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Nearest model shop never visited


ianmacc
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Not sure if this has been pondered here before but just curious what the nearest model shop to people’s houses they have never visited? I live in Leeds so have done all the Leeds Wakefield etc shops. For me it’s probably Starbeck models in Harrogate and the new premises of Frizinghall (been to the previous one). 

 

Both probably under 45 minutes door to door for me. 

 

Am am I missing out?

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The "new" Hatton's store. 

 

4 minutes by car. 2.3 miles.

 

However I don't have a car. It's not served by public transport from this side. I would need to go to Widnes or somewhere first.

 

I looked into the walk and it's about 4 miles as you have to go around as otherwise you are virtually walking on a motorway feeder road....

 

However none of my other local model shops are exactly local or easy to get to so tend not to bother apart from very occasional visits.

 

 

May as well just get things delivered.

 

 

 

Jason

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Theres 3 in my vicinity, 2 very local  and one a bit further out and I have used them all. Theres another model shop within walking distance of my house but they don't stock railway items they specialise in wargaming and RC cars. However I do still use them as I can get things like scenic materials and paints and knife blades.

 

But on occasions I do visit rails of sheffiled  - mainly on the way back from a yorkshire campsite - and olivias to do sound installs for me.

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16 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

The "new" Hatton's store. 

 

4 minutes by car. 2.3 miles.

 

However I don't have a car. It's not served by public transport from this side. I would need to go to Widnes or somewhere first.

 

I looked into the walk and it's about 4 miles as you have to go around as otherwise you are virtually walking on a motorway feeder road....

 

However none of my other local model shops are exactly local or easy to get to so tend not to bother apart from very occasional visits.

 

 

May as well just get things delivered.

 

 

 

Jason

 

 

Hi Jason,

If you can get to Widnes, ring me first to make sure I am in the shop that day and I will give you a lift to Hattons.

 

Not that far and we have given people without transport lifts to Montague Road.

 

We will even give you a lift back.

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Nice gesture from Widnes Model Centre, with that attitude they deserve custom.
My nearest, and "local" model shop is C & M in Carlisle which is over an hour by bus, but as a senior I can travel there for free on my bus pass.

I had considered Harburn Hobbies in Edinburgh, which is only ten or fifteen miles further from my home and which I also visit occasionally would be my next nearest.

A Google search came up with Hadrian's Hobbies in Brampton, Cumbria, which I had not heard of before, so that would be the nearest model shop which I have not yet visited.   I must put that to rights soon!

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When I'm In Scotland Harburn hobbies  would be the nearest ( 14 miles)  to my parents I've not visited. 

Here down in coastal Norfolk it would be BJ Models in kings Lynn,  64 ish miles away. 

As it is the nearest I have used is Buoys Toys in Cromer 22 odd Miles away. . 

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I presume the Severn Valley Shop at Kidderminster sells model railways, although not strictly a model shop. Never been in to find out.  About 10 minutes from here.

 

Next would be those on the outskirts of Birmingham..

 

Andy

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Depends if what they sell is what you are interested in?

I could have a model shop right next door to me, but if they didn't stock American O Scale, or even British O Scale at prices to compete with the major on-line suppliers, I wouldn't visit it.

As it is, my local model shop isn't too far away, but since changing hands is closely resembling the above scenario, so I seldom visit it these days anyway.

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Been to three here in Essex, Flair Rail, John Duffield and Sat Model Rail. I believe there is an N gauge specialist in Basildon but as I am OO its not on the to go to list. 

In my immediate vicinity its shop in Singapore but I'm not bothered about putting in the 2 hour flight to get there as the prices are astronomic.

 

Mark

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With the closure of my local model shop - a mere 2 hour drive -100km -  I think my nearest model shop is now a 4 hour round trip and it's one I have never visited.  Mind you that is probably 4 hours driving pus one hour to find affordable parking in Lyon.

 

Some of us clearly have it better than others.

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Reading some of these anecdotes I regard myself as quite fortunate. Even though there has been a lot of closures over the years I’ve still got a lot of shops within about 45 minutes drive. Going Loco in Wakefield, the Model Railway Shop in Featherstone, Millennium Models in Morley all being under 10 miles away. A bit further and there’s Sheffield and York. Just to name some of them. 

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Compared to most modellers, I'm fortunate to have an abundance of model shops within an hours drive of home. I suppose my closest is Chester Model Centre (6 miles) and while I have been there, I've not been for a few years as the last time they had cut back on their model railways in favour of kits and stuff. I've walked past several times now when in Chester without venturing in.

 

Rhuddlan Models and Hippo Toys (Colwyn Bay) are local along with a place in Rhyl, but I now drive over the bridge to Widnes Model Centre. £4 toll fee is equivalent to what I'd pay for postage. There's another place in Widnes I've been but I wouldn't call  it a model shop. It's just a counter attached to a warehouse!

 

Also used to visit Trident Trains a lot  when I was working in Crewe. That would leave Haslington Models just outside Crewe as the only local (to work) shop that I've not visited.

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On 08/12/2019 at 19:29, SM42 said:

I presume the Severn Valley Shop at Kidderminster sells model railways, although not strictly a model shop. Never been in to find out.  About 10 minutes from here.

 

Next would be those on the outskirts of Birmingham..

 

Andy

 

They do, but have you been to Footplate?

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4 hours ago, AY Mod said:

 

They do, but have you been to Footplate?

 

Yes, many times, it's my local,  which is probably why I have never been in the SVR shop.

 

Footplate is also a few hundred yards nearer to me

 

Have been in the Bridgnorth SVR shop though, who sell models, which is why I presumed they did at Kidder 

 

Andy

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On 08/12/2019 at 18:20, TheQ said:

When I'm In Scotland Harburn hobbies  would be the nearest .

We could start another thread on the farthest away from home shop that you have visited.

That would be Harburn for me as I visit my sister in Embra from time to time and always pop in for a few things.

Bernard

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12 hours ago, Bernard Lamb said:

We could start another thread on the farthest away from home shop that you have visited.

That would be Harburn for me as I visit my sister in Embra from time to time and always pop in for a few things.

Bernard

 

I think the furthest extant shop I've visited is the Monk Bar model shop in York. I did visit one in Carlisle back in the 90s, but it's probably not there now, and I was living in Stockport at the time, so not quite so exotically far away compared with where I am now.

 

I've been to Exeter Model shop a few times recently when visiting our Exeter office.

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On 08/12/2019 at 13:37, Widnes Model Centre said:

 

 

Hi Jason,

If you can get to Widnes, ring me first to make sure I am in the shop that day and I will give you a lift to Hattons.

 

Not that far and we have given people without transport lifts to Montague Road.

 

We will even give you a lift back.

 

Me and my brother keep meaning on making a trip to Widnes but it's getting a day when we are both free. Plan is to go for a few drinks as well as he goes there quite often with his postie mates.

 

I promise it'll be soon but definitely after Christmas. :good:

 

 

 

Jason

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1 minute ago, RJS1977 said:

 

I think the furthest extant shop I've visited is the Monk Bar model shop in York. I did visit one in Carlisle back in the 90s, but it's probably not there now, and I was living in Stockport at the time, so not quite so exotically far away compared with where I am now.

 

I've been to Exeter Model shop a few times recently when visiting our Exeter office.

 

Ooh, hang on, I may have visited one in Chicago once!

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