I'm a bit surprised no-one has mentioned the old 'Bob's Models' on the Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham.
I worked in Small Heath in the 70's and was introduced into the railway section by Jim B, a fellow I worked with, who had a great collection of ER pacifics and American HO brass (SP & ATSF mainly) After a early purchase of a Hornby Black 5 and an Airfix signal box which I tried to modify into Heath Junction signal box, Jim finally turned me to the dark side and I embarked on a 35 year journey frought with fun and not a little financial sacrifice. After a couple of Rivarrossi HO B&O locos has gone into the display cabinet, I joined the infant B&O Historical Society, just in time for them to tell me my Rivarrossi B&O President Washington and rake of Athearn coaches, both in blue and grey, was a big no no.
The brass 'lay away' scheme that was operated there saw me first buy a Westside Q4b 2-8-2 which I had painted by the late Brian Coldicott and my weekly visits to pay a share were always tormented by the latest deliveries from the late Bill Eaglesham -T3's, S1a, EM1. There were boxes of exotic stuff from Walthers and other US producers like Campbell, Athearn, Chooch and the shelves were always full of great stuff, models by customers and staff. I recall Mike B of this parish working there, doling out neat xylene when Floquil dio-sol thinners were in short supply, Barry W who was also a BR driver interrupting his work to talk about incidents on his BR working days (iirc he was on HST's and was based at Saltley). I should say they sold lots of other stuff but I only had eyes for the B&O by then.
In all that time I never laid more than 2 pieces of track and that was Peco 009 when I did a bit of freelance HOn30,that after Mike B had butchered an HO B&O C 16 0-4-0 into an SRRL On30 loco - he made a great job of it too.!
I still haven't laid any track but watching Coachmann's exploits on here has got me at least to lay 5 pieces of cork sheet on baseboards, ready for my revived Heath station layout in a shed (only 40 years later!)
Dave