Trendy seaside town in the UK has unusual immersive train experience and it only costs a fiver
SOMETIMES it really is about the journey, as train enthusiasts will know too well.
While most rail fanatics will go trainspotting on station platforms, or travel across the country to journey on the shortest stretch of track, others like to replicate their favourite train hubs as model builds.
One place hobbyists can really let themselves geek out is the seaside town of Margate, which is home to The WonderWorks.
Back in the 1950s, the WonderWorks became home to Hornby Hobbies, a company known for producing scale models.
Previously known as the Hornby Visitor Centre, the WonderWorks has attracted thousands of rail and model-making enthusiasts from around the world.
The WonderWorks is home to several attractions, including controlling a model railway.
Visitors can watch from above as tiny model steam locomotives pass by rural scenes before snaking through modern buildings.
The WonderWorks also hosts interactive Scalextric exhibits, showcasing the evolution of Scalextric through the ages.
Guests can go wheel-to-wheel racing on the Scalextric layouts, including the exhilarating Grand Prix Du Margate Circuit and Batman’s Gotham City.
There’s also an Airfix Exhibit where visitors can learn about the oldest UK manufacturer of scale plastic model kits.
Visitors can get hands-on at the quickbuild station and craft replicas of well-known aircraft.
Meanwhile, another exhibition focuses on the history of Corgi Models, with legendary models like an original gold 261 Aston Martin DB5 and 267 Batmobile with Batman and Robin on display.
The WonderWorks also has Pocher models on display, and there’s an on-site cafe serving a range of food and drink.
Entry tickets cost £5 for a full-paying adult and £2.50 for kids.
The WonderWorks is open seven days a week from 10.30am to 4pm.
It has been praised by visitors on TripAdvisor, with a 4/5-star rating from hundreds of reviews.
One person wrote: “An absolutely adorable place to visit; it’s a very welcoming, bright, lively place.
“There are lots of displays of vintage toys, with some dating back to 1935 and the trains were fascinating to watch.”
Another added: “A lovely morning visit, with lots of interactive things for the kids.”
Margate has been growing in popularity in recent years and has even been named one of the trendiest towns in the country.
The Kent town is popular with Londoners, with trains taking just over an hour from the city centre.
Popular attractions include Dreamland, Margate Beach, Walpole Bay Lido and the underground Shell Grotto.
Margate is also popular with celebrities, with Hollywood actors Pedro Pascal and Olivia Colman, Lily Allen, artist Tracey Emin, and Libertines frontman Pete Doherty all having been spotted in the town.
Sun Travel's favourite train journeys in the world
Sun Travel's journalists have taken their fare share of train journeys on their travels and here they share their most memorable rail experiences.
Davos to Geneva, Switzerland
“After a ski holiday in Davos, I took the scenic train back to Geneva Airport. The snow-covered mountains and tiny alpine villages that we passed were so beautiful that it felt like a moving picture was playing beyond the glass.” – Caroline McGuire
Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen
“Nothing quite beats the Shinkansen bullet train, one of the fastest in the world. It hardly feels like you’re whizzing along at speed until you look outside and see the trees a green blur. Make sure to book seat D or E too – as you’ll have the best view of Mount Fuji along the way.” Kara Godfrey
London to Paris by Eurostar
“Those who have never travelled on the Eurostar may wonder what’s so special about a seemingly ordinary train that takes you across the channel. You won’t have to waste a moment and can tick off all the top attractions from the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées which are both less than five kilometres from the Gare du Nord.” – Sophie Swietochowski
Glasgow to Fort William by Scotrail
“From mountain landscapes and serene lochs to the wistful moors, I spent my three-hour journey from Glasgow to Fort William gazing out the window. Sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views overlooking Loch Lomond.” – Hope Brotherton
Beijing to Ulaanbatar
“The Trans-Mongolian Express is truly a train journey like no other. It starts amid the chaos of central Beijing before the city’s high-rises give way to crumbling ancient villages and eventually the vast vacant plains of Mongolia, via the Gobi desert. The deep orange sunset seen in the middle of the desert is among the best I’ve witnessed anywhere.” – Ryan Gray
And a new one-of-a-kind train tour will make its way around the UK, stopping at 60 stations – it’s free to get onboard and has three carriages filled with attractions.
Here’s a UK train and bus attraction that’s rarely open, and it’s like stepping back to London’s golden age of travel.