MG Sharp - Sheffield

[torqueofthedevil]

Just in case I can save anyone a wasted journey, the current opening hours for this shop are:

 

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1100-1500 (closed Bank Holidays)

 

I couldn't find this information anywhere on their website so I went to have a look and that's what it said on the door last week.  Luckily Marcway Models were open for business so my trip to Attercliffe wasn't entirely wasted!

[Ian Hargrave]

I am surprised that they are still in business.So sad to think that a one time leader in its field appears to be in poor shape.I wonder how many remember the late Bill Eaglesham,whose cigarette smoke was legendary.

[beast66606]

I am surprised that they are still in business.So sad to think that a one time leader in its field appears to be in poor shape.I wonder how many remember the late Bill Eaglesham,whose cigarette smoke was legendary.

 

I once spent a drunken afternoon in a strip club with Bill - got great discount on the Farish Compound when we went back to the show ! - happy days.

[coachmann]

Only ever spoke with Bill on the phone, which we did for years. He was always good for a laugh. Met Margaret though in 1972 at their 'Brass butique'. A place to dream but I came away empty handed. Discovered some brill American model products at M G Sharp's such as  Microscale Decal Clear Film on which I could make my own transfers and Acuflex acrylic paints in place of Floquil.

[New Haven Neil]

Ah, one had to have a thick skin to shop with Bill!  As for the son....

[torqueofthedevil]

My only previous trip there was nearly 6 years ago and the shop was good which is why I wanted to go again (I'm not local to Sheffield).  When I peered in the window last week there was all sorts of random stuff lying around like car tyres and so on, but some model stuff as well from what I could see.  Till next time...

[Talltim]

Last time I went they seem to be running a car spares business from the shop. The model rail stock has probably not changed much since you last went, except what has been sold.

[plarailfan]

I think the focus of the business has changed in recent years. I remember the owner advising people he was moving into the supply of parts for classic cars via the internet, while the model railway side of the business would concentrate on Kadee couplings.  

[Fat Controller]

Ah, one had to have a thick skin to shop with Bill!  As for the son....

I remember seeing his stand at Newcastle show (when it used to be in the Guildhall) about 25 or more years ago- it's the only time I've seen two German Shepherds as 'security'.

[BigAndy]

Going back even further, I can just remember my old man telling me that when Bill was dismantling his stand after our, then bi-annual Macclesfield show, several ( empty ) whisky bottles were seen and heard to clink and roll across the Drill Hall floor..................

[Cape Town Trev]

When I lived in the UK (oops England) I remember visiting this shop when I made business trips to Sheffield.  Very well stocked.  When I left England in August 2006 I spent my annual bonus of some GBP600 on American outline N gauge.

 

Before I had visited the shop I wanted a Japanese Kato DMU and the shop took the train to the N Gauge Show for me to see and obviously I bought it and Unitrack to run it on.

 

Sad how the shop has gone down.  From what I hear on various sites "Customer relations" was not a strong point!!

[New Haven Neil]

I remember seeing his stand at Newcastle show (when it used to be in the Guildhall) about 25 or more years ago- it's the only time I've seen two German Shepherds as 'security'.

 

Ah, the show always seemed better somehow when it was there.  Last one I recall had Chris Pendlenton's 'North Shields' - wow!

[ian@stenochs]

Hi.

I earned a bit of pocket money building loco kits for Bill when he had a shop in Glasgow. I graduated in 68 so not yesterday! His move South was a big loss for modellers in the West of Scotland but he always came back for the Glasgow show in February.

I remember his so being a bit different from his dad!

Happy modelling.

Ian.

[cnw6847]

its a real shame, I used to get most of my US stuff from there.

 

My dad new Bill for quite sometime and even arrived at the shop covered in my brothers vomit, he had been ill in the car.

Bill welcomed my dad and offered the use of their facilities to clean up.

[highpeak]

I can't remember the year, probably 1980 or thereabouts when I had just emigrated to the US, I went down to Rigby Yard in Portland, ME one afternoon, it was pretty quiet and  I was quite surprised to see another small group of photographers. I was even more surprised to find one of them was Bill, who I vaguely knew from doing business with him in the late 70s. Last place I'd really expect to meet a foreign visitor, there wasn't really that much of interest unless you were into MEC and B&M. Small world.