About Machinations
Machinations is a family owned visitor centre and cafe which was formed as an extension of the model making and toy design company Timberkits. The business has expanded and now has a wonderful new soft play area Playbarn on site.
Machinations was built as a tourist enterprise because of its lovely riverside location on the A470. It is half way north to south as well as half way east to west in mid-Wales and within easy reach of wonderful walking and cycling. The front of the Old Village Hall was rebuilt and extended upwards and outwards to accomodate the new centre and a tower built beside it to house a big red moving dragon.
A big attraction is the Pat Osborne Automata collection (moving models) from Liverpool, which is unique in the UK. This has been added to and includes the work of 9 different artists, craftsmen and engineers.
The Rabbit village is a slowly developing community on the mini hills in front of the café. It is largely built in stone and slate to withstand the winter weather and to match the old traditional local building style. It provides endless entertainment both to those who would like to feed the rabbits or merely to watch them whilst sipping coffee.
There is also a shop selling gifts and toys with an emphasis on craft and creativity. Timberkits are also on display and for sale. These are mechanical model kits in wood suitable for ages 8 years and upwards, fix and glue together, turn the handle and watch what happens!
Machinations is now in its seventh year and is earning a good reputation as a friendly and unusual place to call in at. We are growing steadily in the scope of what we have to offer, not least because the next generation is now having an input!
As we are at a distance from other tourist attractions we aim to please a wide range of tastes and ages, providing a quality stopping off point on journeys whether cycling, walking or driving with the family - or being driven mad by the family! We also have the added advantage of being an indoor attraction!
Eric and Alison Williamson are the directors and founders of Machinations and Timberkits. Eric has spent his whole life making models of some sort or another starting with rocking horses and marionettes back in the 1970s. Originally he specialised in wood, both for carved detail and for mechanical components, but later added other materials to expand the scope of his designs.
Eric and Alisons daughter Sarah, with the help of office manager Milly, now runs the Machinations Visitor Centre. This includes Shop, Cafe, Rabbit Village, Exhibition area and Playbarn. The cafe is staffed by a team of local ladies all with their own areas of specialisation in the kitchen (Corinne is the soup expert and Maureen makes a wickedly good breakfast).
© 2010 Machinations | Site made by Cyberium