Shops in the Scottish Highlands

[oreamnos]

I just returned from visiting family in the Aviemore area. Since I live in California, I searched the web to locate any model shops in the area prior to my visit. I found information for a few online, but what is online is not necessarily reality!

Here is an update/summary of the shops in Highlands which I found listed online. I will also incorporate some information previously posted by others on an archived page of RMWeb which still turns up in Google searches.

Morays Models ("Moreayes"), Keith. I emailed the proprietor, Mr. Victor Whitlock, before leaving California and received a nice reply quickly in response. He is still in business but in the process of moving to a new location. Presently he has no shop and is trading out of his home at 33 Fraser Place. As such, you must call and make an appointment first before dropping by. 01542880360 or mobile 07888727155. Because I was travelling with a 2 year old and because the A95 was closed south of Keith, I did not visit his shop.

Nostalgia, Alness. From what I'd read this sounded more like a collectable toys shop than a model shop, but I made a special trip to this little town - which is not pretty and struck me as being comprised only of several council estates - to visit this shop. According to the town's official website it should have been open on the day and time I visited but when I arrived a note posted on the solid metal security shutters covering presumably the windows stated that effective 1/1/11 the shop was only open Thursdays through Saturdays, or by appointment. My fault for not calling ahead. I do not know if the phone number listed on the town's official website is still current. Note the shop is a bit tricky to find. Obviously I've no idea what they have since it was closed and the windows effectively covered over but I can confirm it is still in business. My family at least had a nice walk up to the Black Rock Gorge near Evanton, which is not far away, and that salvaged the day.

Model Shop in the Victorian Market Arcade, Inverness. This has been closed since 2006, the proprietor moving to Ulster.

Toy Master, Union Street, Inverness. This closed in April of this year according to an assistant in another business around the corner. There was no sign of the place when we visited Inverness, but several "to let" signs on Union Street.

Strathspey Railway Shop, at the railway station, Aviemore. This wasn't listed online as a model shop. I just happened to know it was there because I'd been on this preserved railway a few years ago. Open only on the days the trains are running, which currently is Wed, Thur, Sat, and Sun. It stocks a lot of toys and kiddie stuff (e.g. Thomas), some of it not even railway related (toy buses, fire engines), and bric-a-brac, but also a surprising good selection of model railway equipment. Here is a list of what I remember seeing:
- Peco points and control equimpent, in both OO and N,
- A small selection of structure kits (OO and N),
- Metcalfe card kits in OO,
- A fairly large selection of OO wagons (I didn't study them as I model N gauge),
- N.b., I didn't notice any OO coaches (but then, again, I wasn't looking for them),
- What seemed to me to be a good selection of OO steam locos in a glass case (but again, I don't model OO),
- A single Sprinter was the only diesel in OO I noticed,
- What I would consider a good selection of Dapol N gauge coaches and wagons, but no Farish. Some of the stock was older, such as gunpowder vans in liveries that were released a while ago. They had Collett coaching stock in carmine and cream, which I think were released a couple years back, and Southern CCTs in both maroon and rail blue - again, older stock. But they also had several of the new "silver bullets" in the weathered finish, and recent Gresley coaching stock, too.
- A surprisingly large stock of Dapol N gauge locos, both steam and diesel. The only Farish D&E they had was the new Deltic.
- According to the sales assistant, the shop is the only Dapol stockist in Scotland.
- A decent selection of books, both used and new.

Prices on the N gauge locos were full retail as best I could tell. I've no idea about the OO stuff, but I imagine it would be the same. The N gauge wagons and coaches though seemed discounted; e.g., the silver bullets were 25 GBP, same as Hattons, and the wagons and coaches again seemed to be fairly comptetively priced. I suspect some of this, however, might be because the stock is old and the stock simply carries the original price it had when taken into inventory.

If it sounds as though I was impressed by the little Strathspey shop, yes, I was. I was pleasantly surprised.

That's it. I hope this is useful to someone. Finally, just to say it, I've no relation with any of the places listed here, save the Aviemore shop only as a satisfied customer.

-Matt

 

[Edit 9 Sept 2013:  See post #9 below.  The Strathspey Railway shop discussed above no longer stocks any model railway items.]

[60B]

If only you checked in advance. There is a new model shop in the Vic Market but the only difference between it and Strathspey is that they do Hornby. I would be remiss if I didn't say that I hoped the weather back home treated you well.

[shortliner]

If 'd known you were coming, I could have given you a cuppa - I live in Alness!

[david12345]

Just back from my annual trip to the North.

 

Thought I'd pop into the model shop in Grant Street in Inverness but it seems to have gone.

 

On a brighter note a new shop seems to be opening on the High Street in Nairn within a few weeks.

[CullingworthGNR]

We visited a model shop in the Victorian Arcade last summer in Inverness, I don't know whether it has since closed? A bit of railway stuff alongside car and plane models.

[shortliner]

The Vic market shop is the one that used to be in Grant Street - there is one in Dingwall and a "Collectibles" type shop one street over from the High Street in Alness (Ring before visiting - Tommy is not always open)

[oreamnos]

Bringing up this old thread because my family and I will be visiting Scotland again in August to visit my wife's parents.  They live a little north of Aviemore, and we'll certainly being visiting Inverness while were are there.

 

So...if anyone has any updates to the 2-year old information already posted in this thread they would be most appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

Matt

[chris-shay]

The model shop in Nairn is quite good - about half way down the main high street. It has a small but good selection of railway stuff as well as plastic kits and plenty of tools, paints and other odds and ends. A few videos and magazine back issues are worth browsing through too.

[oreamnos]

Update on shops in the Highlands having just returned today from Scotland.

1.) I didn't make it up to Nairn.  I spent too much time in Tomintoul.  :-)

2.) The shop at the Strathspey Railway in Aviemore no longer stocks any model railway items.  My brief discussion with the lady shopkeeper (who was clearly no modeller) left me with the distinct impression that the shop was very happy to be rid of what they had.  She said they sold it all as job lot to one buyer who was willing to take all of the shop's stock at once.

3.) Inverness Model Shop in the Victorian Arcade across from Inverness Rail Station: Very, VERY little in the way of model rail railway items.  All Farish.  In N, two coaches in Scotrail livery, two private owner plank wagons, 4 tank wagons, and a Class 03 and 08 both in green livery.  All items were full RRP - no discount.  They had a small selection of track and scenery items.  In OO, all I noticed were 3 private owner wagons.  Also, the shop's website does not reflect its actual items in stock.

 

Matt