A miniature world born of imagination built with dedication.
I remember in my younger years, being taken by my parents to a Model Village where time seemed to have stood still. The buildings were only half as tall as I was. It seemed as if I was amongst a village of dolls houses. Then there were the trains; similar scale but their movements were highly organized . They seemed to know where they needed to be and when and where they needed to go. It seemed to be an elaborate ballet of locomotive engineering in miniature; all set in a world in miniature. This is Beckonscot Model Village, set in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England.
It is a world in miniature, meticulously put together with patience and a great eye for detail. When I visited it as a child, I was awed by it, and I still am. The model stores had miniature goods in the windows. There was a circus and a fairground, even a coal mining village and a harbor. All this was the work of a Beaconsfield gentleman named Roland Callingham (1881–1961). He designed and built this miniature world as his own plaything. However, after so much interest was generated by the public and the media of the time, Bekonscot Model Village was opened to the public. The village is a snapshot of England in the early thirties. Bekonscot is now more than 90 years old and is the original and oldest model village in the world to date. For more information and the history of the model village, visit the Bekonscot website.
As the years have gone by, my interest in model villages and dioramas has not diminished. Many of the examples you will see in displays and museums have become more complex. Construction techniques, particularly with new materials, have kept pace with the times. Since last visiting Bekonscot, I have tried my hand at modeling. I started with an Airfix plastic kit of a Westland Whirlwind helicopter, packaged in a plastic bag, as is how the smaller kits were sold at that time, I put together many plastic kits over time. Eventually, I progressed to plank-on-frame model ships.
I remember making small primitive village models from twigs and fronds in the garden beds. They resembled dwellings you would find in jungle scenarios. Over the last few decades, a new modeling medium was created by a company called LEGO. They came up with a humble brick that, when attached to another brick, enabled anyone to create whatever was in their imagination.
The term LEGO stems from the two Danish words “leg godt,” which means play well. The company started in 1932 making wooden toys to increase their revenue. Over the years, they came up with the idea of interlocking bricks or blocks that would form walls and box-like structures. It soon became apparent that, with the addition of rectangular frames and doors, buildings and houses could be built by young modelers. With the emergence of plastic in Denmark around 1950, it was decided that the LEGO bricks would be made of the new material. For a complete history, go to Lego History.
There were ups and downs in the fortunes of LEGO over the years. In the late 60s and early 70s, LEGO decided to target the girls’ side of the market with the addition of mini-figures and dollhouses. They also had a model railway system that fit right in with the LEGO system. For a full history of LEGO, look on the Lego History webpage. For a toy that appeals to the young and adults (of all ages), the humble LEGO brick has a fascinating history. It is an excellent example of wilding your heart. So where is this going?
LEGO can be a perfect means to create the most complex city or the most humble village. LEGO can be used to create near-scale models of renowned vehicles and military machines, as well as imaginary castles and parks. It caters well to the modeling of science fiction subjects and fantasy models. I don’t think there is anything you cannot create with LEGO. Look on the Internet; there are many, many examples. LEGO has even brought out architecture sets as well as village sets. There are also Christmas village sets, complete with Santa figures and Elven workshops. There are city sets, buildings, and vehicles; some sets are now quite technical, while others are collectible. The beauty of LEGO modeling is that there is no mess involved—no gluing, cutting, or the mess associated with traditional modeling. A look on the LEGO site will show there are brick sets there to build your own little world. It is not just for the adults, though; incorporate the train system, and you can involve your kids too, and they can create their own worlds.
Playing and building with LEGO has some particular benefits for adults and especially children:
– Improves focus and concentration
– Increases spatial awareness
– Develops and refines motor skills
– Encourages lateral thinking and creative problem-solving
– Inspires experimentation and adventure
– Enhances communication and teamwork
– Teaches organization skills and patience
– Provides bonding experience between parent and child(ren) as they work on their creations together.
I remember my first LEGO experience in the late 60s. I was very young then. I had a large box of square and oblong interlocking bricks placed before me, along with what looked like green-colored tile-like plates that interlocked to form gabled roofs. I soon worked out how to lay out some quite complicated houses and “houses” and room structures. It fired off my imagination with all sorts of ideas to create. Now the humble square and oblong brick has been complimented with wheels, gears, motors, bluetooth , remote control, pullies, led lighting, rails, trains, themed pieces from movies and mythology. There is nothing that the mind of a child or adult can model or replicate with LEGO.
Start small and build up. Let the hobby build as your imagination grows. A few years back I built a warship and a jet fighter with my then young son, both from the Creator series. I know that I want to build a model village. I also know that it will start by buying a set of Lego Bricks. From there, using them to build my first humble cottage.
Take a look at the gallery below and see if a few ideas don’t come to mind.
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