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Favourite "One Stop" Suppliers in the USA, UK (or anywhere)


trisonic
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I'm looking for a 1:87 and 1:48 american tugboat kit - after the "M" company that you can see around NY harbor, some of whom have the extended, as in tall, wheelhouse to look over fuel barges.

Anyone have any ideas for retailers?

 

The Revell Tugboat (1/108 scale) might make a starting point for a 1/87 one. It should be cheap and reasonably available.

http://www.revell.co...ps/80-5207.html

 

There is also this, but I know nothing about it:

http://www.megahobby...atkitdumas.aspx

 

The Lindberg tug is 1/82 - also should be cheap and easily available

http://www.lindberg-...model77221.html

 

and in 1/48

http://www.historics... Tug DU1251.htm

 

Adrian

Edited by Adrian Wintle
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Many thanks, Jack, of course I did not find that site! Looks doable...

 

The problem with most boat kits are the "funny" scales, as you know.

 

Edit: Howzabout a small trash transfer (train to barge) 1/48 micro layout? Used to be quite common at coastal cities like NY? Up until recently too.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited by trisonic
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Found a great US place for my DCC needs out in Arizona , Litchfield Station , Jack and his girls are really helpful and do a great job well recommended by me . Who , by the way , has no ties 'cept for being a well satisfied customer

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I would like to recommend http://www.prairieshadows.com/ who are in Canada. I have just bought 7 HO Intermountain special run hoppers from them. They took 14 days to arrive with me in the UK. All told including all VAT and postage they worked out at less than £27 each which isn't too bad for a limited run!

 

Here is a couple of photos for you to enjoy.

 

post-7333-0-80425100-1343583163_thumb.jpg

 

post-7333-0-42045300-1343582926_thumb.jpg

 

The usual disclaimer applies, no other connection other than a satisfied customer.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 months later...

Sad to report that Vic's Hobby Supply in NE Portland will be closing after 70 years in business. I have been lucky enough to see the massive 0 Guage layout in the basement of the shop. Although, I tend to shop at the Hobbysmith, it is sad to see another model shop close.

Further details from the Oregonian Newspaper here:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/12/vics_hobby_supply_in_northeast.html

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I use NMRS in Australia. The boss phones me sometimes, he’s an ATSF H0 collector/modeller into operation and DCC,, so knows what I’m talking about; we discuss NMRA doings. I saw his name on the MFCL Yahoo !group. He is very patient, in the recent past has waited for my Phiippine MasterCard accounts to supply a PIN so I can use PayPal. My order is accumulative; he orders parts from US suppliers/distributors, they take weeks to arrive to him; my box fills in his store; I pay by PayPal.

 

http://www.northmodelrailroadsupplies.com/

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~david.north/gallery.html

 

When box is full, it’s mailed to my mate in Sydney; is placed inside a

robust 24 by 16 by 16 inch shipping Balikbayan Box (BB); Space is filled with ebay.au items. When full is shipped to me via BM express. Most package carriers like DHL, FedEx, etc. offer a BB service.

 

BBs are inbound to Philippines only; sea/surface transport only, are exempt from customs charges and inspection. Cost is about 75 USD per box not by weight to here in Eastern Visayas. The national mail service, Philpost is totally unreliable; stuff would never get here.

In UK, I’d dream for weeks awaiting packages, now I dream for months. There no hobby shops around here. One in Manila, Lils, seems to be a premium price Tamiya outlet. Customers buy boxed kits o space craft, vehicle, ships etc, but no trains and nothing in 1/87.

 

I'll add a few snapshots.

 

Phil Clark, Catarman, Philippines.

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I use NMRS in Australia. The boss phones me sometimes, he’s an ATSF H0 collector/modeller into operation and DCC,, so knows what I’m talking about; we discuss NMRA doings. I saw his name on the MFCL Yahoo !group. He is very patient, in the recent past has waited for my Phiippine MasterCard accounts to supply a PIN so I can use PayPal. My order is accumulative; he orders parts from US suppliers/distributors, they take weeks to arrive to him; my box fills in his store; I pay by PayPal.

 

http://www.northmodelrailroadsupplies.com/

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~david.north/gallery.html

 

When box is full, it’s mailed to my mate in Sydney; is placed inside a

robust 24 by 16 by 16 inch shipping Balikbayan Box (BB); Space is filled with ebay.au items. When full is shipped to me via BM express. Most package carriers like DHL, FedEx, etc. offer a BB service.

 

BBs are inbound to Philippines only; sea/surface transport only, are exempt from customs charges and inspection. Cost is about 75 USD per box not by weight to here in Eastern Visayas. The national mail service, Philpost is totally unreliable; stuff would never get here.

In UK, I’d dream for weeks awaiting packages, now I dream for months. There no hobby shops around here. One in Manila, Lils, seems to be a premium price Tamiya outlet. Customers buy boxed kits o space craft, vehicle, ships etc, but no trains and nothing in 1/87.

 

I'll add a few snapshots.

 

Phil Clark, Catarman, Philippines.

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  • 4 months later...

I too have had excellent service from Microscale decals, very quick service too. I just wish I wasn't as ham fisted dealing with them as I am.  I ordered some McHenry couplers from Blue Ridge Hobbies and was satisfied with the service from them as well. 

 

On a similar theme I bought a new Broadway Mikado which went phut,  they tried to find the problem by email so they could send me parts to correct.  When this didn't work I sent it back to the States (£25 postage!)  It took long enough to get there but they  obviously couldn't find the trouble so sent a new one which arrived more quickly than I expected. I could only say how good the service was.

 

Terry

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Sad to report that Vic's Hobby Supply in NE Portland will be closing after 70 years in business. I have been lucky enough to see the massive 0 Guage layout in the basement of the shop. Although, I tend to shop at the Hobbysmith, it is sad to see another model shop close.

Further details from the Oregonian Newspaper here:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/12/vics_hobby_supply_in_northeast.html

Only just noticed your post.

 

That's a shame to see it go. We normally stay within walking distance of this shop when in town. That basement layout was impressive.

 

Ian

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Only just noticed your post.

 

That's a shame to see it go. We normally stay within walking distance of this shop when in town. That basement layout was impressive.

 

Ian

It was a shame, though Vic's did seem to be in a decline over the last couple of years to the point where I would have to order a certain DCC chip or go up the road to the Hobbysmith who would have it in stock. Shame though - it's all boarded up right now.

Here is another news link - KATU News link here

Edited by East Anglian
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  • 4 months later...

I went to my local hobby shop today (Hobby Gallery in Wolcott, CT) and was saddened to see a sign outside notifying customers that the shop will be closing 12/31/13. Steve is retiring though he will continue to do shows and some internet sales.

Hobby Gallery carried a decent line of bits and pieces, a lot of Cal-Scale and other detail parts (though the pegboard was becoming a bit sparse of late as he ran the stocks down). He also had a lot of older products, plenty of Roundhouse and older Athearn acquired over the years as other stores went out of business. I needed an Athearn caboose for parts, he had one minus its trucks and couplers for $3.

I will miss dropping in for drill bits, glue, styrene and so on, all of it no doubt available on line, but without the cheery conversation.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The Model Railroad Shop of Piscataway.

 

I visited this one last week. Nice store with a decent selection on N-Scale. Just down the street is the Conrail Shared Assets line into Oak Island, so I got a bit of NS and CSX action (and met a Brit who lurks on here).

 

I also visited English's (Bowser) in Montoursville, PA (twice) and the Strasburg shop in the outlet mall at US30/PA896 in Lancaser, PA.

 

Adrian

Edited by Adrian Wintle
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The Model Railroad Shop is, what I call, nicely old fashioned. Some interesting "small run" books there too. That crossing nearby has a nice curve so you can get head on shots too - I'm sure you noticed....

 

You should have told me that you were going I could have met you there if I was free...

 

Best, Pete.

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The Model Railroad Shop is, what I call, nicely old fashioned. Some interesting "small run" books there too. That crossing nearby has a nice curve so you can get head on shots too - I'm sure you noticed....

 

You should have told me that you were going I could have met you there if I was free...

 

Best, Pete.

 

The friend I was visiting had to do a driver evaluation in Lebanon on short notice, so I ended up having a few hours free in the area last Wednesday. Had I known this in advance I would have pinged you, but I had thought I would have been only in the Wilmington/Baltimore/Annapolis area on this trip.

 

I put some photos in a separate thread.

 

Adrian

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  • 2 months later...

Hi

Just had a delivery of bits and bobs from Model Tech Studios. Mainly, castings etc (you cannot get a pile of trash with a skunk on it over here.)

Their service was really prompt and best of all i did not have to pay anything extra on delivery to Royal Mail or our money grabbing government via costoms and excise.

George

 

I have used MTS twice and have been caught by Customs/PO both times. Their small details are wonderful. However beware of their kits, missing parts are a frequent occurence and it is very difficult to prove to MTS that they are at fault. Last time instead of replacing missing parts they suggested I wait until I ordered more stuff from them - that is not going to happen! Many fellow modellers on www.kitforums.com agree with me that their customer service sucks!

 

Mike

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The Revell Tugboat (1/108 scale) might make a starting point for a 1/87 one. It should be cheap and reasonably available.

http://www.revell.co...ps/80-5207.html

 

There is also this, but I know nothing about it:

http://www.megahobby...atkitdumas.aspx

 

The Lindberg tug is 1/82 - also should be cheap and easily available

http://www.lindberg-...model77221.html

 

and in 1/48

http://www.historics... Tug DU1251.htm

 

Adrian

Sea Port Model Works (www.seaportmodelsworks.com) make a very nice tug "Exeter" in 1/87.

 

Mike

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  • 2 weeks later...

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