Who has been to Miniworld (Rotterdam)

[Justin Smith]

Has anyone been to Miniworld in Rotterdam ?
We must have been four or five times and I think its brill (there's a word you haven't heard since school....) !
It's one of the biggest model railways / model worlds I have seen. Most of it so scenes round Rotterdam (which every now and then goes to dusk with all the internal lights coming on), but downstairs they are about 90% through building a huge layout made up of loads of famous scene from Great Britain, from the Saltburn Cliff Tramway, to (part of) the Forth Bridge, to the Groudle Glen Waterwheel !

Tip : It's right next to Rotterdam Centraal station, and also where the transfer bus drops off / picks up from the P&O ferry from Hull. So it fits in well with a trip on the ferry.





Right bottom is Nessie, she "swims" out across the lake and as she passes the tourist boats their camera flashes go off !

 

[yorkie]

I'll add that to my long list of places I want to see!

 

[Justin Smith]

I'll add that to my long list of places I want to see!

It's well worth it Yorkie, and very conveniently situated for those on public transport !

 

[D365]

I'll add that to my long list of places I want to see!

Forum trip?

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Has anyone been to Miniworld in Rotterdam ?
We must have been four or five times and I think its brill (there's a word you haven't heard since school....) !
It's one of the biggest model railways / model worlds I have seen. Most of it so scenes round Rotterdam (which every now and then goes to dusk with all the internal lights coming on), but downstairs they are about 90% through building a huge layout made up of loads of famous scene from Great Britain, from the Saltburn Cliff Tramway, to (part of) the Forth Bridge, to the Groudle Glen Waterwheel !

So they've stolen a march on Hamburg's Miniatur Wunderland whose British section is only scheduled for opening in 2028 or 2029. The Falkirk Wheel being next to the Forth Bridge is a little incongruous (but in a good way).

 

[TheTallOne]

Yep, I’ve been there a few years back. They were building some big hill or mountain thing when I was there.

 

[sprunt]

Yes, I've been a couple of times. Not quite on the scale of Miniatur Wonderland, but still excellent. Good to hear the UK section's almost finished, always happy to have an excuse to go back to Rotterdam.

 

[Justin Smith]

Yes, I've been a couple of times. Not quite on the scale of Miniatur Wonderland, but still excellent. Good to hear the UK section's almost finished, always happy to have an excuse to go back to Rotterdam.

We like going to Rotterdam on the ferry, the coach transfer is much shorter than the one to Amsterdam. Also we sometimes go to see friends in Utrecht and the transfer drop off is right next to the central station (as well as near Miniworld ! ).

You can still but a reasonable amount of "duty free" wine on the ferry, though not as much as pre Brexit. It's now 24 bottles per person and if the wine is bought in cases of 6 they have decent saving : 6 bottles of Barefoot Malbec for £21 (even "on offer" in Morrisons it's about twice that price ! ). They lend you a luggage trolley to take it to your car.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

One to note for our next visit to Rotterdam.
Madurodam in Den Haag is also worth a visit, basically The Netherlands in miniature, buildings and landmarks from around the country including an extensive railway network and on our most recent visit (2023) we noted they had added a High Speed Line albeit the Thalys set was a few trailers short of reality.

 

[Junctionman]

looks very good

 

[Justin Smith]

Found these pics of Miniworld "Britain" being built, the top pic is Nov 17, the bottom is Feb 19 :

 

[ChrisEJ1993]

I really enjoyed going here! I didn't enjoy it quite as much as Miniature Wonderland in Hamburg, but it was still really worth the visit.

 

[Masbroughlad]

Is it anything to do with the Hamburg operation?

 

[Justin Smith]

Is it anything to do with the Hamburg operation?

Not as far as I know.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

One to note for our next visit to Rotterdam.

Visited last week, very worthwhile. I hadn't realised there was so much railway interest in it although a couple of loco plus one coach formations are less prototypical than the longer trains. GB under construction looks very impressive too and will require a return visit. .