RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted April 15, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 15, 2017 I used to get some stuff from the barber shop in Albert Walk in Harborne, I think his name was Sid. He sold toys and had a good stock of Trix and Triang as well as aircraft and ship kits, glue and paint. The Engineers Mess Van parked in my yard was made from a Triang Clerestory I bought from him in the 1960s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oh my goodness me Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Growing up in Morecambe, before Richard opened the train shop on Pedder street, Cliff and his wife had a model shop just past the battery with a continental railway in the back which was accessible from the prom side. He had mainline and all sorts of second hand. The marvellous trains and transport in Preston already mentioned above relieved me of great sums. There was a small but well stocked shop "junction 35" at the entrance to steam town at Carnforth for a while. Palatine model rail in Blackpool was always worth a visit, I remember picking up a pair of H & M walkabouts there after the lads from barrow let me trial one on their layout bolden junction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 There was a Newsagents in Helsby Cheshire, sold Triang Railways, one day they took me into their stockroom and i found a Triang 2 Car EMU which of course I bought! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coppercap Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Interestingly When I did a proper job for a well known Health Care Company, who once had a tall building on the Great West Road Nr the Chiswick Flyover I take it that was Beechams? Building's still there, listed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 16, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 16, 2017 Gee Dee's to close??? Do we have any evidence?, it's only up for sale as I am aware. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Guy Norris? Used to be a regular in the RM in the 70's. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 I take it that was Beechams? Building's still there, listed. Yes that is correct worked for them for 30 years, only visited Beecham House 3 times, I had heard that the building had been converted to apartments?? They outgrew it in around ,90 and opened other premises across the A4 at New Horizons Court, sad the see the Beecham name has disappeared from their title, now its GSK Glaxo Smithkline Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coppercap Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Yes that is correct worked for them for 30 years, only visited Beecham House 3 times, I had heard that the building had been converted to apartments?? They outgrew it in around ,90 and opened other premises across the A4 at New Horizons Court, sad the see the Beecham name has disappeared from their title, now its GSK Glaxo Smithkline Did you know Beechams weren't the original occupiers of what became known as Beechams House? Funny, I visited Beechams more times than you went to the site, as a PO Telephones apprentice! Really nice staff restaurant, probably the best on the Great West Road.......we'd often just happen to find reasons to call in at lunchtime! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 No Wasnt aware of that, the restaurant on the upper floor was quite good only went in there once!! if I recall it had a sort of conveyor belt system running down the centre where used trays and plates etc were deposited and transported back to the kitchen! As we are now off topic I had better confirm they did not have a model shop on site! But one of the directors did have a Model Railway interest and was building a layout based on the East Coast main line in steam days cannot recall the area he featured but will update if I remember! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jol Wilkinson Posted April 17, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 17, 2017 Moore's Handicrafts, Rugby. At the corner of Bath Street and Clifton Road, opposite the Lawrence Sheriff School. Moore's were a hardware store with a model shop on the first floor and carried a range of products for the aspiring model maker in the 1950/60s (and possibly later, but I moved away in 1964). The location now contains a Mobility "scooter" centre, perhaps they are still dealing with some of the same clientele. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tractionman Posted April 17, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2017 A lot of newsagents/toy shops sold, mainly, Triang / Triang Hornby and mostly trainsets, although some sold other items. I worked as a teenager doing a paper round for a Dillons shops in Kingshurst, Birmingham and my tips at Christmas paid for a trainset. It was not bought from Dillons, though, another newsagents in the precinct. My mum used to take me to Barnby's in Coventry precinct to get my train set stuff in the early seventies as a very young boy... http://s12.photobucket.com/user/BazAdams/media/Old%20Cov%20Pics/BarnbysAdvert_zps52d06fce.jpg.html I still remember going upstairs to where the trains were, well over forty years ago! I then 'graduated' to 'proper' model shops, two near where I lived, one at the top of Sewall Highway near the junction with Ansty Road and another off the Binley Road at Crescent Avenue I think. Both long gone. Anyone remember them? All the best, Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoking gun Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 D Hewins Models and Hobbies closed at the beginning of this month following the death of Dave Hewins last year. Article from local paper here: http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/grimsby-model-and-hobby-shop-hewins-to-close-after-37-years/story-30221552-detail/story.html Spent many days there mostly buying wargaming and general modelling supplies. Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 17, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2017 Talking of the area, is Loftis still going on Grimsby Road in Cleethorpes, seem to remember the guy was getting on a bit when I frequented the place in the late 80's early 90's? Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium amwells Posted April 17, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 17, 2017 Did you know Beechams weren't the original occupiers of what became known as Beechams House? Funny, I visited Beechams more times than you went to the site, as a PO Telephones apprentice! Really nice staff restaurant, probably the best on the Great West Road.......we'd often just happen to find reasons to call in at lunchtime! And not too far from there was Braley's in Ealing. Never a price ticket in sight, loads and loads of second hand and I'm sure he used to price on what he thought you could afford. Never liked kids either. While in the area - there was Ernie's in Chiswick High Road too. Remember mum buying me a loco from there as a reward for passing my school exams Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 D Hewins Models and Hobbies closed at the beginning of this month following the death of Dave Hewins last year. Article from local paper here: http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/grimsby-model-and-hobby-shop-hewins-to-close-after-37-years/story-30221552-detail/story.html Spent many days there mostly buying wargaming and general modelling supplies. Martin I have to confess I thought this shop had closed some time back. I was last in there about 20 years ago and even though I used to be in the area fairly regularly, it never occurred to me to pop in. Sorry to hear it has finally gone though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Colin Posted April 18, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2017 Guy Norris? Used to be a regular in the RM in the 70's. I well remember Guy Norris Neil, they had several shops in the Ilford and Barking areas plus one in Southend. They were around in the Airfix/ Mainline era of the mid to late 70s and were almost the perfect shop for me, selling a huge range of railways plus books (I bought a fair few of the Bradford Barton volumes there). They were also, of course, a record store so I was able to indulge my love of rock music there as well. I understand they went bust overnight, early '80s IIRC. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGP Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 (edited) but I'm pretty sure that was Apex Craft, ABC doesn't ring any bells Yes you're right ... a senior moment, sorry. I also recall a model shop on Narborough Road on the top floor a general store. Gee Dee's to close??? Yes, unless the current owner can find a buyer. He is in his 80's and wants to retire. Can't blame him really, I retired at 54. There is a separate thread about this. Edited April 18, 2017 by SGP 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoking gun Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Talking of the area, is Loftis still going on Grimsby Road in Cleethorpes, seem to remember the guy was getting on a bit when I frequented the place in the late 80's early 90's? Mike. Hi Mike, Loftus went many years ago, I'm afraid to say. Regards, Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 I well remember Guy Norris Neil, they had several shops in the Ilford and Barking areas plus one in Southend. They were around in the Airfix/ Mainline era of the mid to late 70s and were almost the perfect shop for me, selling a huge range of railways plus books (I bought a fair few of the Bradford Barton volumes there). They were also, of course, a record store so I was able to indulge my love of rock music there as well. I understand they went bust overnight, early '80s IIRC. Thanks Colin, I always wondered what happened to them. I bought my first 'finescale' items from them....an Airfix prairie and B set, I'm guessing it was around 1977? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 I well remember Guy Norris Neil, they had several shops in the Ilford and Barking areas plus one in Southend. They were around in the Airfix/ Mainline era of the mid to late 70s and were almost the perfect shop for me, selling a huge range of railways plus books (I bought a fair few of the Bradford Barton volumes there). They were also, of course, a record store so I was able to indulge my love of rock music there as well. I understand they went bust overnight, early '80s IIRC. Guy Norris also had a shop in Covent garden, where I bought a Mainline J72 (which I've still got, replacement chassis and lots of fiddling later) plus some Mainline ex LMS 57' paneled coaches. Those coaches really got me back into 00 gauge, due to having realistic looking windows (unlike the horrible recessed ones that Mk1 etc models had then). Still got them and they come out for a run round the loft every now and again, though they now have metal wheels. They were £2.99 each. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 There was a general toy shop in the town of Wimborne Minster in Dorset in the 50s and 60s and possibly into the 70s - known as Haywards.They had a good supply of Triang and later Triang-Hornby. Got a Britannia from them and have had a soft spot for these locos ever since. Mr Hayward was quite a dour man I seem to recall but was always very helpful to a nipper coming in to spend his pocket money on train related stuff. Did Scalectrix too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Colin Posted April 18, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2017 Guy Norris also had a shop in Covent garden, where I bought a Mainline J72 (which I've still got, replacement chassis and lots of fiddling later) plus some Mainline ex LMS 57' paneled coaches. Those coaches really got me back into 00 gauge, due to having realistic looking windows (unlike the horrible recessed ones that Mk1 etc models had then). Still got them and they come out for a run round the loft every now and again, though they now have metal wheels. They were £2.99 each. I remember coaches retailing at under £3 as well. As for wagons, I bought my first Mainline 16T minerals at Blackwells of Hawkwell around 1975 for 75p each....... I think Guy Norris possibly overstretched themselves, a short time after diversifying into railways they were stocking some fairly esoteric stuff at the Barking shop such as Rivarossi US outline and possibly Rowa (ancestors of Roco?) European models, hardly mainstream stuff in those days. Discounts were always pretty good, I remember buying an Airfix 14xx and auto coach for well under a tenner! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Colin Posted April 18, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2017 Anyone remember Moore's Models in London Road, Leigh on Sea? Bought my first Rebuilt Bulleid Pacific there (Dublo "Barnstaple") for under a fiver back in 1972 (IIRC). I think they closed down towards the end of the 1970s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 Going back to the 2013 posts - Bearwood Models (in Birmingham) was run by Mr Evans, assisted by Bernard, who went on to run a model shop in another West Midlands town, if I remember. Bearwood Models is where my pocket money went.... A wonderful shop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGP Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I certainly miss C & B Models in Derby. The loss of that shop and Trainlines has much reduced the options in the city. C&B never really had much in although I may have found it late in the day just before it became a totally R/C outlet. Trainlines used to be at 79 Ashbourne Road (between Friargate and Markeaton) which is now Georgies Vintage Cafe. He only opened two days a week and couldn't have done much business. After relocating to the old Nottingham Road, he opened a lot more frequently but the business was sold not long after to TTC Diecast who are still there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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