Toys of Yesteryear :-(

On Bank Holiday Monday we visited the "Toys of Yesteryear" exhibition at the
Peak Village Outlet Chatsworth Road Rowsley Derbyshire DE4 2NP
Just off the A6 between Bakewell & Matlock
http://www.toysofyesteryear.co.uk/index.html
Entrance to the museum was £3 for adults and £2 for our son.
In our opinion it was NOT good value for money !
The museum was quite small and dark.
The model railway only had one working loco.
It would have been good for the children to have a photo sitting in the full size model of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang but it was roped off.
Done better going to Peak Rail just down the road, they I understand have a large model layout ?

On Bank Holiday Monday we visited the "Toys of Yesteryear" exhibition at the
Peak Village Outlet Chatsworth Road Rowsley Derbyshire DE4 2NP
Just off the A6 between Bakewell & Matlock
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the full size model of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang but it was roped off.
Probably to stop 'erberts damaging the thing.
You ask a lot for the price of a cup of tea and a cake.

"Brian Watson" wrote
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I expect value for money, if the OP didn't feel he got that, then it's too expensive.
I once visited Steamtown at Carnforth, and fel I'd been totally ripped off - it was expensive and there was very little to see or photograph. I never went again, and not long after it closed as a visitor attraction.
John.
John.

On Tue, 27 May 2008 08:23:49 +0100, "John Turner"
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Once upon a time it was good. But there was a fatal accident (on the 15"gauge AFAIR) and all of a sudden they tightened up where you could and couldn't go.

"Christopher A. Lee" wrote
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I don't recall any restriction on where you could go, (although there may have been inside the shed itself because of the parlous state of the concrete roof beams - not sure) but there was only about three steam locos on site and all were tucked away inside the shed.
It was very poor and rather expensive. They insisted on charging for my wife who only wanted to remain in the car in their car park.
John.

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That doesn't follow.
It may be too expensive *for him*, but that's not the same thing.

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We used to to Peak Village Outlet a lot (to get Yankee Candles, but then the snob running the candle shop made a "witty" remark about smelling of smoke, so now go elsewhere). The toy shop used to be quite good, but has now gone distcinctly non-railway. The Toys Of Yesteryear is best viewed by standing at the end of counter and looking in. A pound or two would be ok for entry, possibly.....
If you want to see some real "toys of yesteryear" go to Les Oaks's emporium in Cheadle, Staffs. Apart from the wierd and wonderful outside, there is an upstairs stuffed with old stuff, including many toys like Triang pedal cars, original Tonkas, Victorian prams etc - very spooky. You might have to ask for the key. Not a lot of railway stuff though - but it's free! (Caravan/campng site over the road at Hales Hall, a bit Chav Tastic but not too bad) All the buldings (no planning permission!) incorporate old archtecture Les took a fancy too. As he used to say - "You are entering a fools paradise". There's currently a couple of complete church door and window arches if you fancy a folly in the back garden! TV people go there looking for period props etc.
Cheers Richard

I copied my original message to Steve Fulford @ Toys Of Yesteryear and this is the reply I received :-
" After 4 years this is the ONLY complaint - how strange. Our visitors comment book is proof of thousands of very satisfied visitors, many make return visits. I must assume that you were expecting some other form of attraction - not thousands of vintage toys including moving pelham puppet display, full size replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, (health & safety prevent children climbing into Chitty) the largest Dinky military Vehicle display in the UK, '50 years of Corgi' display going back to their Mettoy days, plus many other rare and unique exhibits. So if you would like to contact me I will happily refund your admission fees so that you can put this towards another day out. (must be lots of choice for £3 & £2)!!! And by the way, Peak Rail does NOT have a model railway " and this is my reply
'thousands of vintage toys' most left in their boxes
'moving pelham puppet display' which needed another 10p to operate
'full size replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, (health & safety prevent children climbing into Chitty)' but your promotional leaflet says "Have your picture taken with our life size model of CCBB", it also shows two children in the car.
Your leaflet also refers to your "extensive and working Hornby 'OO' railway layout" 'extensive' of great extent; wide; broad OR covering or extending over a great area OR far-reaching; comprehensive; thorough OR great in amount, number, or degree @ about only 3' x 4' it was non of those and 'working' ? only just, with one loco.
You assume that we were expecting some other form of attraction ? YES we were expecting a museum full of Toys of Yesteryear on display. What has upset us is that our son was VERY disappointed.
Chris

I copied my original message to Steve Fulford @ Toys Of Yesteryear and this is the reply I received :-
" After 4 years this is the ONLY complaint - how strange. ....<snip> full size replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, (health & safety prevent children climbing into Chitty)...."
Strange that, am sure Disneyland Paris has a similar looking model that tots are allowed to climb into. It has no company supervisors.
The real one from the film goes to Shackerstone family festival, with a fellow that was in the film.
"<snip> (must be lots of choice for £3 & £2)!!! ..<snip>" Oh look do we detect PR wit or sarcasm ?
.... You assume that we were expecting some other form of attraction ? YES we were expecting a museum full of Toys of Yesteryear on display. What has upset us is that our son was VERY disappointed.
Chris
we went to see Thomas TT at loughborough and had a great day out - thanks to other visitors and the staff at the GCR - didnt detect any added value from HIT !
Cheers, Simon

Yes the staff @ Loughborough do appear to get into the spirit of these events as do those at Ruddington.
Our son especially likes the lady with the 'dog' @ Loughborough.
Many of the staff at these heritage railway sites are volunteers, those at model rail clubs simply enjoy showing you their hobby skills ( well most of them ) I think that's what makes the difference.
I found this a good site for reference http://ukhrail.uel.ac.uk /
The chap from Toys of Yesteryear is right they're are not many attractions for £3 and £2 but that's not the point. We spent £22 on the entrance fees at the National Tramway Museum last year but that gave us access for one full year except for 'special events'. You could spend £40, £50, £80 on a day out and it still be value for money.
Our son's autism is a good indicator to see if he's enjoyed himself. If he has he complains and gets upset when we have to leave .... not one murmur on Monday when we left Toys of Yesteryear.
Am I expecting too much for £8 ? I don't think so, we may have been 'spoilt' by other more attractive attractions but even though Toys of Yesteryear did bring back some fond childhood memories ( and not so fond .... does anyone remember the 'Johnny Severn' One Man Army Gun http://www.doyouremember.co.uk/memory.php?memID=3343 my mate had one but my parents could not afford one ).
As a footnote HIT Entertainment are probably a dirty word @ most heritage railway sites !

Brian Watson wrote:
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The other day I paid a quid for a cup of tea and a cake at a windmill open day in Sussex.

"Arthur Figgis" wrote
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Free in my shop for regulars! :-)
John.

John Turner wrote:
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Does "once a year when I go back Hull (unless I go to York like last year 'cos Anlaby still hadn't dried out)" count :-)

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What about the email order customers - how about a bit of cake and a tea bag in the parcel ?
Cheers, Simon

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When I first started out I used to have "Pop in for a brew, but bring coffee as we always run out" on the web site.
The number of people who turned up with coffee, tea and/or sugar (and even mugs) got embarassing so I took it off....
I didn't think of cake - buggerit!
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Cheers Richard

"simon" wrote
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So you want soggy trains then Simon? ;-)
John.

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Does your Good Lady know what youre saying about her cake ?
Cheers, Simon

"simon" wrote
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She's free to read this newsgroup! ;-)
I can't remember the last time she did cakes.
Johm

"Arthur Figgis" wrote
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LOL - yes, but you're so regular you'll need to remind me who you are? ;-)
John.

LOL - yes, but you're so regular you'll need to remind me who you are?  ;-)
So you'll be sending a fig cake ? (regular / figs) :-))))))
Sorry
Chris