Allegheny1600 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I've been told that, way before I moved to the area, there were once up to three model shops in Leigh, Lancashire! Anyone got any memories of these, please? Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted April 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 9, 2013 The Signal Box (If I recall its name correctly) used to be a small but very well stocked with details bits etc opposite West Croydon bus station in the early to mid 1980's. Owned and run by a BT engineer. The shop moved when the whole area was redeveloped into offices. The shop relocated to Caterham and a new owner but never had the same stock levels and eventually went. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigd Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I've been told that, way before I moved to the area, there were once up to three model shops in Leigh, Lancashire! Anyone got any memories of these, please? Cheers, John E. Although I have been out of the hobby from the mid 1970's until recently, I remember a model shop opposite the courts. It was inside a motor factors. I remember a counter full of warships and westerns. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingUnderground Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Harrow used to have 2 model shops, Harrow Model Shop, which has already been mentioned, but also Seymour Models, where I bought many items. It was magic, and is much missed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I'm going to miss the Wakefield shop, less than a 10 minute walk away if I suddenly found I needed something. Very handy for brass wire, tubing, paint etc. Mind you, the level of my purchases wouldn't have kept them going! The shop in Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury - I still have a selection of tools I bought from there in 1970. Quality always lasts. Chuffs I remember being in a cellar? A right tip with stuff all jumbled up on tables and benches. I felt a bit out of place. Constructeon - I had one of their Class 14 kits but compared to the Modern Outline Kits version which I had already built it was a bit crude. It got 'sold on'. When I was a lad there was a stall on Wrexham market that sold model railways. I don't think it lasted all that long. They wanted to sell Peco but another 'toy' stall on the same market already had the concession so they couldn't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jol Wilkinson Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I used to visit regularly from work (bordesley green) at lunchtime, there was a fad for slot-cars (we had a works sports club slot-car track!) so both car and train purchases Never the same once they moved to Hobs Moat road and dropped the trains. There used to be a decent model shop in a housing estate on the S side of Coventry (Cheylesmore possibly?) Anybody remember it? Keith Keith Wasn't that Modellers World? I went there to buy one of their etched LNWR coach kits but don't recall there being much other stuff. I think it was run by Bob Jones, although his wife was there when I called. Jol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 10, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 10, 2013 Keith Wasn't that Modellers World? I went there to buy one of their etched LNWR coach kits but don't recall there being much other stuff. I think it was run by Bob Jones, although his wife was there when I called. Jol Don't know, I only went there once whilst I was working in Coventry in the early 70s. It seem a fairly interesting shop. They had some S/H stock from what I remember and the guy that was there introduced me to "chemical frame blackening" instead of painting. They had new stock as well. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jol Wilkinson Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Don't know, I only went there once whilst I was working in Coventry in the early 70s. It seem a fairly interesting shop. They had some S/H stock from what I remember and the guy that was there introduced me to "chemical frame blackening" instead of painting. They had new stock as well. Keith My visit was somewhat later, in the late 80s. I think that the proprieter was one of that group of modellers in rhe Midlands that produced 4mm items such as Jackson Evans coach sides and loco plates, Model and Leisure kits, etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Sharman Wheels. ..... Constructeon - I had one of their Class 14 kits but compared to the Modern Outline Kits version which I had already built it was a bit crude....... I've ended up with a couple of Constructeon chassis kits for the Std. 4 4-6-0. Some of the design is outdated but the frames are very usable. I didn't know MOK produced a 4mm Class 14. I only ever saw the 08, 40 and 47 diesels under their label. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jol Wilkinson Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Puffers in Kenton has already been mentioned but that was one of the better shops in ye days of old. RTR and S/H upstairs (street level) and kits 'n bits downstairs (track level). Others were Tony Collett's in Southsea, Blunt's at Mill Hill and Ray Rippon's in Leigh on Sea. Sadly that type of shop has given way to the RTR emporium. I can buy plain or embossed plastic sheet and strip in my local shop, but not any decent solvent. On the other hand I could walk out with all the Peco trackwork, RTR locos/stock and RTP buildings to build an extensive 00 or N layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 11, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 11, 2013 Model and Leisure kits,I'm still building my M&L twin GWR tank engine kit (633&850?) which I bought (IIRC) from the previously mentioned Bob's Models Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 11, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 11, 2013 A couple of Sheffield memory joggers. Kenyons on Bellhouse Road, Firth Park where my first loco's came from. Marcway? on Church Street in town. Re Bob Denny, I could never work out how he stopped in business only selling H/D 3 to 2 rail conversion sets, or at least that's how it seemed from his adverts. It's a nice little ladies hairdressers now. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Re Bob Denny, he probably stayed in business simply on the strength of the ott prices he charged for tatty second hand spare parts judging by the only time I ever bought anythng from him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 11, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 11, 2013 Marcway? on Church Street in town. Mike. This firm? :http://www.marcway.co.uk/map.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest spet0114 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 1970s and 80s - Geoff Barlow in Poole, Dudley Dimmock in Charminster Models in Bournemouth, and very briefly a model shop near the barbers in Leigh Road in Wimborne. I did enjoy visiting Dave Cleal when he was in Chandler's Ford as well. Did you ever visit the (small!!) Latimer Road model shop in Winton/Bournemouth, or the one in Sandbanks (Lilliput?) that stocked both UK and overseas outline stuff? My Dad occasionally bumps into Geoff at his local Tesco. When Geoff finally gave it up (late 90s?), his son/nephew took over but it didn't last long. Setchfields is still going in Poole and stocks a good selection of modelling bits. Cheers Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andytrains Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 (edited) I used to visit regularly from work (bordesley green) at lunchtime, there was a fad for slot-cars (we had a works sports club slot-car track!) so both car and train purchases Never the same once they moved to Hobs Moat road and dropped the trains. There used to be a decent model shop in a housing estate on the S side of Coventry (Cheylesmore possibly?) Anybody remember it? Keith They had some model rail stuff when I visited Bobs about a year ago and a good selection of paints/ brushes etc. Edited April 11, 2013 by andytrains Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 12, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 12, 2013 This firm? :http://www.marcway.co.uk/map.htm No not them. Just had a flash of inspiration, it was Gordons on Church Street, just up from the Cutlers Hall by the Stone House pub. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 12, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 12, 2013 They had some model rail stuff when I visited Bobs about a year ago and a good selection of paints/ brushes etc. Must have changed in later years. My sister lived in the next road and I popped in a few times (some years ago) and all it seemed to be was radio control and slot cars, so I gave up the visits (having gone off slot cars!) Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 12, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) I'm still building my M&L twin GWR tank engine kit (850&633) which I bought (IIRC) from the previously mentioned Bob's Models Keith Just found the box. It was indeed from Bob's Models and the kits cost £26.64 - for two locos! Just motor, wheels and paint to finish and I still haven't finished them. . Keith Edited April 12, 2013 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Don't know, I only went there once whilst I was working in Coventry in the early 70s. It seem a fairly interesting shop. They had some S/H stock from what I remember and the guy that was there introduced me to "chemical frame blackening" instead of painting. They had new stock as well. Keith Might that be Kemilway (sp?)? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggesford box Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Barnard - Rance model supplies in Barnstaple near the old town station, very friendly, always ready for a natter. Another proprietor with a lovely daughter, even went out with her once until I realised she was only thirteen, oh if only she had been older and I had been less of a knob! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 (edited) Did you ever visit the (small!!) Latimer Road model shop in Winton/Bournemouth, or the one in Sandbanks (Lilliput?) that stocked both UK and overseas outline stuff? My Dad occasionally bumps into Geoff at his local Tesco. When Geoff finally gave it up (late 90s?), his son/nephew took over but it didn't last long. Setchfields is still going in Poole and stocks a good selection of modelling bits. Cheers Adrian Never did make it to Latimer Road or Lilliput.. There was a ECoS in Lower Parkstone which sold a lot of Fleischmann including a rather nice Warship with Bulleid coaches but way beyond my pocket then. Glad to see Geoff still going strong. That was a real mecca for me. Then I moved away from Dorset. Have not been in Setchfields for years. Edited April 13, 2013 by geoffers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest spet0114 Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Never did make it to Latimer Road or Lilliput.. There was a ECoS in Lower Parkstone which sold a lot of Fleischmann including a rather nice Warship with Bulleid coaches but way beyond my pocket then. ECoS was the one in Lilliput, just couldn't remember the name. Interesting you mention the Fleischmann warship as I got my Mainline warship from ECoS in 1984 - 8th birthday present! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 13, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 13, 2013 For a bonus point, what did ECoS stand for, no cheating and googling please. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 For a bonus point, what did ECoS stand for, no cheating and googling please. Mike. Pass!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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