Skyline goes to Wunderland.....

[Skyline2uk]

Hello all....

Well last weekend I chalked up another personal visit achievement by dropping in on "Miniatur Wunderland" whilst on a 30th Birthday (not mine I might add!) trip to Hamburg.

I should take the opportunity to thank the Birthday Boy and other mates for humoring me and letting me take the opportunity to visit a place of legend. I know they are not as interested and perhaps a bit baffled by my love of this hobby, but even they had to admit this was something quite special.

I very rarely find myself more impressed by a venue then they hype that surrounds it, but with each room I was more and more amazed....



One hell of a control set up....more on this later....



Breathtaking mountain (Swiss) scene. Trains wherever you look (including above your head) and the mountains peak at 6 meters....



....Night comes every 15 minutes across all of the scenes, showing off the hundreds of thousands of lights....



...on buildings and cars / trucks (including break lights and indicators one the moving ones!)....



....hundreds of funny scenes to look out for....



Sorry about the blurry photo, but this is the legendary concert scene. This year there is a new show on, but there are still more than 20,000 figures watching....



....we all need the basics  ........



....and we all get stuck in traffic.....



....love this! In the steps which wind there way under and through the mountains up to the next level, there is a tunnel with double track and running trains 



Huge bridge (a theme of the rail layouts) and a model of the worlds tallest lifts....



....and under the mountains a window behind the scenes into the huge fiddle yards...



...On the second floor there is much more to see, including this (fully functional) ship lift...



AND THEN! The main event (well for me anyway!).....



A fully functional international airport! Every aircraft is capable of moving, with all the correct lights and sounds and with or without the aid of a tug, across the taxiways....



...whilst the many support vehicles scurry around....



....a wide range of all the latest aircraft types (I have tried not to show any bias in the photos, videos are another matter though!!)....



...and then they simply fly away!! The runway is the centerpiece of the â,¬3.5M airport scene....



....and what would any airport be without its own underground station 



And many useful amenities.....



...and functioning departure board (slight adapted with more movement details for the model word  )



....some aerial photos of the mountains....



...better than my flight home!



Nice helix 



More trains



and more



and more



worm alert!!



No road rage to be seen  , this lorry waited its turn all polite like.....



Mission Control!!



Having been to Cape Kennedy (launch control rather than mission I know), this honestly does compare!



Oh dear, not completely perfect in the miniature world then!



Score!

I have many more photos, but if people like I could put up some videos next? They are mainly of the airport, but I really was transfixed by it so I went a bit made with the camera!

I hope you like these and if you ever get a chance to visit Hamburg (a very nice city in itself by the way), then the Wunderland is a must!

Skyline2uk 

[dodger112958]

 

Now that is one train set

Would love to see more and the vids please.

Ian

[Calnefoxile]

Yeah go for it......

[Skyline2uk]

Ask and you shall receive 

These are two videos showing the mountain scene......

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/Skyline2uk/media/DSCF6305_zps70143c70.mp4.html

....from below and above. Also showing the "stair tunnel" 

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/Skyline2uk/media/DSCF6343_zps4647ad87.mp4.html

Will upload some airport clips soon....

Skyline2uk

[CF-FZG]

The first airport pic, just left of center is a Lufthansa jet, with a 99% chance I worked on it

Really want to go and see this, just need to get a job in Hamburg first

[Bealman]

Great pics! I was there in September and it certainly is awesome. A must see for any modeller!

[Skyline2uk]

The first airport pic, just left of center is a Lufthansa jet, with a 99% chance I worked on it

The A380? Model or real thing?

Great pics! I was there in September and it certainly is awesome. A must see for any modeller!

Cheers Bealman, I saw you had visited on your thread. I didn't get a wagon, but bought the T-shirt 

Skyline2uk

[Skyline2uk]

Here are three videos from the airport scene.

Sorry about the dodgy camera work, it was (as you can see in the clips), very busy!

They are arranged below in order 

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/Skyline2uk/media/DSCF6373_zps6115568b.mp4.html

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/Skyline2uk/media/DSCF6375_zps621dc30e.mp4.html

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/Skyline2uk/media/DSCF6376_zps4e9da31d.mp4.html

Skyline2uk

[CF-FZG]

The real thing 

[Chetcombe]

The airport is pretty impressive many thanks for the photos and videos

I go to Hamburg every now and then on business so must check this out. Is it located close to the city center?

[Bealman]

Reasonably so. I walked it, so can't be that far! Quite a pleasant walk, actually. It's down by the docks and there's a nice little Irish pub on the way! 

[Trainfish]

My wife is looking at taking me there in August as part of my 50th birthday present. Can you recommend anything like hotels, other places to visit, is 1 day in Miniatur Wunderland enough, are 2 days too much? We want to go on the Eurostar (obviously not ALL of the way as it doesn't go to Hamburg) but the cost of a 3 night stay with travel on Eurostar is about double compared to flying.

[Lawrence]

My wife is looking at taking me there in August as part of my 50th birthday present. Can you recommend anything like hotels, other places to visit, is 1 day in Miniatur Wunderland enough, are 2 days too much? We want to go on the Eurostar (obviously not ALL of the way as it doesn't go to Hamburg) but the cost of a 3 night stay with travel on Eurostar is about double compared to flying.

Undoubtedly you will need two days, it is massive, but does have a good cafe to refresh yourself on the way round.  As for hotels and transport, there is some detail in my thread from our trip last April  http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=12853.msg130727#msg130727 hope it helps.

And thanks for bringing back some great memories Skyline 

[red_death]

Personally I would say 1 day is enough at MW, but there is plenty more to see in Hambrug (one of my favourite cities).

Depending on your budget for hotels, I really like the Hotel Hafen: http://www.hotel-hafen-hamburg.de/ which has great views out across the docks.

Cheers, Mike