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Gone but not forgotten


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Many of you will have read about the closureof Wakefield Model & Craft Centre http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/66111-wakefield-model-and-craft-centre/

 

A few years ago when I was a kid there used to be the Model Railway Supermarket in Bradford, think it might have been on the salubrious Lumb Lane.

 

We could list the likes of Beatties shops but all of them were either taken over by others or closed.

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When I was a kid in Essex seemingly every town had a model shop, sometimes two. I dunno they could not have survived on Hornby Dublo and Triang alone, surely? Nope we were used to making stuff from kits......and there were lots of them.

 

Best, Pete.

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Still 'sort of going' but not the same....

 

Norman Wisenden's emporium in Greenfield, yeah there was the 'Saddleworth surcharge' but what you couldn't find or get there most of the time was minimal, plus the upstairs with the glass cases of 7 and 4mm stuff.

 

Not forgetting the black teapot and Harry Madden keeping out of his wife's way.

 

Frank Roscoe's Handymans shop too when it was on Ripponden Road, Oldham

 

Others that I can think of

 

Bradford Model Railway Exchange on Mosley St, Manchester

and the one on Ashton Old Rd in Openshaw, that the name escapes me at the moment.

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Bradford Model Railway Exchange on Mosley St, Manchester - remember that well and because it was in the arcade I would visit every time I got the bus to Manchester.

 

Going back a little further there was the 'Sports Depot' on the corner of Wilbraham Rd (a la the Manchester RC model exhibition) and Wilmslow Rd in Fallowfield which despite it's name had a whole section devoted to model railways and a whole floor devoted to childrens toys - as a child it was a full on grotto.  Nowadays the building is a big old student bar.

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My very first Saturday job as a boy of 14 in 1962 was at The Southgate Hobbyshop which was the very start of the 'Beatties' empire.  One very small shop that became the repairs shop, followed by another shop selling secondhand stock and finally the third shop selling new stock, all within 100 yards on Chase Side.  The rest they say is history.

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The Harow Model Shop with the very knowledgeable old chap behind the counter.  Seemed a bit haphazardly organised but there wasn't much they didn't have and only five minutes walk from either of the two Tube stations.

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Obournes in Vicarage Road Watford a classic shop in the 60's/early 70's .....then Railmail cometh!

 

The Hobby Centre in Market Street in Watford too a well stocked shop that moved to the High Street in the late 70's by which time I think it had changed owners and did to last many more years

 

XF

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Harry Welch's on Church Street in Preston, probably the first model shop I ever went in, aged about 10.  When that closed we had Trains & Transport near the railway station, I forget the name of the side street, but it was off Fishergate. 

 

I too remember Bradford Model Railway Exchange on Mosley Street as I used to work round the corner in Portland Street for many years.  I seem to recall it closing down very suddenly.

 

Paul

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There used to be a Bradford Model Railway Exchange in the Empire Arcade in Leeds.  I think that the owner sold up and moved the business to Manchester but the shop continued trading under another name with Mel Ridley in charge who was responsible for getting me interested in UP steam, someone else took over and when the arcade was being emptied prior to becoming part of Harvey Nicks it moved to another part of the Victoria Quarter and I think down the Headrow before it closed altogether.  I don't think that Model railways fitted in with the ambience of the owners of the Victoria Quarter.   There was also the King Charles Sports Centre that became Beatties which sort of morphed and moved into Modelzone.  Now the nearest model shop to Leeds is Millennium in Morley.

 

Jamie

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Hi.

Trains and Transport was on Charnley Street Preston. my parents went to Preston most weekends, and I got dragged along so they could use the family railcard, It was always the first and last stop of the day! I also remember a train shop upstairs in a shop on King Street in Lancaster which is long gone (and the name escapes me). Likewise its two predecessors in Lancaster have long gone, firstly Cheltenham Bagnall Ltd, then Lancaster City Models.

 

In Ulverston we had Keith Graytrex how kept making come backs, first a fire, then ill health. He sold it on, but the new owner did not last to long as I recall. And there was two shops in Barrow Maurice Roberts and another on which got knocked down to make way for the new shopping centre.

 

My dad and I did trot off to London every now and then, and he always took me into W&H, but I think this shut down as well?

 

This is bring back a few memories.....

 

Kind regards

 

Ian   

Harry Welch's on Church Street in Preston, probably the first model shop I ever went in, aged about 10.  When that closed we had Trains & Transport near the railway station, I forget the name of the side street, but it was off Fishergate. 

 

I too remember Bradford Model Railway Exchange on Mosley Street as I used to work round the corner in Portland Street for many years.  I seem to recall it closing down very suddenly.

 

Paul

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Millholme Models when they were in their first shop at the Mill near Woodborough in the very early 70s.

 

When I was very young my "local" shop was Gee Dee's, which was then at (I think) 40 Goosegate in Nottingham.  Model Railways upstairs, toys downstairs.  I can even (just) remember the Trackmaster goods wagons they stocked!  I think they would have been old stock when I could first read the names on the boxes.  Gee Dee's is still going strong in their "new shop", still a good shop, I try to call in when I visit relatives down there.

 

Much later, in the 70s again there was RBS in Long Eaton which had a huge amount of second hand stuff.

 

When I lived in Essex I used to frequent Blackwell's of Hawkwell who seemed to have a huge stock, also Ray Rippon's in Leigh/Southend.

 

David

Edited by DaveF
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A highlight of our holidays to Felixstowe in suffolk,was 2 model shops,last to go was Wakelins,who also sold prams & cycles.One summer in the early 80s it had closed, no more drooling over Wrenn models in their glass counter displays.. Had to go to Ipswich instead, by Train of course,sometimes even made it off the station :no:

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The Model Engineer in Stirling

Long since gone, but remembered as being a veritable hive of Hornby stock. The owner always reminded me of Siegfriend from All Creatures Great and Small, a very friendly and knowledgeable chap, also in there was his brown dust coat wearing assistant who was normally to be found towards the rear of the shop undertaking model repairs. I do believe that when the owner came up for retirement he was going to pass the business to his son, alas he wasn't interested and so the shop closed.

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Places from my childhood. Not dedicated model shops but lots of eye candy for a young lad into model trains.

 

JC Pattersons in Lisburn, where I saw my first Deltic going faultlessly at a real crawl. (Sold my Lego and bought a Duchess of Montrolse and two maroon carriages there)

 

Fletcher's bicycle shop in Railway Street Lisburn - lots of Hornby Dublo and Meccano.

 

Farifield'S toy shop in Lurgan next door to my uncle's furniture shop. They had that new stuff called Tri-ang. saved up my half crowns until I could afford to buy three clerestory coaches.

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Millholme Models when they were in their first shop at the Mill near Woodborough in the very early 70s.

 

When I was very young my "local" shop was Gee Dee's, which was then at (I think) 40 Goosegate in Nottingham.  Model Railways upstairs, toys downstairs.  I can even (just) remember the Trackmaster goods wagons they stocked!  I think they would have been old stock when I could first read the names on the boxes.  Gee Dee's is still going strong in their "new shop", still a good shop, I try to call in when I visit relatives down there.

 

Much later, in the 70s again there was RBS in Long Eaton which had a huge amount of second hand stuff.

 

When I lived in Essex I used to frequent Blackwell's of Hawkwell who seemed to have a huge stock, also Ray Rippon's in Leigh/Southend.

 

David

 

RBS is still going, I called in for the first time in about 10 years, doesn't look any different.

 

Just remember Millholme in the mill, they still owe me a pre-ordered Trix Flying Scotsman!

Then after they had moved to the school, it was a regular Sunday morning trip, I had a driving licence and my own car then. Kept asking when they were going to get the Ivatt Flying Pig kit out. They closed the shop before it came out, if I remember correctly. Unable to get planning permission to use part of the school for 'casting' and manufacturing I understand. I suspect the local council had visions of a mini Scunthorpe in the leafy lanes of the village!

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In the 70s I lived in Wellingborough and when shopping I think in the Coop in Rushden there was a small section of a department upstairs that had railway stuff in it. I bought a K's Grange there (yes I know I'm bonkers).Mr Brewin of Comet Models built that for me about 30 years later! Anyway, the chap that served me was the manager of the store who just happened to be a railway and model railway buff and that's why the store had that small sub department. He and his son became friends for a few months before I then left for 'sunny' Surrey.

I also remember a toy shop in Woodhatch (south part of Reigate) when I lived in Redhill in 1969 -75. It was one of those Aladdin's cave sort of places and had a good stock of MR stuff including second hand. Wonder if that still exists?

P @ 36E

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I have very vague memories of Millholme Models and visits there with my Dad in the late 1970's. Being a Nottingham lad by birth I also remember Gee Dee's and the old Beatties store in the city centre.  Visits to RBS in Long Eaton were always something to look forward to; an absolutely fabulous shop and as stated above, still going strong. I can also remember a shop called C and C Models (I think) on Beeston High Road where I spent the large majority of my pocket money and my earnings from singing at weddings on Saturdays as a choirboy at St John the Baptist's, Beeston!

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I have very vague memories of Millholme Models and visits there with my Dad in the late 1970's. Being a Nottingham lad by birth I also remember Gee Dee's and the old Beatties store in the city centre.  Visits to RBS in Long Eaton were always something to look forward to; an absolutely fabulous shop and as stated above, still going strong. I can also remember a shop called C and C Models (I think) on Beeston High Road where I spent the large majority of my pocket money and my earnings from singing at weddings on Saturdays as a choirboy at St John the Baptist's, Beeston!

 

Went on a mega Scottish shed bash with the then manager of Gee Dees, with my father of course, I'm not THAT old! Umpteen sheds all around Edinburgh and Glasgow, in a Bedford minibus. Got lost in the Gorbals somehow, next thing we knew there were housebricks being lobbed at this unknown vehicle full of strangers!

Then in Nottingham, you also had the model department in Pearson Bros department store, got my Tri-ang Wrenn 8F, when the Hornby Dublo stuff was re-released, from there. I still have it, with the price still on the box, £6 1s, if memory serves.

Also in my memory Attenborough Model railways on Arkwright St. before it was all bulldozed for the Meadows rebuilding. They also ran a spotters club with regular shed bashes. I still have most, if not all, of the notebooks of the time.

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George's Trains, Toronto.

 

Downstairs was a lot different than upstairs, if you got the invite.  And they had Tri-ang, I think most of the left overs from the Canadian production...

 

We went and saw a Hudson downstairs in '82 or so...

 

James

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