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Bekra Models Newton Abbot


DCB
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I found Bekra Models at Newton Abbot this afternoon. Truly an inspirational place!   Very friendly and helpful sales lady, I guess the proprietors wife  and a truly great layout operating of which more anon. Great range of sundries and bits and pieces, good selection of new items but sadly for me no second hand which is about all I can afford these days.   But the layout.  Bearing in mind I had come from the Buckfastleigh SDR shop with a massive layout around which Smokey Joe and his chum hurtled round at 300 mph pulling 1 coach and a Hornby starter DMU wobbled round (battery power?) the contrast couldn't have been greater for there was a 00 gauge class 47 pulling bogie coaches around sub 1 foot radius curve.  The baseboard was 2ft wide, by about 7 or 8 foot with a station, loco shed and continuous run.  If I hadn't seen I would never have believed it .  OK I understand some modifications had been made to the class 47 loco but it crawled relentlessly around at may be a scale 15mph.

It looked like the track was flexi track curved very tightly but it was laid beautifully.   It really is fantastic!

Well worth a visit.

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post-21665-0-64888800-1537837044_thumb.jpg

Edited by DavidCBroad
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For people unaware of local geography Newton Abbott is some distance from Buckfastleigh, a stroll between the two would take several hours.

 

Possibly driving in the Summer would take several hours so strolling would be faster! :drag:

 

Brian.

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I discovered the shop a few years ago when looking for Vallejo paints and was happily surprised to see not only an extensive range but a great many other useful items in stock.

 

John and his good lady are extremely helpful and very modest folk who deserve this thread.

 

I travel from the Mid Devon area by train to reach the shop and the trip along the sea wall makes it all the more enjoyable. A short walk from the station too.

 

Usual disclaimers.

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When I lived in Buckfastleigh and Buckfast in the 80's there was a stall in the indoor Market at Newton  that was all second hand, but very friedly, I'm wondering if he, or even the indoor Market still exists.

    The  indoor market still exists and until very recently the second hand stall was extant. But when I visited the market a few days ago the stall was not in          situ ;whether this is a permanent absence or not I do not know.

Edited by GER
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When I lived in Buckfastleigh and Buckfast in the 80's there was a stall in the indoor Market at Newton  that was all second hand, but very friedly, I'm wondering if he, or even the indoor Market still exists.

 

 

The Indoor Market still exists Andy, there is a secondhand stall too. The owner buys and sell mostly rail and vehicles, with the very occasional O Gauge item but you have to ask as he has a local chap who builds up kits for him.

 

G

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When I lived in Buckfastleigh and Buckfast in the 80's there was a stall in the indoor Market at Newton  that was all second hand, but very friedly, I'm wondering if he, or even the indoor Market still exists.

There was a gap where the second hand railway stall used to be when I visited on Monday. There were bare shelves and a sign saying something about wools.   It was one of the highlights of my visits to NA as he had very good as new railway books at very good prices.

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    The  indoor market still exists and until very recently the second hand stall was extant. But when I visited the market a few days ago the stall was not in          situ ;whether this is a permanent absence or not I do not know.

 

 

There was a gap where the second hand railway stall used to be when I visited on Monday. There were bare shelves and a sign saying something about wools.   It was one of the highlights of my visits to NA as he had very good as new railway books at very good prices.

 

Thats interesting, I will have to investigate next time I visit NA.

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There used to be a proper model shop in newton abbot market occupying two booths around the edges. Wasn’t a stall as such. Not sure if the same place or not. Went there every summer holiday from 89 to the mid 90s.

Edited by ianmacc
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  • 2 years later...

 

35 minutes ago, John Besley said:

Bekra has changed hands and been brought out by the Teignmouth RC model shop people, still much the same inside as it always was...

 

Hope to stock up on KS metal parts etc. This weekend

Is the OO micro layout with the wickedly sharp curves still there?  Its about 6ft by 2ft 6" and is or was, absolutely brilliant

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Ok been over to Bekra and picked up KS tubing, Plastistriut, sections, Milliput, ....

 

To update the model railway has gone as it was taking up space they wanted to use for stock, they are in the process of building a 0 gauge top shelf height layout to go round the back part of the shop.

 

They are not going to stock masses of Hornby, Bachmann, Humbrol, etc.  etc. But concentrate on core items, ordering every two weeks from Gaugemaster, Peco, Woodland Scenics. There is a section of old stock that once it's gone it's gone.... basically packs of scenery items from odd manufacturers (didn't really look)

 

They don't want to compete with the Paignton Model shop so dont expect vast amounts of rolling stock

 

 

Bekra Model Shop (3).jpg

 

Bekra Model Shop (2).jpg

 

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Edited by John Besley
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Excellent news.  though shame about the OO layout.   I will head down there and check out the O gauge overhead line.  Don't blame them getting out of new OO / N RTR. Seems there is little profit in RTR, you either make a pittance per unit or it sits on the shelf for years.  Some decent second hand would entice my credit card to do a bit of contactless though...

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