Gone but not forgotten

[sixoh8sixoh]

On 28/03/2013 at 19:16, Brit70053 said:

As posted by Simon Hudson in #38, Applegarth's Model Shop in Claypath, Durham was one source of model railways in the city. I remember leaving the shop with a flea in my ear after innocently  asking for a Tri-Ang item, being told in 'no uncertain terms' never to mention "that rubbish" in Mr Applegarth's hearing again. If I recall, he mainly stocked Trix stock which was way beyond my means in those days.

 

Alternative sources of Model Railways in Durham City were Staddons in North Road, who dealt in quality furniture on the first floor of the store and toys and models of all descriptions on the ground floor.

Hornby Dublo, Tri - Ang and latterly Wrenn products were stocked.

 

Finally, near Elvet Bridge was Boydells, which was primarily a toy store who stocked Tri-Ang, then Tri- Ang Hornby model railways.

 

I believe all three of these stores had closed by the late 1970s, due to proprietor's retirement in the first two cases, but I think, sadly due to economic over commitment in the case of the latter, who took on one of the two Beatties premesis (Eldon Square Newcastle) and were unable to make a go of it.

 

Most memorably in Newcastle was 'The Model Shop' originally located on Blenheim Street before re development enforced a move to Marlborough Crescent. I loved going 'Upstairs to the trains' in the original store which was  treasure house of RTR, kits and small parts. Sadly the re located store closed sometime in the last 3 years or so.

 

For too short a time, Northumbria Models provided an alternative source of Model railway equipment in Waterloo Street, Newcastle, but it is possibly 20 years since they closed their doors for the last time.

 

Regards,

 

              John

 

Edited for typos

I think Boydells in Durham was possibly still going in the very early 80s, as I definitely have/had some models from there, and I was only born in 1977... I had a Hornby 37 in BR Blue and I think a Hornby BR green 08 shunter. I remember Staddons too, though that was primarily Airfix and Revell kits in the early 80s.

 

Northumbria Models in Newcastle was a nice little shop, very friendly, and they stocked some of the LINKA moulds, which I remember wanting but never getting.

 

Beatties on Northumberland Street in Newcastle was always a treat as I was fascinated by the trains running round at ceiling height.

 

Thankfully after a long fallow period, Co. Durham is now well served by Durham Trains of Stanley, and there is also the model shop at Chester Moor, though I tend not to visit there so much as Mick at DTOS is a friend and my first line of enquiry for anything!

[melmerby]

11 hours ago, sixoh8sixoh said:

Thankfully after a long fallow period, Co. Durham is now well served by Durham Trains of Stanley, and there is also the model shop at Chester Moor, though I tend not to visit there so much as Mick at DTOS is a friend and my first line of enquiry for anything!

If you think 'proper' counties (Rather than T & W), Co Durham has Pooley's Puffers, in the Teams.  South end of the Team Valley Trading Estate

(Just over the road from Sainsbury's)

Edited July 18, 2022 by melmerby
corrected location.

[D9020 Nimbus]

Team Valley, not Teams — also in Gateshead but not the same place.

 

What has disappeared, at least in the Newcastle area, is the city centre model shop. The sort of place you might come across without looking for it. At least Pooley's often advertise in the local newspaper — but not so many people read those nowadays.

 

As a teenager in the late 1960s I discovered the local model shops before discovering RM and MRC even existed. The only WHS then was at Central Station and was counter service only. I discovered the magazines by accident when looking in an independent (and no longer existing) city centre newsagents where you could browse.

 

[33C]

First saw, and bought, Railway World, March 1979. Had no idea that there was a "scene" before that and the clouds lifted from my eyes! Closely followed by the revelation of Railway Modeller, May 1979, and my life is content....Crow's newsagents, long bought out. Another local? shop was Bermans. "Toys, models, dolls." Very family orientated I recall.

[cessna152towser]

All those model shops in Glasgow which I recall from my childhood.  Clyde Model Dockyard at the corner inside the Argyle Arcade is fondly remembered but nearby there was also Wylie Hill's toy department at the Buchanan Street end of the Argyle Arcade which stocked Hornby-Dublo and Tri-ang trains as also did Lewis's on Argyle Street.  For kits such as Peco Wonderful Wagons it would be a trek along Argyle Street to Caledonia Model Company at Anderston, now an unrecognisable location due to redevelopment but I think near the current Anderston Cross railway station.  In my university years I would discover Glassfords in Cambridge Street.  Old Mr. Glassford  with his brown overalls was reminiscent of Ronnie Barker "Open All Hours" or perhaps of Norman Hatton at 180 Smithdown Road Liverpool.    I recall Glassfords still had a few Hornby-Dublo 3250 EMU power cars in stock into the early 1970s, one of which was bought by a university pal and which I later fell heir to when he sadly died young from cancer.   I still have a Hornby-Dublo D14 suburban, crudely repainted in matt black as an engineer's coach, which I bought second hand from Glassfords for a few shillings, more years ago than I care to remember.

Then there was MacMillan Models on the south side.   I got to know the late Bill MacMillan and his wife Jean and became involved for some years as treasurer of his Cathcart Show before I left the Glasgow area in 1989.
I was introduced to the delights of Hattons 180 Smithdown Road shop in Liverpool in 1974 when the West Coast Main Line electrification was extended to Glasgow and there was a special offer day ticket from British Rail.  Three pounds for a three hour run to Liverpool or Manchester Four pounds for a four hour run to Birmingham or Five pounds for a five hour run to London.   I sampled all of them that year.   Liverpool became a monthly trip for me, always on  a dark green Liverpool Corporation Leyland Atlantean from Lime Street out to Smithdown Road and returning home with a big cardboard box full of bargain price Hornby-Dublo, packed personally in the shop by the late Norman Hatton and most of which was quickly sold on to fellow collectors though I still retain a few items.

[melmerby]

6 hours ago, D9020 Nimbus said:

Team Valley, not Teams — also in Gateshead but not the same place.

Yes the Teams are on the Tyne!

Been through it enough on the 10 bus along Team Street😄, should've got it right.

 

Pooley goes to local shows.

[ianmacc]

On 12/07/2022 at 00:18, adb968008 said:

I drove past Farnworth Rail and Model Centre the other day.

 

it closed c1999, and it’s never changed a moment since.. inside it’s largely empty but some elements of a model shop remain.

 

China made models, the Internet, the IPhone have all passed this shop by .. Lima was still the big thing, Hornby manufactured in the UK, and Mainline models were still residual new in Dapol boxes when the shutters were last up, yet which it still looks like it’s closed on a Sunday to ready to reopen on a Monday…

 

 

 

as a school kid I used to tie my bike up to that drain pipe by the door, and gaze at this weeks selection of newly acquired second hand.. I bought one of my very first models, 45691 Orion from here, cost me about £16 new.

 

i wonder if I lifted the letter box, if it would still smell of a mixture of that dog, dust and burnt solder ? If the cellar is still full of railwayana and if the carpet and floor has finally given way (it was a big springy)..

 

The Hornby rep used to be scared of coming here, one local customer used to block the doorway and give him 5 minutes of his thoughts about Hornbys range every time he came… somethings never change

 

but one thing was for sure, I  never left empty handed.. I still have a part converted 78xxx from a Hornby Ivatt to complete from here.

 

I wonder why it’s never moved on ?

I think SRA Models in Stockport is in the same state of limbo. Must be something about that neck of the woods!

[Graham108]

9 hours ago, cessna152towser said:

 Clyde Model Dockyard at the corner inside the Argyle Arcade is fondly remembered

I can jut about remember this shop - Santa bought me a red Triang Dock Shunter from there,  back in the mid-60's - had it until a couple of week ago when it got passed on to another RMWeber, still in good working order.

[ianmacc]

Oh for a time machine to revisit some of these sentimental old places! The shops I used to go to as a child but with the financial wherewithal to buy the items I wanted! 

 

Going to any city or large town in the UK and actually choosing which of the multiple shops to visit first!! 

[big jim]

On 19/07/2022 at 09:48, ianmacc said:

Oh for a time machine to revisit some of these sentimental old places! The shops I used to go to as a child but with the financial wherewithal to buy the items I wanted! 

 

Going to any city or large town in the UK and actually choosing which of the multiple shops to visit first!! 

a time machine to go back just 10-15 years to shops that are still open today to buy current items at the lower prices would do me! 

 

 

 

[Mirthwaite]

As a north London boy my first my first memories of model shops were visits to Col Beatties in Southgate with my Dad. They had four shops close together in The Broadway near the tube station - a main shop, a second hand shop, a slot racing shop and around the corner a fourth shop we rarely visited, which I think was a repair shop. The second hand shop was full of 3rd rail HD as it was a time when many were moving to 2 rail. 
 

Later, when I began to earn some money I remember visiting Howell & Dimmock in Lordship Lane, Kings Cross Models in York Way and W&H in New Cavendish St, and Puffers in Kenton. I built a zero 1 layout in the attic based on Par with around 20 locos, mainly diesels, Westerns, Warships, Hymeks and a few steam locos, from Lima, Hornby, Airfix and Mainline. On one of my last visits to W&H, to pick up a zero 1 chipped Mainline 22xx, I saw the late Willie Rushton, who was picking up an LGB loco for his garden. 
 

After a long period away from model railways I got back into it a few years ago building a 16mm garden railway, and made the odd visit Kent Garden Railways, a free trip to St Mary Cray once I got my Freedom Pass, until it closed it’s shop during COVID lock down and made the switch to mail order only. More recently I’ve started to get back into indoor modelling and try and take in model shops on my travels. Some of the best I’ve found have been on preserved railways, and can recommend the shops at Bure Valley and Spa Valley railways, Smiths in Sheringham and John Duttfield in Chelmsford. I’ve also used Trackshack, and was very sorry to see them shut down, also during the pandemic, as their service was always excellent and customer friendly. 
 

As an aside, my zero 1 chipped locos all ran faultlessly, with excellent slow running, so I find it a bit concerning when looking at online reviews by the likes of Sams Trains that so many new, and vastly more expensive locos seems to have so many faults and dodgy motors. Detail and accuracy have certainly improved (although Lima diesels were pretty decent and there was always the option to add missing detail), but reliability and serviceability seem to have taken a backward step. 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Mirthwaite said:

four shops close together in The Broadway near the tube station - a main shop, a second hand shop, a slot racing shop and around the corner a fourth shop we rarely visited, which I think was a repair shop. 

How interesting - I only knew the first two. Used to cycle from home in Mill Hill up to my mate's place in Whetstone then on to Southgate.

[sagaguy]

As a young lad in the late 1950s,i lived in Harringay and would cycle to the old Southgate Hobby shop when it first opened in half a shop next to the boot repair shop where they had shelves full of s/h wagons etc,the controllers was in a room at the back.I still remember cycling along Green Lanes,left at the Triangle and up Aldermans hill turning right at the top to Southgate,uphill althe way.Howell Dimmock i remember very well,I bought a Ks Fowler tank kit one Christmas,never did get it to run well.In the 60s,i used to work in a shop and used to get half day Thursdays off.Bus to Manor House tube station to Baker St and walk to W & H who were in Paddington st.at the time before moving to New Cavendish St.Through the back doubles to Warren St passing the Trix showrooms on the left and catching the bus home.All gone now,i`m nearly 80 but the memories are still strong.As an aside,when i moved to Northampton,there was a Beatties store in the town shopping centre and talking to one of the staff there,he was bemoaning the fact that it wasn`t a real model shop any more,just plastic junk.This was in the late1980s.

 

                   Ray.

[Mirthwaite]

I remember the two original Beatties shops in Southgate as being purely for model railways. When they expanded and opened the other shops they became more general.  I lived in Bowes Park, so Beatties and Howell & Dimmock were both a short bus ride away. Can just remember steam at Wood Green and Palace Gates, and would hear trains, whistling at night before entering tunnels north of Wood Green, particularly the A4s with their distinctive chime whistles.  Later I  did my first train spotting there, watching early diesels and the new Deltics. A particular favourite was watching the early evening expresses thunder through Wood Green, such as the Master Cutler (usually Brush type 4 hauled) and the Aberdonian, which was a very long Deltic hauled train of around 17 coaches as I recall. Also remember the miniature railway that ran round the lake at Ally Pally. 
 

Another old shop that springs to mind is Jennings in Ponders End. Not one I used much, but I know it lasted longer than other local shops. 

[sagaguy]

Beatties were sold to Richard Khonstham whose trademark was RIKO.

 

 

       Ray. 

[Philou]

4 hours ago, sagaguy said:

Beatties were sold to Richard Khonstham whose trademark was RIKO.

 

I didn't know that. When I worked in Bud Morgan's of Cardiff, RIKO was the major supplier of kits - especially Tamiya IIRC. They never did railway stuff insofar as I recall. (Bud's outlasted Beatties!)

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[sagaguy]

I think they sold mainly scatter materials for landscaping but i think their interests probably went further than that.Have a look here.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatties_of_London

 

                        Ray.

Edited August 4, 2022 by sagaguy

[sagaguy]

12 hours ago, Mirthwaite said:

I remember the two original Beatties shops in Southgate as being purely for model railways. When they expanded and opened the other shops they became more general.  I lived in Bowes Park, so Beatties and Howell & Dimmock were both a short bus ride away. Can just remember steam at Wood Green and Palace Gates, and would hear trains, whistling at night before entering tunnels north of Wood Green, particularly the A4s with their distinctive chime whistles.  Later I  did my first train spotting there, watching early diesels and the new Deltics. A particular favourite was watching the early evening expresses thunder through Wood Green, such as the Master Cutler (usually Brush type 4 hauled) and the Aberdonian, which was a very long Deltic hauled train of around 17 coaches as I recall. Also remember the miniature railway that ran round the lake at Ally Pally. 
 

Another old shop that springs to mind is Jennings in Ponders End. Not one I used much, but I know it lasted longer than other local shops. 

Here we are,a blast from the past,Ally Pally,mid 1950s.

 

                      Ray.

[sagaguy]

Another one on the same day.

 

                    Ray

[sagaguy]

Jennings were still in exsistance at the start of 2014,there is a facebook page but there have been no entries since that time.I bought oneof the first Farish Cl.101 N scale dmus  and a Minitrix Mallard there in the early 80s.

 

A model shop we had in Northampton in St.Leonards rd for a short while was Bec models but it was quite short lived.

 

                      Ray.

[ianmacc]

10 hours ago, sagaguy said:

I think they sold mainly scatter materials for landscaping but i think their interests probably went further than that.Have a look here.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatties_of_London

 

                        Ray.

They were involved heavily in 

model railways through Lima.

[MyRule1]

On 07/08/2020 at 14:00, Colin said:

Years later I saw a shop in one of the back streets selling a mixture of large scale tinplate and other old toys and dolls’ houses, someone at an exhibition said that it was “the bloke from Chuffs”.

I moved to the Sudbury area about 20 years ago and discovered a "model shop" called Perfect Miniatures. The window had a totally disorganised pile of modelling items, some of which had faded due to the window being South facing. I went in there once and the owner was rude and the shop was totally disorganised. I never visited again.

 

Some time later one of the front windows was demolished, probably by a car going round the corner too fast. This remained unmended and the rest of the facade got worse.

 

Then last year the window was mended and the shop sold.

 

Although the main business was dolls houses they also claimed to be an O gauge retailer. This the chaotic nature of the shop and the owners attitude all reminded me of the Chuff 's of the 1970's.

 

 

[sagaguy]

Anyone remember Meks models in Mackenzie road,Holloway,N.London?.

        Ray.

[Gilwell Park]

Yes I remember MEKS. I used to work for BT in their factory behind Selby's in Holloway Rd. OK for a lunch time walk. Was also a good location for Kings cross models and the continental shop, Victors,  initially in Chapel market, then Pentonville Rd, on the 14 bus. Was always puzzled about MEKS, where their stock came from & how they made a profit from that location.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Gilwell Park
remembered name of shop.

[cessna152towser]

Sorting through stuff today I came across a Dapol box end flap with a price label of 28.89 from Re-Rail of St. Helens.   I think this is off a Dapol J94 which I bought from a stall at a swopmeet/collectors' fare in Carlisle in 1989 and which I still have.  Can anyone remember Re-Rail of St. Helens?   Did they ever have a physical shop or did they only do the exhibitions and swopmeets circuit?

Edited February 3, 2023 by cessna152towser
typo