Gone but not forgotten

[tractionman]

Any idea what the shop was in Cov suburbs on the south side somewhere?

It was somewhere in a housing estate from what I can remember but I only went there a couple of times about 40 odd years ago!

The guy introduced me to chemical blacking of brass using IIRC phosphoric acid!

 

Keith

 

EDIT There also used to be (Still is?) an outdoor live steam club at the old Stoke Works sports ground - Google Earth still seems to show it (opposite Second Avenue)

I can't think of a model shop in the southern parts of Coventry, unless it's Biggin Hall Crescent you're thinking of, Keith?

 

There was a model shop too in Spon End but that's more west than south.

 

I drove past the old GEC site a few years ago, where the sports fields are, and a sign advertised that day a public event on the model engineering line, so I think it's still operating.

 

There was a small miniature railway circuit too once upon a time in the War Memorial Park, run by the GEC club I think. My dad took me on it once when I was very young, the line has long since gone.

 

I've often thought since, how many other miniature railways have we lost over the years, has anyone compiled a 'Passengers No More' type listing of the lost miniature lines?

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

[anroar53]

Hi Andy,

 

Seem to remember seeing adverts for Blunts, was it a general model shop (planes, boats kits etc) as well as trains? It would have been a bit far for me to go then.

Just looked at an old MRC from 1980 and there's an ad for a shop at 121 Lordship Lane but under the name of Chris Crawley rather than Howell Dimmock. Could well have changed hands - I think I went there at least once and bought various bits - including some BSL cast LNER coach bogies that went under a scratch built Thompson brake - which is still running round the layout. Recently fitted buffers and glazed the windows - finally finished over 40 years since I started it!

Blunts were indeed a shop covering cars, boats, and planes as well as trains. He did stock quite a bit of Model Railway stuff, I can remember buying several, I think it was GEM, whitemetal loco kits from there when they weren't that common. Although I no longer use them I still have the J39, and Austin 7F 0-8-0 I bought from there, but they still have a place in my display cabinet.

The other shop in Lordship Lane was further down, as I have found an old advert that shows Howell Dimmock as being at 40 Lordship Lane. I think I visited the other shop once during the 90's and managed to buy some secondhand N Gauge stuff.

 

Those were the days,

Andy.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Any idea what the shop was in Cov suburbs on the south side somewhere?

It was somewhere in a housing estate from what I can remember but I only went there a couple of times about 40 odd years ago!

The guy introduced me to chemical blacking of brass using IIRC phosphoric acid!

 

Keith

 

EDIT There also used to be (Still is?) an outdoor live steam club at the old Stoke Works sports ground - Google Earth still seems to show it (opposite Second Avenue)

Modellers World? Although that was rather more east than south.

[tractionman]

Modellers World? Although that was rather more east than south.

There's mention here of a former model shop in Allesley Park, which is southish

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/34134-coventry-model-railway-shops/

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

[railroadbill]

Blunts were indeed a shop covering cars, boats, and planes as well as trains. He did stock quite a bit of Model Railway stuff, I can remember buying several, I think it was GEM, whitemetal loco kits from there when they weren't that common. Although I no longer use them I still have the J39, and Austin 7F 0-8-0 I bought from there, but they still have a place in my display cabinet.

The other shop in Lordship Lane was further down, as I have found an old advert that shows Howell Dimmock as being at 40 Lordship Lane. I think I visited the other shop once during the 90's and managed to buy some secondhand N Gauge stuff.

 

Those were the days,

Andy.

 

After a bit of browsing, I came across this ad for H A Blunts, from Sept 1964 Meccano  Magazine, (the only one I've still got!) so they had been trading a long time. And had another shop in WGC. From a time when Scalextric &c were taking off. That Duesenburg kit looks expensive, though....

 

Interesting that there were once 2 model railway shops in Lordship Lane.  But it is a very long road. Had to look it up on Google maps, it's so long since I've been there (although I do visit Ally Pally once a year).

 

40 is now "Marmalade the home made food cafe"   121 appears to be a shuttered shop front.  Which shop I actually visited all those years ago to buy BSL bogies is a mystery to me now,  the area has seen a lot of redevelopment, no doubt for the better. But interesting to reminisce.

 

Bill

[anroar53]

P1210370.JPG

 

After a bit of browsing, I came across this ad for H A Blunts, from Sept 1964 Meccano  Magazine, (the only one I've still got!) so they had been trading a long time. And had another shop in WGC. From a time when Scalextric &c were taking off. That Duesenburg kit looks expensive, though....

 

Interesting that there were once 2 model railway shops in Lordship Lane.  But it is a very long road. Had to look it up on Google maps, it's so long since I've been there (although I do visit Ally Pally once a year).

 

40 is now "Marmalade the home made food cafe"   121 appears to be a shuttered shop front.  Which shop I actually visited all those years ago to buy BSL bogies is a mystery to me now,  the area has seen a lot of redevelopment, no doubt for the better. But interesting to reminisce.

 

Bill

Hi Bill,

 

That's very interesting, glad that I wasn't imagining the other branch of Blunts in Welwyn Garden City.

 

It's come to my mind now that there used to be a model shop in Burnt Oak, 'Peglars'.(Early 1960s) It was in the dip going down the Watling Avenue about half way between the Tube station and the Edgware Road (Burnt Oak Broadway). I remember starting off there on TT gauge, A set that contained a Britannia 70036 Boadicea, and three mark 1's. I can remember being disappointed later on when purchasing an additional coach that the loco couldn't pull the train with four coaches, it slipped like crazy. But the loco did have a smoke unit, and you could buy smoke capsules (oil), that you dripped into the chimney. It produced reasonable smoke effects, but a rather sickly sweet aroma!

After several years of TT I traded it in to Beatties of Southgate, and went over to N Gauge instead.

 

Andy.

[Enterprisingwestern]

I remember Chris Crawley after he moved to Lincolnshire, firstly to somewhere in the North of the county then to Irby and finally to the former station hotel at Firsby. He acquired various kit ranges (Nu Cast, Cotswold and I think Ks also) as well as publishing A4 format catalogues, one for rail and one for road vehicles.

 

He finished finally in the nineties, I bought some kits from his daughter when she was disposing of the remaining stock on Ebay around 2005.

 

I met Chris in my professional capacity as a British Gas employee when he lived at Goxhill, I think in the station building, as he learned of my modelling interests and offered me the LNER table from the dining room! To my eternal chagrin it wouldn't fit in the BX.

 

Mike.

[melmerby]

I can't think of a model shop in the southern parts of Coventry, unless it's Biggin Hall Crescent you're thinking of, Keith?

 

There was a model shop too in Spon End but that's more west than south.

 

I drove past the old GEC site a few years ago, where the sports fields are, and a sign advertised that day a public event on the model engineering line, so I think it's still operating.

 

There was a small miniature railway circuit too once upon a time in the War Memorial Park, run by the GEC club I think. My dad took me on it once when I was very young, the line has long since gone.

 

I've often thought since, how many other miniature railways have we lost over the years, has anyone compiled a 'Passengers No More' type listing of the lost miniature lines?

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

Defintely not Biggin Hall Crescent that's a lot closer to Stoke Works than the one I went to, which was two or three miles away.

(I was working there for the GPO at the time)

 

Spon End? Was that one in a housing estate? (EDIT it says under the arches in the other post! - defintely not that one.)

The one I remember wasn't with too many other shops (e.g. not a local high street type arrangement)

IIRC it wasn't a particularly large shop and would have been part of a terrace..

 

All I remember it was somewhere South of Cov City Centre (could have been SW or SE as well)

 

Keith

Edited June 6, 2017 by melmerby

[railroadbill]

Hi Bill,

 

That's very interesting, glad that I wasn't imagining the other branch of Blunts in Welwyn Garden City.

 

It's come to my mind now that there used to be a model shop in Burnt Oak, 'Peglars'.(Early 1960s) It was in the dip going down the Watling Avenue about half way between the Tube station and the Edgware Road (Burnt Oak Broadway). I remember starting off there on TT gauge, A set that contained a Britannia 70036 Boadicea, and three mark 1's. I can remember being disappointed later on when purchasing an additional coach that the loco couldn't pull the train with four coaches, it slipped like crazy. But the loco did have a smoke unit, and you could buy smoke capsules (oil), that you dripped into the chimney. It produced reasonable smoke effects, but a rather sickly sweet aroma!

After several years of TT I traded it in to Beatties of Southgate, and went over to N Gauge instead.

 

Andy.

 

Sept 1964 ad from my one and only Meccano Magazine.

I think Beatties was across the road from the tube station - there was perhaps their second hand shop a couple of doors away from the main shop then they just had one bigger shop?

 

My schoolfriends travelled some distance to trade in trains for scalextric,  the obsession with cars era was beginning....

I actually kept my HD 3 rail, (had bought some s/h track from Beaties) but there was then a big gap for me between schooldays and getting interested in railways again.

 

There was a Beatties in High Holborn at #112 where Bassett Lowke had been , then they had a much bigger shop west of the tube station opposite where My Old Dutch pancake restaurant is. Think that is still there, used to go there quite a lot when I worked near there. Beatties is long gone now.

 

I think there was another Beatties in Northampton, in the shopping precinct over the bus station ( a building now demolished). Visited that (or a similar shop) when I worked in Northampton on a contract in the mid 1990s. (there was also "The Model shop" 230 Wellingborough Rd that I could reach in my lunch hour, got their sticker on an old Peco catalogue).

 

I remember reading that Col. Beattie was interested in stamp collecting but not in model railways!

[anroar53]

P1210371.JPG

 

Sept 1964 ad from my one and only Meccano Magazine.

I think Beatties was across the road from the tube station - there was perhaps their second hand shop a couple of doors away from the main shop then they just had one bigger shop?

 

My schoolfriends travelled some distance to trade in trains for scalextric,  the obsession with cars era was beginning....

I actually kept my HD 3 rail, (had bought some s/h track from Beaties) but there was then a big gap for me between schooldays and getting interested in railways again.

 

There was a Beatties in High Holborn at #112 where Bassett Lowke had been , then they had a much bigger shop west of the tube station opposite where My Old Dutch pancake restaurant is. Think that is still there, used to go there quite a lot when I worked near there. Beatties is long gone now.

 

I think there was another Beatties in Northampton, in the shopping precinct over the bus station ( a building now demolished). Visited that (or a similar shop) when I worked in Northampton on a contract in the mid 1990s. (there was also "The Model shop" 230 Wellingborough Rd that I could reach in my lunch hour, got their sticker on an old Peco catalogue).

 

I remember reading that Col. Beattie was interested in stamp collecting but not in model railways!

Funny you should have mentioned Scalextric, I must have bucked the trend, because I traded mine in to expand my model railway! That was at Southgate too. I do recall that they had quite a big expanse of retail space. Several rows of shelves and cabinets full of stuff, and I never had enough money to go round (£ s d. Always fascinating to see all those old money prices). I'm now beginning to think that Beatties opened another store in the new shopping complex at Wood Green in the late 70s ?? Haven't found an advert for that at the moment.

 

Andy.

[melmerby]

 But the loco did have a smoke unit, and you could buy smoke capsules (oil), that you dripped into the chimney. It produced reasonable smoke effects, but a rather sickly sweet aroma!

These days it's called "Vaping"!

 

Keith

[uksweet]

Halifax Model Centre went last month too....

[Liam]

Most of the things for my home layout came from either Hobbycraft (their Hornby range) or Castle Trains of Warwick, with a few things from Footplate. Sadly Castle Trains went a few years back, and I was quite surprised to hear lots of negative experiences from other RMwebbers.

 

Hobbycraft used to have a huge Hornby range - among other things, I got a class 20, 'Terrier', and some container wagons from there. But over time they slimmed their range down to Railroad, then just one or two sets.

 

However, Footplate is still going strong, so I wish to re-establish my connection after all these years.

[Widnes Model Centre]

uksweet

Which Model Shop in Halifax?

[Richard Scott]

Halifax Model Centre went last month too....

Halifax model centre has moved around the corner. Cheers. Richard.

[Widnes Model Centre]

Halifax model centre has moved around the corner. Cheers. Richard.

Thanks Richard, not that long I spoke to them. Had me worried uksweet.

[uksweet]

uksweet

Which Model Shop in Halifax?

Halifax Modellers World, on Union Street....

 

Nothing whatsoever in the window saying it has moved....

 

Glad it has though, I'll try and find it on Thursday.

Edited July 17, 2017 by uksweet

[Northmoor]

Just found this thread when I Google'd an old model shop name from my youth.  I see others remembered Bob Denny of Long Eaton, which we visited a couple of times on holidays in the area; I still have several items of rolling stock bought from his substantial stocks of secondhand!

 

In my home town of Haverfordwest was Wheelaway, which only stocked a limited amount of model trains (Tom's sports just down the street had more stock and masses of aircraft kits, but none of the expertise) but sold me a few bits over the years.  there was another model shop near the station but that closed when I was still very young.  I can't remember the name of the shop in Carmarthen where I recall buying Mainline wagons for £1.25 each, but the name of Number One models rings a bell.

 

Also on travels around the country in my youth, I remember buying items from the village Post Office in Witley, Hampshire (or perhaps it was the adjoining shop?) when we had relatives just down the road.  Now I've thought about this, no doubt more names will come to mind.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Talking of Post Offices, the one at Barugh Green, Barnsley, stocked model railways at one time in the late 70's ISTR.

 

Mike.

[ba14eagle]

Just found this thread and thought I would add some of my own memories.

Firstly, Stroud-Sims in Trowbridge - has already been mentioned. During my lifetime it was located in Silver Street. Even then it was split down the middle, with railways being found at the rear of the store. Later became Trowbridge Toys and Models and then Digby's.

One from the late 70's / early 80's was Melksham Models, located in the main street near to where the entrance to Sainsburys is now. USed to stock Lima as I recall. Another name that has also appeared in this thread, was Howell Dimmock. Anyone remember when he had a shop in the old school in Chantry, near Frome? After this, he had another small shop in Catherine Hill, Frome. Talking of Frome, in the 90's, Mendip models started out with 2 different shops in the town.

Moving further afield, in late 1989 / early 1990, I lived in Christchurch, Dorset. A work colleague was also into model railways and was a useful companion, touring local model shops during our afternoons off. There was a hardware store in Bargates which used to regularly have secondhand items in the window. Holdenhurst Road in Bournemouth was blessed with Bournemouth Model Centre and Motor Books. The Branch Line was on the road between Charminster and Castle Lane West. In Boscombe, there was Fosters, who had masses of secondhand stuff, and Boscombe Collectors Centre. In Southbourne, there was another shop, but the name escapes me - possibly Railmart?

My job then moved from Christchurch to Frimley Road, Camberley. There was a model shop about 1/4 mile up the road from my pub and I also became familiar with Junior World in Hook and Cove Models.

Does anyone know if there is a similar thread to this, but for permanent model railway exhibitions? I recall visiting plenty of these, most now shut.

[Northmoor]

My job then moved from Christchurch to Frimley Road, Camberley. There was a model shop about 1/4 mile up the road from my pub and I also became familiar with Junior World in Hook and Cove Models.

Does anyone know if there is a similar thread to this, but for permanent model railway exhibitions? I recall visiting plenty of these, most now shut.

You must have worked almost walking distance from me.....

 

I visited Cove Models a few times but once in their last week before closing the shop in North Camp, bought A LOT of "projects" - Parkside kit at half price etc. - and met a few work colleagues I didn't know were modellers!

 

As for permanent model exhibitions, I recall two: one at Manor House Leisure Park near Tenby, which was about 30' long and went through a day-night sequence, the other at Holt Model Railways on the Gower.  Don't know if either are still running.

[John M Upton]

Recounting back to my recall of the late lamented Harrow Model Shop some pages back, they used to sell a broad range of mostly white metal kits of London Underground subjects (I had a couple of their Metropolitan A Stock sets and a battery loco IIRC many moon ago).

 

What happened to the range?  Someone asked me about them a few weeks ago and I have to admit I do not recall seeing any of the Harrow Model Shop range resurface anywhere else after the shop closed. 

[Steamport Southport]

Funnily enough I walked past an old model/toy shop that I used to frequent regularly just the other day.

 

Zodiac Toys and Models in Belle Vale Shopping Precinct in Liverpool. First time I've been in there for over thirty years. I can't exactly remember what it is now, but it was something insignificant like a pound store or card shop.

 

 

As well as the usual toys such as Action Man and LEGO, they used to stock things like Airfix GMR and Mainline at discount prices. Never seemed to have any Hornby though. At one point they were selling things like PECO, Merit and even Ratio. Much cheaper than places like Beatties as well.

 

I had a real flashback and wished it was still open. If only so I could buy some paints.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Moxy]

Funnily enough I walked past an old model/toy shop that I used to frequent regularly just the other day.

 

Zodiac Toys and Models in Belle Vale Shopping Precinct in Liverpool. First time I've been in there for over thirty years. I can't exactly remember what it is now, but it was something insignificant like a pound store or card shop.

 

 

As well as the usual toys such as Action Man and LEGO, they used to stock things like Airfix GMR and Mainline at discount prices. Never seemed to have any Hornby though. At one point they were selling things like PECO, Merit and even Ratio. Much cheaper than places like Beatties as well.

 

I had a real flashback and wished it was still open. If only so I could buy some paints.

 

 

 

 

Jason

 

That has brought back memories, I had forgotten about Zodiac Toys.  They were a chain of toy shops that eventually went bust.   There was a shop in the Fishergate Centre in Preston, that one certainly sold Hornby because I bought my first Hymek from there when I was about 18 (early 1980's).

[Enterprisingwestern]

Zodiac killed off quite a few local model shops in town centres, their pile it high sell it quick and sod the customer attitude probably also brought about their downfall.

All they seemed bothered about was beating the competition on price from my experience.

 

Mike.