Model Shops Remembered

TheSnapper

Western Thunderer

Sorting through some boxes of old books which have been stored in my garage for several years, I came across this one.

BlackCountryShops (Medium).jpg


Amongst the many interesting photos within, I found this gem, with the fascinating caption (my highlighting):

Tennants (Medium).jpg


I did visit the shop a couple of times many years ago, before it moved as “Tennents Trains” to Hagley Road. Anyone else remember it?

Tim
 

Dan Randall

Western Thunderer
I have a copy of that book too! I bought it from the gift-shop on Bridgnorth Station many moons ago, when I was a SVR working member.

It’s a fascinating look at some of Britain’s retail past and a valuable snapshot of how our streets used to look.

Edit : On the subject of model shops, Eames, Tudor Road, Reading was one of my favourites. I used to gaze longingly at the Japanese Brass “Castles” and “Kings” on display, but they were well out of my price range. However, there was a good range of books and modelling sundries, so it was well worth a visit.


Regards

Dan
 
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simond

Western Thunderer
only visited Tennent's Trains, ie the latter incarnation.

I do have fond memories of "Hobbies" in Renshaw St., and City Models, Sir Thomas St (or it might have been Stanley St?) in Liverpool, and a shop in the Arcade in Chester. In those days, I did a lot more dreaming and windowshopping...

atb
Simon

and I forgot one - Motor Books in Headington, much, much later, probably only 30 years ago...
Saw Jeff at the last Brizzl show.
 
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Ressaldar

Western Thunderer
For me is must be Stemps in New Cross Road, SE 14, I can remember Dad meeting myself and younger brother just before Christmas in the late 50s and he bought us our first model railway - Hornby Dublo three rail D8000 and BR Standard Class 4 MT tank 80154 (?) and assorted wagons, coaches and track. No doubt the shop closed long ago.

regards

Mike
 

2-Bil

Western Thunderer
Excuse being slightly off piste but....... does anyone recall the pair of York Shambles shops exhibited at the Westminster Show 25 year ago at least. I think they were 7mm scale . Peerless work.Two fellers( I've lost their names) did the work, wore England rugby shirts,had fingers like Cumberland sausages.... if thats a memory nudge................Respects...Brian W
 

Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
Ah....
Long gone, but well-loved...

Max Williams in Lawrence Hill, Bristol.
Upstairs in Lawsons, New George St, Plymouth (they sold Hornby, mostly, but had a 00 roundy roundy behind Perspex at one end of the shop).

Cheers

Jan
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
I may have this wrong but the title "The John and Jerry Show" sticks in my mind. I'm sure it was someone and Jerry! They are or were exceptional model makers and one of theirs was a minster, possibly York, with a fully detailed and working font cover. Exquisite!

If I'm wrong I apologise, but it's brought back some pleasant memories.

The models I describe are now on show at Pendon.

Brian
 

TheSnapper

Western Thunderer
Jerry Hall?

We met them a once or twice when we were exhibiting "Bredon" in the '80's.

Really nice blokes, belying their perceived appearance!

Tim
 
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MarkR

Western Thunderer
I sometimes wondered what happened to John and Jerry, their work often appeared in the MRJ of the period.

When on business, I used to pop into Mainly Trains, Chandler's Ford, Cove Models, Farnborough, Challis Models, Shepton Mallet, Hendford Halt, Yeovil, Exeter Model Shop, City Arcade, Exeter, ACE Models, Launceston...............
I even used to fit in a bit of work!

Mark
 

MarkR

Western Thunderer
Plus the Motorail model and bookshop in Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, and the earlier shop just opposite that was tied in with OPC, I think Jim Russell my have managed it at one time.

Mark
 

2-Bil

Western Thunderer
..John and Jerry........soon as i read the names the""light bulb""flickered.......I recall them as amiable fellers too....Now their names are "front and centre" i remember Martyn Welch telling me one of them had died....Thanks for the heads up about some of their breathtakingly crafted work being at Pendon .........must go.......... if the opportunity occurs........etc......etc.....Thanks one/all for the info........Regards Brian W
 
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PMP

Western Thunderer
53E3674B-42F4-4A41-92D0-F3881B4651CF.jpeg
I sometimes wondered what happened to John and Jerry, their work often appeared in the MRJ of the period.

Mark

I’m pretty certain they were partners, and provided the original Howard Scenics range. They both (I think) died relatively closely in timing, and their church model I’m sure is/was exhibited at Pendon. I met them once or twice they, were a really nice couple, taken too soon, and I wonder what they might have produced had life dealt them a fairer hand. My layouts would be much the poorer without their products and influence.D341BB28-6052-4EB0-B494-4561E9E601BA.jpeg
 

Wagonman

Western Thunderer
Met them a few times when on the exhibition circuit. As everyone has said, lovely blokes, much missed.

Back to the topic, I was a Londoner so my world revolved around Kings Cross Models, W&H and Hamblings, and later Bec Models in Tooting – I seem to remember a small and rather dingy emporium.
 
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Mike W

Western Thunderer
A very old family friend modelling David Ratcliff was modelling Banbury LNWR and John and Jerry's models of York Minster and other churches inspired David to ask whether they would make an ecclesiastical model for his railway - a corrugated iron misson hut. They did and it was beautiful. Anyone know what happened to it after David died?

As for missed model shops, there was one in Hitchin - was it Wilman's. He modeled Midand in 7mm when 7mm wasn't popular.

Mike
 

Allen M

Western Thunderer
I did visit the shop a couple of times many years ago, before it moved as “Tennents Trains” to Hagley Road. Anyone else remember it?
Yes I remember that shop and the one on Hagley Road. This shop is still open (subject to current limits) but John retired a couple of years ago.
I also remember Birmingham Models in Summer Hill Road and Bearwood Models on Three Shires Oak Road & the signal out side. When George Evans retired, I think late 1970s Robert Chester-Lamb took over, the shops then closed and he moved to Malvern where he repaired clock and vintage trains, and my still do. Roger Carpenter, the railway photo man seen at many exhibitions, also worked there.
CCW Models/Hetheringtons lamps were in Avon Street.
Bunns of Birmingham, 'we buy sell & exchange SH model railways', where in an upstairs room next to the Birmingham Hippodrome. This later became Alan Bunn (who I think was the son) then West Country Kits.
And there was Chuffs, next door to the Bank of England with Peter Hunt. This became Perfect Miniatures with his wacky adverts in Gazette until his resent retirement.
Am I getting old? yes.:);)
Regards
Allen Morgan
 

JimG

Western Thunderer
I can remember the model shops of Glasgow in the 1950s/60s. There was the Clyde Model Dockyard in the Argyll Arcade which was a general model shop with model railways but always a stopping place to do window shopping when up from Dumbarton with parents for a Saturday shop in the city. Clyde Model Dockyard - Wikipedia.

There was also the Caledonian Model Company in Pitt Street, which also was a model engineering supplier, but manufactured model railway companents, like their point motor. File:Im1951ME0628-CMC.jpg - Graces Guide.

Then there was Bill MacMillan's shop out in Clarkston, which, if I remember correctly was a newspaper shop with the model railway stuff at the back. Bill also ran the Clarkson exhibition.

Bill Eaglesham moved his shop from Cumbernauld to the Highlandman's Umbrella (under Central Station bridge), but in the move seemed to lose a lot of his American stock and focussed on the UK market. This eventually became M.G.Sharp and moved to England.

And there was Jimmy Glassford's. This was the shop I know best since it was closest to my work in the West End and I used to pop along every month for my magazines. But Jimmy Glassford had a sales technique all of his own. :) It is best described in this summary of Glasgow model shops, near the bottom under Williamson Models. Model railway shops in the Glasgow area. He also dealt in model engineering products and was a Myford dealer. I got in his good books by buying my ML10 from him during Ted Heath's three day week and I used to get a polite welcome thereafter. :)

I also have faint, early childhood memories of going up to Glasgow with my father to get model railway items which must have been just after WW2, and the shop we went to was a camera shop with the model railway items in the basement. I think it was called Forbes or Blackadder. This was to use in building my first model railway - with the stock being a pre-war Trix 0-4-0 locomotive converted to a 4-4-0T and the coaches were made from aluminium offcuts from the Blackburn pre-fab operation where my father worked postwar.

Jim.
 

SLNCR57

Active Member
Yes I remember that shop and the one on Hagley Road. This shop is still open (subject to current limits) but John retired a couple of years ago.
I also remember Birmingham Models in Summer Hill Road and Bearwood Models on Three Shires Oak Road & the signal out side. When George Evans retired, I think late 1970s Robert Chester-Lamb took over, the shops then closed and he moved to Malvern where he repaired clock and vintage trains, and my still do. Roger Carpenter, the railway photo man seen at many exhibitions, also worked there.
CCW Models/Hetheringtons lamps were in Avon Street.
Bunns of Birmingham, 'we buy sell & exchange SH model railways', where in an upstairs room next to the Birmingham Hippodrome. This later became Alan Bunn (who I think was the son) then West Country Kits.
And there was Chuffs, next door to the Bank of England with Peter Hunt. This became Perfect Miniatures with his wacky adverts in Gazette until his resent retirement.
Am I getting old? yes.:);)
Regards
Allen Morgan
I have had the great privilege of Peter Hunt visiting my home with some stock. What an amazing character.
 

Martin Shaw

Western Thunderer
By coincidence this came blinking into the light this afternoon from the deepest recesses, it stirred some memories for me as it will Jim. Well over 30 years ago, gulp. A 3" square of plasticard kept for no known reason.

I well remember ABC at Station Approach London Bridge and going there with my father on a Saturday morning for bits and pieces, seems like yesterday almost.
Martin
IMG_0857.JPG
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
As I said earlier, the John and Jerry models are on show at Pendon. I can't find them specifically on the Pendon site, which is a great shame. Of its time, and even now, the quality of the modelling was way beyond what us mere humans could hope to create. And by such "ordinary" and communicative chaps as well.

As for model shops, what about Harrow Model Shop? I remember the original in a shed on the railway bridge adjacent to Harrow Met Station. (The last time I was there was to take some photos at a "Steam on the Met" event.) Then the shop moved to a new building near to the Odeon Cinema - was it Elmgrove Road? - and even there full of nooks and crannies. It was the last place I bought rolling stock for my Trix Twin railway. Mint and probably at least twenty years old at that time! I still have a couple of those wagons mint and in original boxes. Harrow Model Shop was known at the time for introducing Underground stock for the modeller, starting with the OO Met electric loco, and that is a model that will still stand up against many of today's offerings.

Brian
 

Mick Bonwick

Active Member
Cove Models in Cove (strangely), run by Dave Smith, latter-day purveyor of Blacksmith Models. Then they moved to North Camp and it was downhill all the way. Before they moved there was another model shop along the same road, I think it was Barlow's, but that could be a trick played by my memory. Both of them payed an important part in my dabblings in railway modelling.
 
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