Model Shop Time Machine

[sharris]

Ianmacc's Model Shop Bucket List thread got me thinking. These days when I buy modelling supplies mostly it either comes from shows or by mail, with shop purchases limited to 4D Models (Aldgate) for materials and the occasional wander to Janes Trains. So I don't really have a bucket list as such.

 

However what I do have is a Time Machine list of shops that mostly don't exist any longer but were influential at various points in my life and I would revisit if I could go back in time.

 

The first, which really set of an interest in railways was a model shop in Luton in the early 70s - I can't remember the name of it now or it's exact location, but I think maybe Inkerman Street or Alma Street. This was where my first electric train set (with a Nelly, naturally) came from which kicked the whole thing off when I was 7. Many more purchases came from that shop, populating the 6x4 rectangle of chipboard in my bedroom.

 

Another shop, not a model shop, per se, was a newsagents in Biscot Road in Luton. They didn't sell trains but after church on a Sunday my dad would get The Observer and I might get an Airfix or Matchbox kit which they also sold - I was also into planes and tanks back then, and many a Sunday afternoon would be spent with the kits.

 

When I was 14 the family moved to Bedford (I'd already been at school there for 3 years and my sister was about to start at the High School there) and around that time I used to hang out a lot in the model shop in Midland Road, and that became my model shop from the late 70s to early 80s. By about 16 my internet had shifted towards electronics and computers and my hang-out shop became the electronics shop on the corner of Tavistock Street (close to The Flower Pot if you navigate by pubs).

 

The university years didn't see any modelling, and I didn't really pick it up again until the 1990s. At that point I decided I wanted to get more serious than the R-T-R route, and one of the most important shopfor me then were W&H in New Cavendish Street from where I rekindled my modelling with Slaters kits. W&H were also well stocked with MJT etches and castings, and all the other bits that got me scratchbuilding. Incidentally W&H was a lucky find for me - at the time I was working on a robotic surgery project with a surgeon at the nearby London Clinic so I'd visit his operating theatre and round off my visit with a shopping trip. The other influential shop at that point (and stil in existence) was 4D Models (although back then it was called The Model Shop) - not a railway related shop but very good for materials and tools. Back then it was in Grays Inn Road, since moved to Old Street and now Leman Street.

 

After another lull where modelling got put on the back-burner for life to take over it started up again a few years ago, but mostly with suppliers such as C&L, MJT/Dart Castings and London Road Models much is based on exhibition visits now rather than shops.

 

Given a time machine I'd like to revisit those shops and thank the owners for the pleasure they've brought to my life at different stages.

[Gibbo675]

Ianmacc's Model Shop Bucket List thread got me thinking. These days when I buy modelling supplies mostly it either comes from shows or by mail, with shop purchases limited to 4D Models (Aldgate) for materials and the occasional wander to Janes Trains. So I don't really have a bucket list as such.

 

However what I do have is a Time Machine list of shops that mostly don't exist any longer but were influential at various points in my life and I would revisit if I could go back in time.

 

The first, which really set of an interest in railways was a model shop in Luton in the early 70s - I can't remember the name of it now or it's exact location, but I think maybe Inkerman Street or Alma Street. This was where my first electric train set (with a Nelly, naturally) came from which kicked the whole thing off when I was 7. Many more purchases came from that shop, populating the 6x4 rectangle of chipboard in my bedroom.

 

Another shop, not a model shop, per se, was a newsagents in Biscot Road in Luton. They didn't sell trains but after church on a Sunday my dad would get The Observer and I might get an Airfix or Matchbox kit which they also sold - I was also into planes and tanks back then, and many a Sunday afternoon would be spent with the kits.

 

When I was 14 the family moved to Bedford (I'd already been at school there for 3 years and my sister was about to start at the High School there) and around that time I used to hang out a lot in the model shop in Midland Road, and that became my model shop from the late 70s to early 80s. By about 16 my internet had shifted towards electronics and computers and my hang-out shop became the electronics shop on the corner of Tavistock Street (close to The Flower Pot if you navigate by pubs).

 

The university years didn't see any modelling, and I didn't really pick it up again until the 1990s. At that point I decided I wanted to get more serious than the R-T-R route, and one of the most important shopfor me then were W&H in New Cavendish Street from where I rekindled my modelling with Slaters kits. W&H were also well stocked with MJT etches and castings, and all the other bits that got me scratchbuilding. Incidentally W&H was a lucky find for me - at the time I was working on a robotic surgery project with a surgeon at the nearby London Clinic so I'd visit his operating theatre and round off my visit with a shopping trip. The other influential shop at that point (and stil in existence) was 4D Models (although back then it was called The Model Shop) - not a railway related shop but very good for materials and tools. Back then it was in Grays Inn Road, since moved to Old Street and now Leman Street.

 

After another lull where modelling got put on the back-burner for life to take over it started up again a few years ago, but mostly with suppliers such as C&L, MJT/Dart Castings and London Road Models much is based on exhibition visits now rather than shops.

 

Given a time machine I'd like to revisit those shops and thank the owners for the pleasure they've brought to my life at different stages.

Hi Sharris,

 

Trains and Transport of Charnley Street, Preston around mid to late 1980's and early 19990's was great for all sorts of detailing components such as Romford wheels, Craftsman castings and etches along with all sorts of paints and transfers. They also kept a good assortment of books and kits and there were always interesting second hand stuff to be had, most of my Lima Mk3's came to me via this route.

 

Gibbo.

[F-UnitMad]

Two shops in the Midlands I'd like to visit via Time Machine; the original "Bob's Models" on the Coventry Road and one in Walsall that I don't know the name of but seem to recall a window full of American N Gauge - which I only got into some years afterwards.

By the time I was modelling 'seriously' (as opposed to running my Hornby train set on a sheet of hardboard) they'd gone. 

[newbryford]

Hi Sharris,

 

Trains and Transport of Charnley Street, Preston around mid to late 1980's and early 19990's was great for all sorts of detailing components such as Romford wheels, Craftsman castings and etches along with all sorts of paints and transfers. They also kept a good assortment of books and kits and there were always interesting second hand stuff to be had, most of my Lima Mk3's came to me via this route.

 

Gibbo.

 

Great shop apart from the owner who was a miserable ……. never smiled.

 

The original Hattons on Smithdown Road. Stock piled to the ceiling in every conceivable space and Norman in his brown smock who seemed to kn0ew exactly what was where and how many of each there was.

 

ModelRail at Duke Bar, Burnley. Brilliant for Hornby spares. Like Norman Hatton above, Barry knew where everything was.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited September 2, 2018 by newbryford

[woodenhead]

Bradford Model Railway centre - which was not in Bradford but Manchester

[Oldddudders]

Positives would be EAMES of Reading, their partners Kings Cross Models, and nearby Bernie Victor just up Pentonville Road.

 

Hamblings in Cecil Court ought to be there, too, but shopping there could be a humiliating experience, and I resented parting with my money. 

[Gibbo675]

Great shop apart from the owner who was a miserable ……. never smiled.

 

The original Hattons on Smithdown Road. Stock piled to the ceiling in every conceivable space and Norman in his brown smock who seemed to kn0ew exactly what was where and how many of each there was.

 

ModelRail at Duke Bar, Burnley. Brilliant for Hornby spares. Like Norman Hatton above, Barry knew where everything was.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Hi Mick,

 

Chris of T&T wasn't that bad !

 

I'm sure I saw him smile at least once although it could have been wind after a bacon butty!

 

Hattons on Smithdown Road was indeed a goldmine of the unusual and I'd forgotten about Norman in his brown smock coat, bitten nails and fag on the go. I used to catch the No. 86 bus from by Lewis' and also reminds me of the [rubbish] joke, "A woman at a bus stop asks the driver 'is the bus going to Speke'?  driver looks and says to her 'oh i don't know about that love, it hasn't said a word to me all day"

 

Gibbo.

[unklian]

Another vote here for W&H models. But also Kings Cross Models in York Way, the Victors shop on Pentonville Road, all three Harrow Model shops, Percy's in Uxbridge, the toy shop in Ruislip, the bike/model shops in Ruislip Manor and Eastcote, Railmail in Watford and Allmodels Engineering in Ruislip Manor. I am sure there are more I have forgotten. But all within a bike or tube ride from home in Ruislip ....... sigh  !!

[ianmacc]

Most of the model shops taken over and killed by modelzone.

 

Tags in Doncaster original version

Model shop on deans gate in Manchester

 

 

Bradford model railway centre in Manchester

Beatties stores before they went downhill

[Legend]

For Glaswegians of a certain age it would be Clyde Model Dockyard in Argyle Arcade then Argyll Models under central station. I don’t remember much about the former but I do remember the latter. Originally a small shop in the Hielandmans umbrella (the part of Argyll St under Central Station, so called because Highland people were so miserable that they would shelter there when raining instead of buying umbrellas) . Windows either side, at least partly showing model trains , then into the shop. The first level was all plastic kits , but then descending the steep staircase took you to model trains . I remember display cases with what I later learned were Trix trains A4s A3s TransPennine units . Triang - Hornby and later Hornby of course . Lots of Foreign stuff too. I remember getting a Minitrix German catalogue from there and drooling over a 103 and Rheingold train . I would have been about 7. Every time in Glasgow my mother would humour me by visiting the shop, as I grew older I could go myself. Lots of Christmas presents came from there . The last one I can remember was the Hornby HST , Christmas 1977 . A set for £19.95 . It expired on Boxing Day . Hornby indifferent quality is nothing new. Back up whenever it opened to find lots of people with the same problem and a guy making his way through remaining stock testing them for runners. I think by 1978 it moved to a larger shop still under the Umbrella . Maybe it was an expansion too far. I think it closed 1982 ish. Happy memories .

Edited September 5, 2018 by Legend

[Fat Controller]

Les Turner's shop in Swansea; how he ever made money, I don't know. At about 13:00 on Saturdays, it would be 'Anyone for a pint?' and that was it.

[polybear]

Red Baron Models in Enfield Highway.  No railways, but R/C galore.  Then Ripmax bought it and it was never the same again.  Didn't last long after that.

[Downendian]

Max Williams, Lawrence Hill, Bristol

It used to be on our cycle route home from Temple Meads in the 1970s. Never bought much, but a classic model railway emporium and sadly missed.

Neil

[alfsboy]

Pages of Barkingside and later Victors

[Damo666]

'Model Shop'. Northfield Avenue, London, W13. Just a 100m north of Northfield Tube Station.

 

Very helpful, knowledgeable and chatty owner. Opens late weekdays (sometime around 10AM) and on Thursday PM only.

[gismorail]

Arts & Crafts Chester ....much missed shop 

[St Enodoc]

Blunts in Mill Hill

Beatties (the originals) in Southgate

Puffers in Kenton

Wakefield Model Railway Centre

Kemp Models in Hove

The Train Shop in Lichfield

[Dagworth]

Mid Suffolk Models in Stowmarket, far far too many wage packets of my teenage years went over the counter there!

 

Andi

[kernowtim]

Growing up near luton in bedfordshire in the late 70s we had several model shops, there was aeromodels in Gordon st, tucked away on a hill behind the town hall, closed around 1980 when the owner retired, model & timber supplies, another aladdin's cave, zodiac toys selling tri-ang Canadian wagons at£1 and locos for £5 ,bought new airfix mkII s for £2.99 , and the downstairs model dept of Taylor & Mckenna, still got my 3 car lima dmu bought for £9.99, later became Beatties, All now gone.

[kitefighter]

On 06/09/2018 at 05:50, kernowtim said:

Growing up near luton in bedfordshire in the late 70s we had several model shops, there was aeromodels in Gordon st, tucked away on a hill behind the town hall, closed around 1980 when the owner retired, model & timber supplies, another aladdin's cave, zodiac toys selling tri-ang Canadian wagons at£1 and locos for £5 ,bought new airfix mkII s for £2.99 , and the downstairs model dept of Taylor & Mckenna, still got my 3 car lima dmu bought for £9.99, later became Beatties, All now gone.

I remember Aeromodels and the husband and wife who used to run it. I remember him speaking to my Dad about a model locomotive he was interested in, which he held and said, "It's here when you want it". It was next to the cinema.

[Darius43]

Victors, Pentonville Road, London.   Wonderful shop - bought a load of Piko East German coal wagons and some Rivarossi CIWL coaches there in the early 1980s.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

[acg5324]

Early

Wicks Models next to the Open Market in Brighton

John Taylor models in Preston St, Brighton

Fryers in Lewes…floor to ceiling 2nd hand.

Southern Models, Preston Circus Brighton

 

Later 

Kemp Models at various locations around Brighton and Hove

Spring Models? In Spring St Brighton run by the manager at John Taylor who went on to be manager at Beatties in Brighton.

Kings Cross Models

Victors of Islington

Hadley Hobbies at Liverpool St

 

 

 

[drduncan]

The Train Shop, Warwick while it was still at St John’s.

Puffers at Kenton.

Both had a fantastic range of stock and Dick Hewins at The Model Shop was a wonderfully helpful and patient man - and still is.

Duncan

Edited January 18, 2023 by drduncan
Phil Parker reminding me that it was the Train shop - I blame the brain fog post brain injury

[PeterStiles]

Another vote for The Harrow Model Shop - the people who levered the pocket money from my pockets for years on end. The Station Road triplex with Railway/Scalextric one side, Military/D&D/Model Kits the other side and that weird scary bit in the middle with the radio controlled machinery that I dursn't go near because everything was *so* expensive. The LGB rolling back and forth over the Railway Side window. The scowling when I tested the point on paintbrushes before picking one (as was recommended to me in a RM). The excitement when Super Glue 3 hit the market and they glued a 50p piece to the floor with it... My first yard of flexi track. Sniff...

[LimboBrit]

Bagnall's Models on Salter Street, Stafford. I spent many Saturdays browsing/buying upstairs amongst the model rail stuff in the 70's and bought umpteen Airfix/Revell kits. I'm not sure when they ceased trading. I've often wondered if there was some sort of connection with W G Bagnall in Stafford where my grandfather worked for 52 years.