and the undulating rockeries were built up as hills. Bassett-Lowke
, the well-known large-scale model railway manufacturers, were commissioned to build an extensive Gauge 1 railway network, which exists to this day. Callingham named the village 'Bekonscot' after Beaconsfield and Ascot where he previously lived.
It was not conceived as a commercial visitor attraction
but as a plaything to entertain Roland and his guests. It was only after 1930 that its existence became widely known, catching the imagination of the press and public alike. Frequent newsreels such as Pathé
, international and national newspaper
coverage ensure a steady stream of visitors, all of whom were invited to make a donation to the Railway Benevolent Institution.
, Southport
, Tucktonia
, Madurodam
, Bourton-on-the-Water
, Wimborne, Great Yarmouth
, Clonakilty and Mini-Europe
. As such, it is regarded as the "grandfather" of the model village and miniature park movement.
The village expanded in size throughout the first half of the 20th Century. Callingham sold off much of the land surrounding the model village, all of which is now a housing estate
. The village is now entirely surrounded by urban development
so further expansion is impossible.
Bekonscot popularised the miniature park movement, put Beaconsfield
on the map and has a continuing financial legacy in donations to charitable organisations both national and local.
s, concrete, or dense foamboard; many are originals from the 1920s.
There are six model villages set within the miniature landscape. These are entirely fictional towns, but many buildings within them are based on UK prototypes. Successive generations of modelmakers, gardeners and craftsmen have left their mark on their subjects, which display a wide range of vernacular architectural style
s.
Currently there are 12 full-time staff who maintain the village throughout the year; during the open season a further 20 or so seasonal staff are employed.
Names of shops and other features include humorous pun
s, such as Lee Key Plumbers' Merchants ('Lee Key' = 'leak
y'), Sam and Ella's Butchers ('salmonella
') and the Mark Owney Wireless and Gramophone stores ('Marconi
'). Other model villages have run with the playful nature of the miniature business names and it has become something of a model tradition.
Over the last year, an on-going project to introduce more – smaller – moving models into the village has been underway. So far these have included a waving coal miner, a lady cleaning her window, a miniature children's play area, walking horses at a cider works, and even a painter falling from a ladder.
), possibly the largest public garden railway
in the UK, at ten scale miles. A custom-built PC-based interface controls the block signalling system, directing up to 12 trains at any one time on prototypical routes. In addition there are two manual lever frame
s, one ex-BR and the other from London Underground
. The British Rail
lever frame is still in use as a manual override
for the trains. Some original Bassett-Lowke
stock from the 1930s is still in daily use, albeit with new running gear
. Many of these trains have significant historical value. Some have been running for over 50 years, each covering about 2000 miles (3,218.7 km) per year.
Locomotives include several tank engines, a freelance 4-6-0 tender loco, GWR railmotor
, pannier tanks, SR 2BIL EMU, plus assorted others.
The model railway is not based on a particular prototype but features two stations based on local examples - that at Maryloo High Wycombe
and Greenhaily Beaconsfield
. There are seven stations in total; others have been inspired by Midland, Great Central and Southern designs. Significant lineside features include several tunnels, working level crossing and a scaled-down replica of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
traversed by the branch line to the coal mine. A model rail tunnel passing under the main lake was proposed in the early 1970's (The Miners Lane Concept) but the idea was scrapped on the grounds of cost and lack of interest it would generate. It would have involved considerable disturbance to the lake (a full drain, flush and Albert's Bung replacement) with the additional risk of porosity and subsidence.
tram, one a Bo-Bo
diesel shunter
and one a large 0-4-0
built by Maxitrak. The latter was named "Sprocket" in 2004; the third birthday of the railway and the 75th of the Model Village. The two Bo-Bo locomotives were designed and built by the in-house engineering department. Visiting locomotives have included a Maxitrak Opal 0-4-2 tank engine, a County Donegal
railbus and a Mardyke Intercity 125
.
railways used on site for construction and later transportation of materials for maintenance. Photographs show the route in 1928 and 1932. Three complete wagon chassis were unearthed in 2003 during excavations for the Bekonscot Light Railway and these have been restored and displayed around the Bekonscot site for posterity.
short story
Scale; was the setting of Beaconsfield-resident Enid Blyton
's short story The Enchanted Village; and is thought to have inspired the series of Borrowers books by Mary Norton
.
The non-fiction
bestseller Forever England by Liam Bailey is a photographic study of the village's miniature characters, whilst Bollocks to Alton Towers
, by Hazely et al., celebrates the quirkiness and eccentricity of Bekonscot.
The 2007 song Country Life by Luke Haines
mentions Bekonscot in its liner notes and lyrics use the village as an extended metaphor
.
The Penny Peeps released the song "Model Village" in 1968. The single's cover artwork featured Bekonscot.
Owing to Bekonscot's proximity to London and the southeast-based media industry, Bekonscot features frequently on television and radio.
Television appearances include:
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, is the oldest original model village
Miniature park
A miniature park is an open space that displays miniature buildings and models, and is usually open to the public. A miniature park may contain a model of a single city or town, often called a miniature city or model village, or it can contain a number of different sets of models...
in the world.
It portrays aspects of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
mostly dating from the 1930s. Bekonscot has been run by the Church Army
Church Army
Church Army is an evangelistic Church of England organisation operating in many parts of the Anglican Communion.-History:Church Army was founded in England in 1882 by the Revd Wilson Carlile , who banded together in an orderly army of soldiers, officers, and a few working men and women, whom he and...
since 1978 and donates large amounts of money to charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. It has raised the equivalent of almost £5,000,000 so far and has been visited by more than 14,000,000 visitors.
Bekonscot was first created by Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
resident, accountant Roland Callingham (1881–1961), in the 1920s. Roland developed the master plan for his miniature empire as an addition to his large back garden, drawing in help from his staff: the gardener, cook, maid and chauffeur. Together they developed the model landscape portraying rural England at the time. The swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
became the first "sea" and the undulating rockeries were built up as hills. Bassett-Lowke
Bassett-Lowke
Bassett-Lowke was a toy company in Northampton, England, founded by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke in 1898 or 1899, that specialized in model railways, boats and ships, and construction sets...
, the well-known large-scale model railway manufacturers, were commissioned to build an extensive Gauge 1 railway network, which exists to this day. Callingham named the village 'Bekonscot' after Beaconsfield and Ascot where he previously lived.
It was not conceived as a commercial visitor attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
but as a plaything to entertain Roland and his guests. It was only after 1930 that its existence became widely known, catching the imagination of the press and public alike. Frequent newsreels such as Pathé
Pathé
Pathé or Pathé Frères is the name of various French businesses founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France.-History:...
, international and national newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
coverage ensure a steady stream of visitors, all of whom were invited to make a donation to the Railway Benevolent Institution.
Legacy
Bekonscot is acknowledged to be the inspiration for many other model villages and miniature parks across the world, including BabbacombeBabbacombe
"Babbacombe" may also refer to John 'Babbacombe' LeeBabbacombe is a district of Torquay, Devon, England. It is notable for Babbacombe Model Village, and its clifftop green, Babbacombe Downs, from which Oddicombe Beach is accessed via Babbacombe Cliff Railway.There is a miniature village in the area....
, Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
, Tucktonia
Tucktonia
Tucktonia was a late 1970s theme park located on Stour Road, Christchurch, Dorset, England. It was officially opened on 23 May 1976 by Arthur Askey. It originally occupied of the Tuckton Park Leisure Complex. The park was closed down in 1986, having become rather run-down and neglected...
, Madurodam
Madurodam
Madurodam is a miniature city located in Scheveningen, The Hague, in the Netherlands. It is a model of a Dutch town on a 1:25 scale, composed of typical Dutch buildings and landmarks, as are found at various locations in the country. This major Dutch tourist attraction was built in 1952 and has...
, Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the-Water is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England that lies on a wide flat vale within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
, Wimborne, Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
, Clonakilty and Mini-Europe
Mini-Europe
-See also:* Madurodam — Model village in Netherlands containing miniature famous Dutch landmarks* Catalunya en Miniatura — miniature park located 17 km away from Barcelona, with an exhibition area of 35.000 m2 including all major buildings of Catalonia and of Antoni Gaudí* Bekonscot...
. As such, it is regarded as the "grandfather" of the model village and miniature park movement.
The village expanded in size throughout the first half of the 20th Century. Callingham sold off much of the land surrounding the model village, all of which is now a housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
. The village is now entirely surrounded by urban development
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
so further expansion is impossible.
Bekonscot popularised the miniature park movement, put Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
on the map and has a continuing financial legacy in donations to charitable organisations both national and local.
Miniature landscape
The site is approximately two acres of which just over half is a miniature 1:12 landscape. Buildings are constructed in natural materialNatural material
A natural material is any product or physical matter that comes from plants, animals, or the ground. Minerals and the metals that can be extracted from them are also considered to belong into this category.* Biotic materials...
s, concrete, or dense foamboard; many are originals from the 1920s.
There are six model villages set within the miniature landscape. These are entirely fictional towns, but many buildings within them are based on UK prototypes. Successive generations of modelmakers, gardeners and craftsmen have left their mark on their subjects, which display a wide range of vernacular architectural style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
s.
Currently there are 12 full-time staff who maintain the village throughout the year; during the open season a further 20 or so seasonal staff are employed.
Names of shops and other features include humorous pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
s, such as Lee Key Plumbers' Merchants ('Lee Key' = 'leak
Leak
A leak is a hole or other opening, usually unintended and therefore undesired, in a container or fluid-containing system, such as a tank or a ship's hull, through which the contents of the container can escape or outside matter can enter the container...
y'), Sam and Ella's Butchers ('salmonella
Salmonella
Salmonella is a genus of rod-shaped, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, predominantly motile enterobacteria with diameters around 0.7 to 1.5 µm, lengths from 2 to 5 µm, and flagella which grade in all directions . They are chemoorganotrophs, obtaining their energy from oxidation and reduction...
') and the Mark Owney Wireless and Gramophone stores ('Marconi
Marconi Company
The Marconi Company Ltd. was founded by Guglielmo Marconi in 1897 as The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company...
'). Other model villages have run with the playful nature of the miniature business names and it has become something of a model tradition.
Over the last year, an on-going project to introduce more – smaller – moving models into the village has been underway. So far these have included a waving coal miner, a lady cleaning her window, a miniature children's play area, walking horses at a cider works, and even a painter falling from a ladder.
Notable features include
|
Windmill A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important... s Pier A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars... |
Cable car A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems.-Aerial lift:Aerial lifts where the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable:... Fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping.... Bonsai is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ... |
Railways
Gauge 1
Bekonscot is famed for its complex outdoor model railway (in Gauge 11 gauge
Gauge 1 is a model railroadingand toy train standard, popular in the early 20th century, particularly with European manufacturers. Its track measures , making it larger than 0 gauge but slightly smaller than wide gauge, which came to be the dominant U.S...
), possibly the largest public garden railway
Garden railway
A garden railroad or garden railway is a model railway system set up outdoors in a garden. While G is the most popular scale for garden railroads, 16 mm scale has a dedicated and growing following especially in the UK. Model locomotives in this scale are often live steam scale models of British...
in the UK, at ten scale miles. A custom-built PC-based interface controls the block signalling system, directing up to 12 trains at any one time on prototypical routes. In addition there are two manual lever frame
Lever frame
Mechanical railway signalling installations rely on lever frames for their operation to interlock the signals and points to allow the safe operation of trains in the area the signals control...
s, one ex-BR and the other from London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
. The British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
lever frame is still in use as a manual override
Manual override
A manual override is a mechanism wherein control is taken from an automated system and given to the user. For example, a manual override in photography refers to the ability for the human photographer to turn off the automatic aperture sizing, automatic focusing, or any other automated system on...
for the trains. Some original Bassett-Lowke
Bassett-Lowke
Bassett-Lowke was a toy company in Northampton, England, founded by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke in 1898 or 1899, that specialized in model railways, boats and ships, and construction sets...
stock from the 1930s is still in daily use, albeit with new running gear
Running gear
The term running gear is used to describe the wheels, suspension, steering, powertrain & chassis/bodyshell of a motor-car or automobile, or the tracks and road wheels of a tank or similar tracked vehicle....
. Many of these trains have significant historical value. Some have been running for over 50 years, each covering about 2000 miles (3,218.7 km) per year.
Locomotives include several tank engines, a freelance 4-6-0 tender loco, GWR railmotor
GWR steam rail motors
The steam rail motors were self-propelled carriages operated by the Great Western Railway in England and Wales from 1903 to 1935. They incorporated a steam locomotive within the body of the carriage.-History:...
, pannier tanks, SR 2BIL EMU, plus assorted others.
The model railway is not based on a particular prototype but features two stations based on local examples - that at Maryloo High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
and Greenhaily Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
. There are seven stations in total; others have been inspired by Midland, Great Central and Southern designs. Significant lineside features include several tunnels, working level crossing and a scaled-down replica of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
traversed by the branch line to the coal mine. A model rail tunnel passing under the main lake was proposed in the early 1970's (The Miners Lane Concept) but the idea was scrapped on the grounds of cost and lack of interest it would generate. It would have involved considerable disturbance to the lake (a full drain, flush and Albert's Bung replacement) with the additional risk of porosity and subsidence.
7¼" gauge
A miniature railway known as the Bekonscot Light Railway giving passenger rides was built along the perimeter of the site in 2001. Of gauge this was extended in 2004 to a new terminus. Three battery-electric locos haul trains: one a Bo-BoBo-Bo
A Bo-Bo or Bo′Bo′ is a locomotive with two independent four-wheeled bogies with all axles powered by individual traction motors...
tram, one a Bo-Bo
Bo-Bo
A Bo-Bo or Bo′Bo′ is a locomotive with two independent four-wheeled bogies with all axles powered by individual traction motors...
diesel shunter
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
and one a large 0-4-0
0-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
built by Maxitrak. The latter was named "Sprocket" in 2004; the third birthday of the railway and the 75th of the Model Village. The two Bo-Bo locomotives were designed and built by the in-house engineering department. Visiting locomotives have included a Maxitrak Opal 0-4-2 tank engine, a County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
railbus and a Mardyke Intercity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
.
Two foot gauge
There is also evidence of narrow gaugeNarrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
railways used on site for construction and later transportation of materials for maintenance. Photographs show the route in 1928 and 1932. Three complete wagon chassis were unearthed in 2003 during excavations for the Bekonscot Light Railway and these have been restored and displayed around the Bekonscot site for posterity.
In popular culture
Bekonscot features prominently in the Will SelfWill Self
William Woodard "Will" Self is an English novelist and short story writer. His fictional style is known for being satirical, grotesque, and fantastical. He is a prolific commentator on contemporary British life, with regular appearances on Newsnight and Question Time...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
Scale; was the setting of Beaconsfield-resident Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton was an English children's writer also known as Mary Pollock.Noted for numerous series of books based on recurring characters and designed for different age groups,her books have enjoyed huge success in many parts of the world, and have sold over 600 million copies.One of Blyton's most...
's short story The Enchanted Village; and is thought to have inspired the series of Borrowers books by Mary Norton
Mary Norton (author)
Mary Norton, née Pearson, was an English children's author. Her books include The Borrowers series.-Background:...
.
The non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
bestseller Forever England by Liam Bailey is a photographic study of the village's miniature characters, whilst Bollocks to Alton Towers
Bollocks to Alton Towers
Bollocks to Alton Towers: Uncommonly British Days Out is a humorous travel book written by Robin Halstead, Jason Hazeley, Alex Morris and Joel Morris , which showcases unusual attractions, left-field museums and one-off days out in the United Kingdom.The introduction describes the book as "a...
, by Hazely et al., celebrates the quirkiness and eccentricity of Bekonscot.
The 2007 song Country Life by Luke Haines
Luke Haines
Luke Haines is an English musician, songwriter and author, who has recorded music under various names and with various bands, including The Auteurs, Baader Meinhof and Black Box Recorder.-'New Wave':...
mentions Bekonscot in its liner notes and lyrics use the village as an extended metaphor
Extended metaphor
An extended metaphor, also called a conceit, is a metaphor that continues into the sentences that follow. It is often developed at great length, occurring frequently in schools coursework or throughout a work, and are especially effective in poems and fiction.Symbolism is often a great tool to use...
.
The Penny Peeps released the song "Model Village" in 1968. The single's cover artwork featured Bekonscot.
Owing to Bekonscot's proximity to London and the southeast-based media industry, Bekonscot features frequently on television and radio.
Television appearances include:
- Blue PeterBlue PeterBlue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
(multiple times) - Treasure HuntTreasure huntA treasure hunt is one of many different types of games which can have one or more players who try to find hidden articles, locations or places by using a series of clues. This is a fictional activity; treasure hunting can also be a real life activity. Treasure hunt games may be an indoor or...
- Midsomer MurdersMidsomer MurdersMidsomer Murders is a British television detective drama that has aired on ITV since 1997. The show is based on the books by Caroline Graham, as originally adapted by Anthony Horowitz. The lead character is DCI Tom Barnaby who works for Causton CID. When Nettles left the show in 2011 he was...
(the episode Small Mercies, aired 28 October 2009) - BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
CountryfileCountryfileCountryfile is a British magazine-style television programme produced by BBC Birmingham, first aired on 24th July 1988, which reports on rural and environmental issues within the United Kingdom. For its first 20 years it was fronted by broadcaster John Craven, until he stepped back from the role of... - BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
The One ShowThe One ShowThe One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...
(aired 29 January 2010) - Various television news items
- BBC Working LunchWorking LunchWorking Lunch was a television programme broadcast on BBC Two which covered business, personal finance and consumer news between 1994 and 2010. The programme was first aired on 19 September 1994. It had a quirky, relaxed style, especially when compared to other BBC business shows such as World...
- McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
advertisement - One Foot in the PastOne Foot in the PastOne Foot in the Past was a British television series on BBC 2. It considered the cultural heritage and history of England. Each programme ran for 30 minutes.Presenters included Kirsty Wark and also:* Joan Bakewell* Roger Bowdler* Dan Cruickshank...
introductory sequence - Muffin the MuleMuffin the MuleMuffin the Mule is a puppet character in British television programmes for children. The original programmes featuring the character were presented by Annette Mills, sister of John Mills, & aunt to Hayley Mills, and broadcast live by the BBC from their studios at Alexandra Palace from 1946 to 1952...
- BBC sitcom 'Dad'
- Discovery Home and Leisure's 'Garden Railway' series
External links
- Official website
- The Guardian article
- Bekonscot: The Tim Dunn Interview – a journey round the railway filmed from a locomotive