Ed Russell Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I like the title of this thread .....but then I would ... Regards Trevor... Thanks for those pictures - I showed my wife and she doesn't think the 1000-odd kits in my back room are such a problem now. (LOL&TIC-emoticons) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philbky Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Some nostalgia re model shops and kits. The first model I ever built was an Airfix Hurricane, bought at the model shop on Old St in Ashton under Lyne in 1954 when I was 7. When we moved to Stockport in 1956 there was a DIY store in Heaton Mersey which had Airfix kits across the 1/72nd range from 2/6d for the polybag/card top presented small aircraft through to the boxed 6/- Wellington, the 7/6d Lancaster and the enormously expensive 10/- Sunderland - very much Christmas present territory. I built most of the 2/6d range and many of the later 3/- and 4/6d range plus the bigger kits over the next 10 years. When the Airfix Skyking 1/144 range came out I made all of those plus the 1/72nd Friendship and DC3/C-47. All were purchased from the DIY shop. Tools and materials were pretty much limited to tubes of plastic cement and Humbrol paints but I managed to build an Airfix BAC 1-11 in Braniff pastel blue colours in 1966 when I found Letraset for the titles at a stationers. The DIY shop also offered the odd foreign kit. In around 1960/61 they had a Lufthansa Convair 440 in an odd scale along with a Piaggio P149 in the same scale. The Convair had discs to represent moving props. A 1/96th BOAC Comet appeared at about the same time showing the registration G-BOAC on the tail and with decals, or transfers as we called them then, so brittle as to make them useless. The interior was fully detailed with seats, toilets and galleys but the floor was a few thou too wide, making putting the fuselage halves together a bit of a problem. The newsagent just down the road from the DIY store stocked the odd Frog and Lindbergh Line kit. They provided me with a 1/72 Piper Apache, a 1/96th Aero Commander and a Stinson Trimotor airliner. In Stockport there was a toy shop on St Petersgate, near the market, which had a good range of various makes of aircraft models. In Cheadle a newsagents in the centre had, by 1969, a great range of Revell models. I bough a 1/32nd Skyraider with a complex retractable undercarriage and folding wings which were far too complex for the scale and never worked. Further afield there was a DIY shop on the Huddersfield Rd outside Oldham centre which stocked a range of Japanese kits in the early 1970s. Can't remember the make but they did a superb 1/32nd (or was it 1/48th) F-4E Phantom complete with steps and crew. The model shop on Old St Ashton survived for years, then moved across the road and eventually closed (owner retired?). In Manchester there was the Manchester Model Shop on Deansgate - now Modelzone - and the likes of Lewis's and Debenhams toy departments would always have a range of kits. Now there is Modelzone at the Trafford Centre and Deansgate - both of which have fairly limited aircraft ranges and seem to be lacking in various tools etc. Hobbycraft in Stockport has a restricted range and that seems to be about it. Far better than here in Kerry and I visit the stores each time I'm in the area but, for me, it has to be mainly mail order - which leaves me frustrated due to the restrictions on postage of certain items and the horrendous postal and packing charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philbky Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Know what you mean ! During my many years in Limerick I was lucky enough to have a local shop and I bought several kits there. They had GW and vallejo paints and that's how I ended up using vallejo for a lot of my builds (something I still do...). Then there were a few supermarkets that had the odd kit around christmas. For a lot of stuff however it was down to ordering from the UK or the US. Even Dublin didn't really offer a great choice back then, don't know if it's changed much.The good thing was that VAT or duties were not due on extra-EU packages below a certain figure, don't know if it's still like that (left Stab City in Dec. 2008). I remember having bought kits from everywhere, including New Zealand ! Limerick and Cork are my nearest shops, one in each city so the choice is limited though they will order for you. With VAT now 23% here it's almost as cheap to order from the UK when you balance the price inc VAT in Ireland and the fuel and time to visit the shops against the lower UK price and the postage. Stuff coming in from the US or other non -EU countries still seem to get through without any VAT/Customs charges but I only order small amounts - a big parcel may attract attention! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I'm lucky we've got two fine model shops in the south west - Antics in Bristol and the Frome Model Centre. I shall support them to my utmost! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 This thread has me reminiscing about the LHS I used when I was a kid growing up in St.Helens. "Toy and Hobby" was at one end of Church Street in an old 3-story shop. You had to clamber up multiple flights of stairs but the top floor was an Aladdin's cave of models. My Mum bought me a 1/24th Bf109 as a reward one time, and I can still remember my first foray away from Airfix - it was a Tamiya 1/35th German scout car. Sadly, the old Toy and Hobby store was demolished to make way for a shopping centre. A new Toy and Hobby opened at the other end of Church Street but it was never the same - too clean and they gradually stocked fewer and fewer models. Eventually they went out of business. I now live in the States and am blessed to have a LHS just 30 mins from my house that hosts a monthly model club (with free pizza thrown in) and is well stocked with pretty much everything I might ever need (or can order if they don't stock it). Ironically, there's a second store, also family owned, just across the road from "my" LHS which focusses on RC. Happy days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madam I'm Adam Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 there is a HUGE modelshop next to Snetterton race circuit with lots of kits, not sure what it's called but i always go in when i'm watching racing up there.Simon Can anyone name this shop? Cheers Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seadog Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I'd support my local shop...if there was one! F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowen250 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Can anyone name this shop?Cheers Adam I believe they are called SP models. Once your on the circuit access road (before you enter the circuit proper) they are well signposted. the shop is literally huge with everything from toys to diecast to kits to trains. Its so big i got lost. Seriously. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tank152 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I now regulary drive from Burton on Trent to Stoke on Trent to support Affinity Models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lufbramatt Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 well, I'm just off down to my local model shop to buy some paints, ready for an afternoon of painting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madam I'm Adam Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Ta Simon, I'll check out SP Models next time I visit my sister. Meanwhile, today I supported one of my local model shops by buying a kit! Cheers Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonar Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I'm afraid I'm an almost exclusively online shopper. My experience,in the UK,is that it is cheaper,has a larger choice and is convenient. I rarely have to wait more than 48 hours for an order to arrive. Hypocrytical,as I enjoy a bricks and mortar shop as much as anybody.In the real world of 21st century economics I'll be amazed if there are any left at all in ten years time,excluding the ones which are a front for a larger online business. Sad but realistic. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I'm afraid I'm an almost exclusively online shopper. My experience,in the UK,is that it is cheaper,has a larger choice and is convenient. I rarely have to wait more than 48 hours for an order to arrive.Hypocrytical,as I enjoy a bricks and mortar shop as much as anybody.In the real world of 21st century economics I'll be amazed if there are any left at all in ten years time,excluding the ones which are a front for a larger online business. Sad but realistic. Steve I totally agree sadly, all you got to do is look at retail shops them self and see how much they suffer. There will always be shops about, but there will be alot less in the next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almac Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Hi all. My local shop is Jamieson's in Glasgow and as others have said it is a teriffic shop crammed with kits,paint, glues, decals etc. Already been there this year and spent my xmas money. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 For those of you wondering, with pics below, this is the inside of Train Times in Eastbourne, run by Trevor aka 'sunshine coast' which is a proper model shop, stacked high and some obscure older items. Good place, I lived in Eastbourne I'd go there regularly. The pcis give you a good idea. Only been once, it on the same road as Modelzone, heading out of town. I like the title of this thread .....but then I would ... Regards Trevor... Also in East Sussex, The Hobby Box on Uckfield High Street, which multi tasks with Trains and RC stuff, but does have a good stock of accessories , ie Xtracrylix, Tamiya, Humbrol and Alclad, Evergreen plastic parts, microsol/set , brass and aluminium tubing etc, lots of tools and various other useful bits. Mark who runs it is friendly, helpful and used to be in RAF in Germany so would be a good man to ask about Jaguars. Well worth a visit but usually shut on Monday. Finally is LSA in Hove, run By Jason, used to be the Eduard importer, stuffed to the ceiling with kits, armour out front, planes and ships in the back. Stocks lots of useful items as well. Does mailorder. About 5 mins from Hove station. Brighton has a not very good Modelzone, the one in Eastbourne is bigger and scores with me by being one of those shops that has not got totally corporate....not all chrome shelving and laminate flooring and no soul. Much the way charity shops have been killed by being tidied up, I like scruffy funny places that smell musty run by batty old women.... their you find bargains and the unusual. I'm in the middle of all three, so a 10 mile trip to each, by bus or train, I don't drive... so 4 or 5 quid before i even get there in fares. as for nostalgia.... 30 years ago every newsagent had kits, as did every toy shop.... for those in the Brighton area, this might well be of interest http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/page_i...p208p1828p.aspx my little nostalgia trip from this... I was buying plastic model kits, rather than the balsa flying ones, and this had jogged a few memories from the late 70s/early 80s. Here's some more places that I used to frequent on my trips in from Lewes. A toyshop in Churchill square, near to the old HMV, with a model section upstairs, which yeiled many interesting kits. They did some flying ones as well. Selina Squirrel in St James Street, another toy shop with a basement of kits, I still regret not buying the 1/48 Otaki Fw190. CTS Models in College Place, funny little place, used to have old kits in stock, run by a couple of modellers I think. A toyshop on the Level, ended up as Pig City skateboards, had a load of kits. I remember not having the money for a Nichimo 1/35th Sherman, unusual kit, I only ever saw one. A toy/cycle shop in Lewes Road next to the Labour Club, seeing the Frog Sea Fury and I think, Shackleton there in 77 and the flying models shop nearly opposite. Finally, a specialist place in Spring Street for military figures, used to stock Historex not to mention that pretty much every newsagent used to have a few kits for sale, lots of Frog kits from 77 onwards after they went out of business. The only place like it these days is LSA in Sackville Road, that is a proper model shop, but bear in mind plastic modeling has become a very serious business, with a vast range of extras to make very detailed scale replicas, like prepainted photo etched metal by Eduard, stocked in LSA. Modelzone is more about diecasts and the like, with the kits relegated to basically a cupboard.. dinner calls... T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Most of my stuff these days is purchased second hand, from shows, from here or from ebay, so I rarely buy new kits. But I do have two independent model shops in the two towns here I spend most of my life. Inspired by this thread I went out yesterday and bought a 1/48 Academy Bf109G-6 from the first shop, and next week when I am in the other place I'll pop in and pick up the new Airfix Swordfish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfires Forever Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I grew up in a time where the hobby shop was a true wonderland for me. I would prefer going to the hobby shop over Disneyland(aka " The Evil Empire") but the heyday of the hobby shop is pretty much over depending on what state /country you are in. We who were the products of the WWII generation grew up with a deep appreciation of what our fathers and grandfathers fought for, so our indoctrination regarding all things WWII (especially aviation for me) was very complete. These days the shops suffer from the generational disconnect from WWII and war in general. Less and less kids are going into plastic modeling these days so kit sales are not like they were 20 or 30 years ago. Add to that the incredible cost of doing business, i.e. taxes, government regulations, insurance for employees, etc, etc. you can see the reasons for the slow demise of the classic hobby shop. With all the overhead that the shops have they really can't sell their items for the price that e-bay can. The inability of the shops to compete with e-bay and the Internet shops has put the final nail in the coffin for at least the mom and pop shops that I often frequented as a kid. Now the closest shop to me is 10 miles away and although very well stocked on the whole they still can't meet all the needs of modelers like the Internet shops can. The mom and pop hobby stores are almost non-existant here in California. It is a shame because I would rather support them, but a 45.00 Hasegawa or Tamiya kit, plus tax at a shop versus the same type of kit for a third less or more without the 10 percent tax makes the choice pretty clear for kits at least, even with the shipping cost. If you can support a local shop by all means do so, for us folks who don't have a well stocked hobby shop nearby we don't have much choice. I am just thankful I could take my kids into a real hobby shop to see what it was like back in the old days, my grand kids are out of luck unfortunately. A well stocked hobby shop was a truly magical experience. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forlornhope Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I have to say in Melbourne we are lucky in that there is hobby shops all over I buy all my supplies like paints and tools and glue from my local stores but I find it is alot cheaper to get some kits online (mainly Hannants) even with postage or some stuff is just hard to get here ($130 compared to $220 for the silver cloud Southampton) and have the issues with AZ kits been resolved and what happened to Roden kits here.......But I do love going into a hobby shop and looking in all the little nooks and crannies for those little gems that show up from time to time. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilneBay Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Well in Melbourne, Australia I am spoilt for choice, and in the suburb I live in we have an excellent LHS - Brunel Hobbies, so I support everyone as much as I can. And if all else fails I can always turn to Hannants - I like the global nature of our civilization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick_1138 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Actually, speaking of Melbourne, it reminded me when i was visiting Oz with my folks in 2005, we had a stop off in Singapore and Hong Kong on the way there\back. There was a shopping centre in Singapore that included a model shop the likes of which had to be seen to be believed, it had everything, all the kit brands you recognise and lots i didn't, varied stuff, from cars to gundam, and every shelf was groaning with kits and only a mans width to get between shelves, it was lucky i was on holiday as i would have been bad otherwise, luggage space limited purchases, but i got a mk1 Toyota MR2 kit (was my car at the time ) and the only way to fit this in was to throw away boxes and put sprues in plastic bags, meant i could fit about 5 in space of one box! But it was an amazing site and shows how much more popular scale modelling is in the far east! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The wooksta V2.0 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Like Adam, I would strongly recommend Kit Box in Whitley Bay - it hasn't been my LHS for many years but I make a point of calling in whenever I'm up that way visiting relatives. It's a good, honest, old-fashioned model shop and Frank Campey, the owner, really knows his stuff. If you're there on a Saturday morning, there's very likely to be a group of customers in there having a friendly conversation about modelling. Another firm recommendation from me too. I've been going there for nearly 25 years and will continue to do so for as long as I'm able. You'll usually find me in there on a saturday morning (or the Grapes cafe around the corner). I know there are a few other Britmodellers who go to Kitbox too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Hi All, i didn't expect the thread to get this big, My LHS visit last week, got me a revell He-70, and a minicraft PV-1, hopefully next visit a revell halifax. cheers Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batt Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Many moons ago I frequented a tiny shop in Truro market that was taller than it was wide. They couldn’t hold much stock but nothing was to much trouble, and they were happy to order single kits for you. In fact I’m working on one right now. More recently, that sort of helpfulness has been much harder to find. Part of it may be a silly attitude on the part of manufacturers and importers, but one of the members of my club tried his hand at a shop in Croydon a couple of years ago and he fell over himself to be helpful too. Shame about the shop … That attitude is being reflected now with Martin and T-7 Models in the Pool Indoor Market. This might be the way forward for 'Model Shops' especially considering their importance to the hobby as a whole; minimal overheads but with a good passing trade. I wouldn't suggest that anyone make a hundred mile round trip to see the shop on a weekend or Bank Holiday (the only times the Pool Indoor Market is open) but fortunately Cornwall has a lot of other attractions that would entice the average family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuttle Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 A great thread! I have fond memories of great shops like Walkers in Hackney, BMW of Wimbeldon and Seagull models in Kensington. Nowadays the choice is much more limited as I live in Tunbridge Wells but I use E M Models and Ian Allan when near work in Waterloo. I went into a great little shop in Poole recently, Setchfields, which was packed with stuff. I bought a load of Humbrol sprays in E M Models on Saturday but also use Modelzone for kits. I didn't realise the shop in Hythe had shut down - I used to love having a look around when nearby. Anyone remember a small model shop in Camberwell near Peckham in the 70's? Shuttle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanandjuanunited Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I try to use my LMS as much as possible but they cannot compete price wise with online stores. Also netmerchants are not too far away from me either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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