tc Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 We've compiled a list of model railway shops we know of in Greater London here: http://www.themodelrailwayclub.org/blog/entry/where-to-buy-model-railways-in-London The definition we've used being some sort of depth to the range rather than a single manufacturer or token effort, along with knowledgeable staff. Let us know if we've missed any. Tom The MRC 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Is Patrick's in Fulham still stocking model stuff ? Used to go as a kid Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Only 7 in our capital city? That's disappointing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Massive rents . Niche product . Not surprising really Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
decauville1126 Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Don't know if Engine 'n Tender in Spring Lane, just north of Woodside Tramlink station, are still trading. Every time I went there in recent years the shop wasn't open but had masses of secondhand, some of which seem to have tumbled into the window! I have been there though when it was open and spent quite a bit. Was run by a very pleasant chap. Google streetview shows it still there in august 2016, so perhaps it just opens by request. Any enlightenment welcome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted December 27, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 27, 2016 Is the Jennings shop in Enfield still open? Not sure whether that counts as London or not but its in the area. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tc Posted December 28, 2016 Author Share Posted December 28, 2016 (edited) Is the Jennings shop in Enfield still open? Not sure whether that counts as London or not but its in the area. No - the shop closed and according to their website they are still looking for new premises. Is Patrick's in Fulham still stocking model stuff ? Used to go as a kid We think only Hornby, which using the arbitrary definition above wouldn't count - but happy to be corrected if anyone has visited recently and the range is wider... As for Engine n Tender, a new one to me but its web references are pretty out of date so it doesn't look optimistic. Edited December 28, 2016 by tc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Ian Allen near Waterloo is worth a visit if you're somewhere near. I went there before Christmas and bought some paint, actually the excellent Vallejo satin varnish. Also some xacto blades and some track pins. So they are good for the small stuff as well as Bachmann/Hornby stock. Loads of peco track. And wide range of books of course. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tc Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 So less than two months since the original blog, Wheels of Steel has closed, and WH Smith has closed the Modelzone concessions. Six shops left in London. Let's hope it doesn't drop further. http://www.themodelrailwayclub.org/blog/entry/where-to-buy-model-railways-in-London Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
decauville1126 Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 Don't know if Engine 'n Tender in Spring Lane, just north of Woodside Tramlink station, are still trading. Every time I went there in recent years the shop wasn't open but had masses of secondhand, some of which seem to have tumbled into the window! I have been there though when it was open and spent quite a bit. Was run by a very pleasant chap. Google streetview shows it still there in august 2016, so perhaps it just opens by request. Any enlightenment welcome. Can confirm following a visit yesterday that they are defunct. Sadly lots of 'official' notices attached to the doors dated 7th November 2017 confirming that the landlords have retaken possession of the premises. A few very dusty items seem to remain but it was dark and I couldn't see in very well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGR Model Store Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 If it helps we are only 30-40 minute train journey from Euston then 10 minute walk to 2-5 minute bus ride to the store. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deltic Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 There is also John Dutfield, in Chelmsford, Essex. Around 45 mins on a fast train from London Liverpool Street. Also operate Mail Order, in addition to attending a number of Exhibitions (Royston, Stevenage, Stowmarket, Basildon, Saffron Walden to name just a few). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pint of Adnams Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Northfields Model Shop is perfect for anyone wishing to gaze at stuff over 25 years old, with plenty of time and patience and a willingness to be regaled with reminiscences, and the ability of a contortionist to stand in the smallest remaining space available having squeezed through in the door. However, if you actually try and buy anything that's a different matter. Requests for anything specific are deflected and with stock stacked everywhere, including his house, that is probably because Witek doesn't even know if he's got it but even if he has he doesn't know where. It's a time capsule, not a model shop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chamby Posted December 4, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 4, 2017 Fond memories of visits to Victors and W&H. Was it really that long ago? How things have changed... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HonestTom Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 One nobody seems to have mentioned anywhere is 4D Modelshop at the Arches, 120 Leman Street in Whitechapel. The closest stations are probably Tower Hill and Tower Gateway, although Shadwell and Aldgate East aren't very far on foot. It mostly caters to professional modelmakers - architectural modellers, propmakers and the like. However, they have a good range of materials and tools, and they're great for scenic materials and building components (albeit more in the architectural scales than model railway scales). Not a model railway shop per se, but I always find them good for a browse. Plus they have a few items that you don't normally see in the usual model shops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted April 26, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 26, 2018 4D are only a 20 minute walk from where I work. I use them quite a lot for various bits such as microstrip and plasticard. Their trees are excellent. Well worth a visit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Huw Griffiths Posted April 26, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 26, 2018 One nobody seems to have mentioned anywhere is 4D Modelshop at the Arches, 120 Leman Street in Whitechapel. The closest stations are probably Tower Hill and Tower Gateway, although Shadwell and Aldgate East aren't very far on foot. It mostly caters to professional modelmakers - architectural modellers, propmakers and the like. However, they have a good range of materials and tools, and they're great for scenic materials and building components (albeit more in the architectural scales than model railway scales). Not a model railway shop per se, but I always find them good for a browse. Plus they have a few items that you don't normally see in the usual model shops. I make a point of popping in, every time I visit London. As for tube stations, I think it's a close call between Tower Gateway and Aldgate East - to me, Shadwell seems a lot further. I find them great - they seem to have lots of interesting stuff (especially the sort of modelling materials I never see elsewhere) - and all the people who work there are extremely helpful / pleasant to deal with. I can't recommend them highly enough. Huw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted April 27, 2018 Share Posted April 27, 2018 Similar to 4D is Blueprint Models. Formerly of Bethnal Green, now in Walthamstow. They specialise in material and custom laser cutting. Decent prices on plastic. Newer but also not on the list is Southeast Models in Welling. The owner is mostly a Scalextric buff but sells the Hornby, Airfix, Corgi ranges. Basically RTR. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 One nobody seems to have mentioned anywhere is 4D Modelshop ... It mostly caters to professional modelmakers - architectural modellers, propmakers and the like. However, they have a good range of materials and tools, and they're great for scenic materials and building components... . One thing that might be of interest to us is that 4D Modelshop also have a photoetching service (brass, nickel-silver and copper) and a laser cutting service for wood, card, acrylic and fabric. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted May 15, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 15, 2018 (edited) Doesn’t Addlestone Model Centre qualify, it’s inside the M25... Addlestone Model Centre, 130 Station Rd, Addlestone KT15 2BE http://www.addlestone-models.co.uk Never been to the shop but I’ve seen them around the Kent / Surrey model railway exhibition circuit. The other worthy of mention is London Transport Museum in Convent Garden has a reasonable selection and an excellent wider ranging shop for railway books etc. Edited May 15, 2018 by adb968008 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andymsa Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 One thing that might be of interest to us is that 4D Modelshop also have a photoetching service (brass, nickel-silver and copper) and a laser cutting service for wood, card, acrylic and fabric. Fully agree this shop is a little gem, and they sell cork sheet flat. Not like from railway shops sold rolled up and you end up fighting it to stay flat Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingUnderground Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 It is a sad reflection that our capital city, and come to that, our other major cities now have so few model shops. But we are not alone in the decline. It seems to be happening in most countries, caused by rising rents and/or falling sales. Even a train-friendly country like Switzerland is experiencing the same problems, with Bercher & Sternlicht in Basel due to close this summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 Its global. The ones in smaller centres are surviving due to being more adaptive with online sales as well as having lower rents and rates. Calgary used to have 2 pure train shops and 4 that were majority train oriented. Now there is 1 pure train that is a pale shadow of its former self. One new shop that is in the middle of nowhere and 90% online. The other 4 have gone. There was a rather nice shop in Brussels near the Grande Place. That too has vanished. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Buckner Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 There was a rather nice shop in Brussels near the Grande Place. That too has vanished. That was "Brandt". A truly excellent shop, with a huge stock. In particular, they were specialists in hard-to-get modern-image Belgian outline. A great loss. Even Christiaensen (yes, that's how to spell it) and its part successor Intertoys, have over the years diminished their model railway collection from a department to a corner of the shop, to one wall cabinet. They now only sell a smattering of Marklin. No doubt you can order what's not on display. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 But we are not alone in the decline. It seems to be happening in most countries, caused by rising rents and/or falling sales. Hasn't Caboose Hobbies in Denver closed? The biggest model shop I've ever visited - if it has closed then anywhere could close. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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