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Bourton on the Water model shop


mswjr
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The GWR was going to re-erect the Bourton station building at Broadway but changed its mind and so a unique and attractive building got bulldozed. 

 

I know the builder who took it down, he is renovating my house. He offered me the stone to build an extension!

 

Chris

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  • 4 weeks later...

I did hear of a couple who lived at Stratford-upon-Avon and had to lock their front door all of the time otherwise tourists would open it and walk in thinking it was all part of the "Shakespeare Experience".

I myself would have left the door unlocked but only if I intended to give the other half a good "rooting" on the sofa. It would certainly give the tourists a totally new perspective on the "Shakespeare Experience". I would also have a hat out for them to leave a donation if they enjoyed the "performance".

Clovelly would be another place to do it too.

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Does the vintage open-top AEC Regal still run? Bourton is lovely but very hectic in the season. Last time I went I got a rollicking from a copper for failing to give way to oncoming traffic at a traffic-calming obstruction. The sign was hidden in the bushes and I was still in shock from having seen the lovely station building being knocked down. Still, at least I didn't get a ticket.

CHRIS LEIGH

As someone who lives overseas and is therefore a tourist when they visit England I've found that many of the signs on roads in England are hidden from view by trees or hedges. I found when driving you get a large prominent green and white sign easily viewed followed by a black and white sign that often is hidden by tree growth so that you miss your turning. At least in England if you take a wrong turn you don't have to drive far before you find a road to get you back to where you want to go. Here you can drive 60 miles before find a connection road to get you on the right road.

Such a pity that so many abandoned stations are knocked down as here many are just boarded up and left. I suppose that's the problem of a small country with a large population and where space is at a premium.

Edited by faulcon1
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  • 2 weeks later...
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I was still in shock from having seen the lovely station building being knocked down.

It was a great shame that the building couldn't have been saved, but then again perhaps it's a matter of taste, in that I think that the original buildings at both Bourton and Stow were much more appealing architecturally. The building that was demolished at Bourton only dated from the early 1930s, I think (same as at Stow), so it wasn't really that old...

 

Having said that, the G&WSR Broadway blog is very interesting and I think that Broadway will end up with a much superior station than it would have had, had the Bourton building gone there. The G&WSR is a railway that's really worth supporting in my view, and it's good to see that they appear to be constructing proper-sized replica buildings now, as opposed to the 'reduced-scale' ones at some of their stations.

 

Next stop Honeybourne!

 

Oh, and I was also most impressed with the Bourton model shop when I popped in there with CTMK a few years ago...

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Many thanks for the heads up on the model shop but yes B-O-W is exceptionally busy during the summer..

Tiz known locally as Blackpool on the Water  :sungum:

I can highly recommend The Bourton on the Water Model Shop : probably the most helpful model shop owners [ Jeremy Clarkson voice ] "in the world "  :senile:

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I wanted three Farish Bulleid coaches for my new MN.I found them on the Bourton model shop site not only cheaper than another well known retailer & by ordering three, i also got free postage,I ordered them on Sunday 21tst of June & were delivered by Royal Mail this morning 23rd June.Exceptional service.

 

 

                            Ray.

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I was in the shop a couple of weeks ago having a family day out and many of their prices are competitive with the big box shifters. For some reason it has became a firmly entrenched truism that certain box shifters offer the best prices when it just isn't true in my experience. Bourton on Water shop is not the only one that competes on prices with certain well known mail order specialists whilst offering a thoroughly enjoyable shop experience.

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I was in Bourton a few years ago on a hot sunny day. While the wife & kids enjoyed an ice cream and "the funny little bridges" I "just popped into the little shop over there" !!!

 

Quite impressed - glad it's still with us.

 

Brit15

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Sad to say, the Bourton Model Shop and Model Railway appears to have succumbed to the lack of footfall due to the pandemic.  The mail order business is still going, but the shop and exhibition are shown as permanently closed.

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Sorry the shop has closed. I've visited once (a real treasure trove it was) and also used mailorder....

I would have thought given the tourist honeypot that Bourton is, it would have been an attractive purchase opportunity on retirement of the owners....

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