Brighton Toy and Model Museum is a cute little thing- it sits underneath the railway arches of Brighton's terminus station. There are over 12,000 items in here, and it won't take up more than an hour of your time. It was the second time I'd been here; the first was a few years ago.
This dinky little car greets you as you walk in. It's called the Peel 350, and is a three-wheeled micro car, produced from 1962-1965 and revitalised in 2011. This tiny car is only 1.3m (4.3ft) in length, is on loan to the museum for six months, and in 2021 this car was driven from John O'Groats to Land's End for charity.
Meccano sets, and I actually preferred Meccano to Lego when I was a kid.
Meccano display example cabinet, and the museum carries out nationally and internationally recognised research, restoration and digitisation.
Trains 'n' engines, and this museum has a lot of those!
Model of Patrick Sterling's 4.2.2. 1873. He was the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Northern Railway, and lived from 1820-1895.
Toy soldiers, and the museum also operates an online 9,000 page encyclopaedia and image library.
Lego, and the museum has over 60 different display areas.
Teddy Bears' Picnic, and their eyes follow you around...
Biscuit and sweet tins, and there appears to be one which doubles up as a tambourine!
Dinky Toys...
Corgi Toys...
Doll House Miniatures...
Taking a closer look, and the detail on these is lovely...
Looking at the other side, and the influence here appears to be Victorian...
This was probably my favourite cabinet of dolls' house items as they're more modern, and I can remember things like this from my childhood...
A closer view, and I owned a dolls' tea set...
The occupants of The Dolls' House, and you've probably heard me tell this story before:
When I was a little girl, my dollies were my world. I said to my mum, 'Dolls are not just dolls- they're little children who have died...' She said it was the creepiest thing she had ever heard!!!!
All The World's A Stage was a little, tucked away section...
A sneaky view into it. It was cordoned off; probably as a class of kids was due to enter as we left, and the staff no doubt didn't want them all rushing into this tiny corner at once.
...But I craftily nipped in to take my piccies...Pelham Puppets are simple, wooden marionette puppets.
Theatrical costumiers samples from circa 1950, and these include King Charles II at the back.
Basil Brush at the bottom. I loved him as a kid- altogether now: hahahahahaha boom boom! Sooty and Sweep above him (I also loved them!) Unfortunately, I managed to semi-decapitate poor Soo at the top. She was the only puppet of the trio designed to have a voice; whereas Sooty was dumb, and Sweep squeaked!
Railways of Britain...
The centre of the museum is devoted to train sets, and some of them run- you can see the train making its way along the tracks at the top left...
The attention to detail is excellent, but I do question why they have Chewbacca and a Dalek here!
Farmyard...
The giant snowman is most interesting. These odd touches add to the quirkiness of the museum!
Looking over the large, central model railway, and you can see stop/start controls to the bottom right...
East Hill Cliff Railway, Sussex, is a funicular railway. I've been on a funicular railway in Scarborough.
Freight trains in the end cabinet...
Punch and Judy.
Oliver Cromwell (British Railways Steam Locomotive) model.
Hornby-Dublo was the early brand name for what we now know as Hornby.
If you're into trains and model trains, then this place is definitely the museum for you!
Vintage cuddly toys. Some of these are adorable!💓
Toy and Model Boats...
Antique model trains...
A final look at the central model railway display, and at the front is Marklin Grand Station. Marklin is a world renowned toy manufacturer.
Hornby Series toy trains...
Engines...
There is something for everyone in here- if you liked planes or building planes as a kid, you'd love this aircraft...
Little Mickey pinball game.
Vintage pinball machine...
Mini steam locomotive.
Brighton Belle...
London to Brighton Rally, and Brighton Pavilion is clearly visible.
Fancy a souvenir? I was tempted to buy a fake egg to play a trick on the SuperDean!😁
I created a story inspired by the museum, and entered it into the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation's annual short story competition- and I was a runner-up!
It's called For Glory! and is about a young, cat loving, woman who gets revenge on her father's none-too-nice ex-girlfriend.
It's the first story in my anthology, entitled From Milk To Cream which is available via Amazon. It's available in paperback (cover below) and as a Kindle version, link:-
Here is the anthology's blurb:
...Because growing up is so hard to do...
From Milk To Cream is a collection of short stories which depict that often traumatic- sometimes terrible- journey every young girl must make as she climbs into womanhood. It's a contradictory time- you're supposed to act like an adult but are so frequently treated like a child. How do you marry both?
Read about Ruby; the uncoordinated black sheep of her sporty family in The Bloodhead Trail. She befriends the other outcast that is her grandmother- a colourful character who's been married four times (including to a deposed prince, whose jewels her daft son thinks are buried in the garden), worked as a nightclub singer in London in the 1930s and travelled around the world.
In Poor Pudding Hannah is also close to her nan, but all is not what it seams as that woman has a very interesting way of dealing with a neighbour's unlucky white cat.
Revenge is at play in For Glory! as a little girl grows up and concocts a nasty situation for her dad's girlfriend, whereas in The Meddler Felicity seeks vengeance on everyone who wrongs her.
In Tabby House Sadie finds an abandoned home and sets about making it her sanctuary, but finds something a tad unsavoury hidden in a cupboard, whereas What's Wild is Wild is a wonderful and suspenseful murder mystery.
First interviews, first lust and first love are explored, culminating in The Hateful Ring; a brilliant story about a cursed piece of jewellery which affects three women in different time frames.
...This anthology is a tad dark, and references the real problems people have to overcome in their relationships...
Buy it and enjoy it!
Here is the Kindle version's cover, with the layout all designed by creative little moi. It helps to have a background in art and design!
😊
Before leaving Brighton we took one last look at Brighton Palace Pier...
We took a wander around the arcades...
But the fairground on the end was well and truly shut. The rollercoaster is quite good- I've been on it before.
The Brighton i360 is to the right. I've been on the viewing "doughnut" before (it was at its base when I took this photo, and I couldn't stand around and gawk for long as I had a train to catch.)
The skeletal remains of Brighton's West Pier are to the left of the photo.
Note: Since I visited Brighton the i360 has fallen into administration and is currently closed.
On that note, I will say goodbye. Until next time,
TTFN
(Ta ta for now)
Miss Elaineous
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