Model Shop Memories

[Darius43]

This brings back happy memories of Saturday mornings spent browsing the model railway section

Cheers

Darius

[steventrain]

I remember visit in 1978 brought Hornby 4-wheels blue coach. Then I visit every 3-6 months.

Also the Model shop (upper queen street to Queen street) did selling trains as well (but not stock trains during leisureworld).

Also two others toys dept/shop in Belfast do stock many trains.

Frederick and Thomas 1950s-1983 stock triang trains to hornby, dinky, airfix and others makes.

Anderson and McAuley dept stores selling trains in 1900s such as old O gauge makes to triang trains but stopping before leisureworld.

 

I found video by NI Screen digital archive 'Anderson and McAuley' The years Christmas Toys 1964. Turn to 3.15 to see layout running and shelf full of triang trains and scalextric.

https://digitalfilmarchive.net/media/this-years-christmas-toys-3695

 

 

Edited August 12 by steventrain

[derek]

The model shop of my childhood was a toy shop on Patrick St. in Limerick called "Tots to Teens". It had a basement entirely devoted to model railways. (Hornby and Lima). There was at least two layouts set up, running trains.  My mates and I would haunt the place a couple times a week , driving the staff mad, drooling over stuff we could never afford. Pure magic memories-  those were the days.

[Darius43]

On 12/8/2024 at 8:50 PM, steventrain said:

I remember visit in 1978 brought Hornby 4-wheels blue coach. Then I visit every 3-6 months.

Also the Model shop (upper queen street to Queen street) did selling trains as well (but not stock trains during leisureworld).

Also two others toys dept/shop in Belfast do stock many trains.

Frederick and Thomas 1950s-1983 stock triang trains to hornby, dinky, airfix and others makes.

Anderson and McAuley dept stores selling trains in 1900s such as old O gauge makes to triang trains but stopping before leisureworld.

 

I found video by NI Screen digital archive 'Anderson and McAuley' The years Christmas Toys 1964. Turn to 3.15 to see layout running and shelf full of triang trains and scalextric.

https://digitalfilmarchive.net/media/this-years-christmas-toys-3695

 

 

I had one of these pedal tractors in the early 1970s - I think my Dad got it second or third hand from a mate at work.

The main wheels were not rubber tyres but hollow hard plastic so they just wore out from being used on hard paved surfaces.

It also made for a very hard ride…

Cheers

Darius

[Horsetan]

29 minutes ago, Darius43 said:

I had one of these pedal tractors in the early 1970s - I think my Dad got it second or third hand from a mate at work.

The main wheels were not rubber tyres but hollow hard plastic so they just wore out from being used on hard paved surfaces.

It also made for a very hard ride…

That looks like a Triang product. They made pedal cars as well, vaguely modelled on something from the 1950s, although I think the tyre on those were solid rubber rings mounted on plastic wheel centres.

[Broithe]

11 minutes ago, Horsetan said:

That looks like a Triang product. They made pedal cars as well, vaguely modelled on something from the 1950s, although I think the tyre on those were solid rubber rings mounted on plastic wheel centres.

In a better picture you can see Triang on the bonnet.;

[Colin_McLeod]

J C Pattersons and Fletcher's cycle shop, both in Lisburn sold Hornby Dublo and Meccano.

I recall selling my Lego c 1972 and spending the five pounds realised buying a Duchess of Montrose set (BR maroon coaches) when J C Pattersons was stopping selling model trains.   Their Meccano wassold off via Ulster Model Railway Club- Thank you Charlie  Hamilton for organising that.

 

 

I also remember window shopping as a young boy at Fairfield's ( I think that was the name), in the main street in Lurgan.  I saved up for and purchased Triang clerestory coaches there.  I recall they also had Hornby Dublo Suburban coaches, and my Dad bought me three of them.

 

 

 

[jhb171achill]

On 17/8/2024 at 9:35 PM, Colin_McLeod said:

J C Pattersons and Fletcher's cycle shop, both in Lisburn sold Hornby Dublo and Meccano.

I recall selling my Lego c 1972 and spending the five pounds realised buying a Duchess of Montrose set (BR maroon coaches) when J C Pattersons was stopping selling model trains.   Their Meccano wassold off via Ulster Model Railway Club- Thank you Charlie  Hamilton for organising that.

 

 

I also remember window shopping as a young boy at Fairfield's ( I think that was the name), in the main street in Lurgan.  I saved up for and purchased Triang clerestory coaches there.  I recall they also had Hornby Dublo Suburban coaches, and my Dad bought me three of them.

 

 

 

I paid 11 shillings (55 pence) for a Hornby Mk 1 coach in J C Pattersons, about 1969. 

My pocket money was two shillings (10p) a week, so this was a significant investment.

A three bedroom detached house in a nice area, at the time, cost £4000-£5000, and if your take home pay was heading towards £100 a month you were minted.

[Markleman]

In  my earliest model days I had a Christmas Club account in Frederick Thomas and I remember buying a Tri-ang plastic signal box with it.

There was also the Post Office opposite Queens University where in about 1967 I saw my first Hornby 2-6-4 tank which caused me to get pretty hot under the collar. Never could afford one though.

The memory of the Belfast Model Shop which is stuck in my mind is without an exact date stamp, but I guess it was in December 1970 or so. I went down to Belfast in the train and ambled round to the shop which was in Upper Queen Street then. It was  a still cold night before Christmas and there was oddly no traffic so it was easy to cross Howard Street. I recall as I turned into Upper Queen Street that I was crunching through what I thought at first was frost on the pavement, though on the way home I realised it was the upper floor windows of the Presybterian Assembly buildings which were lying on the street. I always was an observant child.

When I crunched my way to the Model Shop the window seemed very clear and the glass doors seemed to be open. As usual the glass display case opposite the door was full of Matchbox toys. The place was deserted and the various displays seemed a bit disorganised. I stood there for a bit wondering why there were no staff when "the woman" appeared down the steps from where the Scalextric track used to be. She burst into floods of tears when she saw me and bawled out "Can't you see that we have been bombed!". I turned on my heels and fled into the street, through the non-existent glass door. Out in the street there was still nobody about but I could see blue lights in Queen Street where the bomb had been left in a car somewhere near the Educational Company. Blast travels in unusual ways, and it seemed to have crossed Wellington Place and proceeded down Upper Queen Street before dissipating at the start of Brunswick Street. As there was no chance of buying anything I tramped back through the glass shards. Once I turned down Wellington Street normality returned in that at least there was nothing unusual under foot. I dashed back to GVSt to catch my BUT railcar home.

Nobody stopped me, and apart from "the woman" nobody spoke to me. In fact, I saw nobody in either direction between the station and shop. There was just total silence.

As I say, I was always an observant child.

Edited August 20 by Markleman
Typos

[derek]

Christ! Shocking stuff, but well told

Edited August 20 by derek

[Mayner]

Growing up in Dublin in the late 60s Triang-Hornby model railways were widely available in shops that sold Bikes, Prams, Radios/TVs and Furniture.  Model railways seem to have been stocked in shops in the suburbs not just the city centre, I used to check out the train sets including the Breakdown Set in the window of Lambert's radio shop in Crumlin Village and later the Big-Big Train sets were displayed in O'Neill's furniture store locally known as Mickeys Stores that did a lot of its business on the never-never.

The model trains along with prams, bikes and toys would have been distributed through Lines Brothers Irish distributor on Shanowen Road Santry (I forgotten the name of the business!) and it would make sense to distribute the model model trains through the Bike, Pram and Radio shops.

"McHugh Himself" bicyle shop under the Loop Line bridge on Talbot Street stocked model railways though I never checked out the shop, I used to regularly visit a Radio Shop on Mary Street that appeared to have a good stock of Triang-Hornby model railways, the assistant was friendly and helpful, but at the time did not have the money to buy anything! Shop closed during the early 70s possibly disappeared into the Jervis Centre. 

Around the same time a shop on Liffey Street that possibly disappeared into the Arnotts Department store re-development had a basement apparrently devoted to model railways, including a large stock of Merit detail parts including a Scammel 3 wheel truck and trailer.

There was a long narrow (bicycle) shop at the corner of Grafton Street and St Stephens Green that stocked model railways including unsold Triang "Block Instruments" that also disappeared in the eraly 70s.

My first 'proper' trainset was a Triang-Hornby 'South African Goods' chosen as a Christmas present in "Terrys' Toy Shop" Henry Street when I was 12. nothing South African about it a BR M7 steam loco, 2 opens, 1 van and a Brake which did not appear in the catalogue.  Terry's also had a Georges Street store and I checked out both shops on Saturdays and during School holidays almost weekly as a 12-13 year old.

I broadened my horizons shopping for the following Christmas  to check out Southern Model Railways at their Lr Leeson Street shop and the Model Railway Shop at Monch Place, Phibsboro (on different days!) A Trix 'Trans Pennine DMU" caught my eye at Leeson Street, it looked really attractive but I hadn't a clew about it!  I split my business between Leeson Street and Monck Place, buying a Trix E2 0-6-0T and a Triang-Hornby 0-6-0 diesel shunter both second hand unsure from which shop. The diesel shunter was in 'trade in' for the M7, which had being a tinkerer I had dismantle and attempted to re-assemble mucking up the quartering on the driving wheels.

Southern Model Railway Co re-located to a very posh up-market store in the Grafton Arcade with beautiful displays or Triang-Hornby, British Trix and possibly continental models and  rtr Irish models produced by Harry Connaghton (a professional model maker) and occasional second hand items. From memory Harry's 21mm gauge model of a GNR JT 2-4-2T retailed for approx. £30 at a time the weekly wage averaged.£20.  

I settled into a routine of visiting Southern Model Railways weekly with a monthly subscriptions for the Modeller and Model Railways with occasional visits to Monck Place until I started working full time at 18. The change in ownership to Marks Models with the departure of the long time manager/assistant Eddy (Elliot?) and the cancellation of regular magazine orders apparrently without notice came as a shock. The move to Hawkins Street and the shift to becoming a Hobby Model Shop as opposed to a specialist Model Railway shop was probably essential for the survival of the business.

Model/hobby shops began to appear as such during the 70s John Byrne established/managed a Model Shop at Rathfarmham Shopping Centre with Declan Lonnigan (MRSI comittee member) running the model railway side on Saturday's, Rathfarnham became a family excursion my parents weekly shopping while I visited the model and book shops sometimes followed by a visit to the Orchard Inn. The Rathfranham shop became my introduction to N during the late 70s started by buying 2 wagons before buying a couple of packs of Peco flexible track and a large stock of Farish wagons.  John Byrne's Sackville Place Hobby Shop became a major  sorce of N gauge stock, along with Nimble Fingers (Stillorgin).

Moving to London in the 80s opened a whole load or posibilities including checking out specialist Model Railway shops such as W&H, Kings Cross Models and Victors, exploring the Country and visiting exhibitions which kept me buys for several years. My purchasing became more focused on attending exhibitions and mail order before eventually focusing on designing and producing my own models.

[Wexford70]

Anyone remember Let's Pretend in Dun Laoghaire shopping centre on the top floor in 70s / 80s? I remember them stocking Lima Irish train sets.

 

Always wanted one but they were not cheap. Used go in just to check to see if it was still there.

 

[derek]

8 hours ago, Mayner said:

Growing up in Dublin in the late 60s Triang-Hornby model railways were widely available in shops that sold Bikes, Prams, Radios/TVs and Furniture.  Model railways seem to have been stocked in shops in the suburbs not just the city centre, I used to check out the train sets including the Breakdown Set in the window of Lambert's radio shop in Crumlin Village and later the Big-Big Train sets were displayed in O'Neill's furniture store locally known as Mickeys Stores that did a lot of its business on the never-never.

The model trains along with prams, bikes and toys would have been distributed through Lines Brothers Irish distributor on Shanowen Road Santry (I forgotten the name of the business!) and it would make sense to distribute the model model trains through the Bike, Pram and Radio shops.

"McHugh Himself" bicyle shop under the Loop Line bridge on Talbot Street stocked model railways though I never checked out the shop, I used to regularly visit a Radio Shop on Mary Street that appeared to have a good stock of Triang-Hornby model railways, the assistant was friendly and helpful, but at the time did not have the money to buy anything! Shop closed during the early 70s possibly disappeared into the Jervis Centre. 

Around the same time a shop on Liffey Street that possibly disappeared into the Arnotts Department store re-development had a basement apparrently devoted to model railways, including a large stock of Merit detail parts including a Scammel 3 wheel truck and trailer.

There was a long narrow (bicycle) shop at the corner of Grafton Street and St Stephens Green that stocked model railways including unsold Triang "Block Instruments" that also disappeared in the eraly 70s.

My first 'proper' trainset was a Triang-Hornby 'South African Goods' chosen as a Christmas present in "Terrys' Toy Shop" Henry Street when I was 12. nothing South African about it a BR M7 steam loco, 2 opens, 1 van and a Brake which did not appear in the catalogue.  Terry's also had a Georges Street store and I checked out both shops on Saturdays and during School holidays almost weekly as a 12-13 year old.

I broadened my horizons shopping for the following Christmas  to check out Southern Model Railways at their Lr Leeson Street shop and the Model Railway Shop at Monch Place, Phibsboro (on different days!) A Trix 'Trans Pennine DMU" caught my eye at Leeson Street, it looked really attractive but I hadn't a clew about it!  I split my business between Leeson Street and Monck Place, buying a Trix E2 0-6-0T and a Triang-Hornby 0-6-0 diesel shunter both second hand unsure from which shop. The diesel shunter was in 'trade in' for the M7, which had being a tinkerer I had dismantle and attempted to re-assemble mucking up the quartering on the driving wheels.

Southern Model Railway Co re-located to a very posh up-market store in the Grafton Arcade with beautiful displays or Triang-Hornby, British Trix and possibly continental models and  rtr Irish models produced by Harry Connaghton (a professional model maker) and occasional second hand items. From memory Harry's 21mm gauge model of a GNR JT 2-4-2T retailed for approx. £30 at a time the weekly wage averaged.£20.  

I settled into a routine of visiting Southern Model Railways weekly with a monthly subscriptions for the Modeller and Model Railways with occasional visits to Monck Place until I started working full time at 18. The change in ownership to Marks Models with the departure of the long time manager/assistant Eddy (Elliot?) and the cancellation of regular magazine orders apparrently without notice came as a shock. The move to Hawkins Street and the shift to becoming a Hobby Model Shop as opposed to a specialist Model Railway shop was probably essential for the survival of the business.

Model/hobby shops began to appear as such during the 70s John Byrne established/managed a Model Shop at Rathfarmham Shopping Centre with Declan Lonnigan (MRSI comittee member) running the model railway side on Saturday's, Rathfarnham became a family excursion my parents weekly shopping while I visited the model and book shops sometimes followed by a visit to the Orchard Inn. The Rathfranham shop became my introduction to N during the late 70s started by buying 2 wagons before buying a couple of packs of Peco flexible track and a large stock of Farish wagons.  John Byrne's Sackville Place Hobby Shop became a major  sorce of N gauge stock, along with Nimble Fingers (Stillorgin).

Moving to London in the 80s opened a whole load or posibilities including checking out specialist Model Railway shops such as W&H, Kings Cross Models and Victors, exploring the Country and visiting exhibitions which kept me buys for several years. My purchasing became more focused on attending exhibitions and mail order before eventually focusing on designing and producing my own models.

God John, ye were spoiled in Dublin with such a choice of shops stocking model railways. The only alternative we had in Limerick to Tots to Teens was when Ryans Hardware (also on Patrick St.) would stock up on toys for the Christmas season, and a few train sets would be included. We didn't know how to handle all of the options

[Mayner]

2 hours ago, derek said:

God John, ye were spoiled in Dublin with such a choice of shops stocking model railways. The only alternative we had in Limerick to Tots to Teens was when Ryans Hardware (also on Patrick St.) would stock up on toys for the Christmas season, and a few train sets would be included. We didn't know how to handle all of the options

Our family didn't have the income to stock up on toys so no need to worry about the options. Visiting the shops almost weekly drooling over the stock and pestering the staff was the main outlet until I started work and could just about pay for the odd item. .

Interestingly my first train sets were battery powered tin-plate circle of track fairly crude approximation of an American steam loco and later a diesel Streamliner all 4 wheelers possibly made in Hong Kong or Japan, possibly from the toy department of a Department Store or Hector Grey's shop on Liffey St the 60s equivalent of a pound store.

The Lego train (loco and a circle of track) when it came out was a big step forward, I could assemble and dismantle the loco and set up the track to run point to point and converted the loco from a tank to a tender loco with a set of road wheels with the tyres removed!

[WRENNEIRE]

Anyone recognise this sign?

[DSERetc]

In the late 1940s and first half of the 1950s, living in Bray, we had Byrnes, now the Irish Cancer Society on the Quinsborough Road. They were Hornby dealers and sold O gauge sets and accessories,   The Locos were the tinplate 0-4-0 clockwork tender and tank engines, and four wheeled wagons and coaches.  I was told in later years that Byrnes took instalment payments in the weeks and months  before hand so that railway presents would appear on Christmas morning.   They must of had Hornby Dublo but I cannot remember.   

 Further down the street was GBH (Hammonds), now Auto and Trailer Parts,   For some years they had a 'TRIX-TWIN circle of oo gauge ? track in the window and two engines running on it. Up at the top of the town near the town hall was Owens.   If my memory is correct, at first, they sold cameras, model aeroplanes and cars and then later sold oo gauge trains.     

Going into Dublin on the Harcourt Street line, the first stop was the long narrow bicycle shop at the corner of Grafton Street and St Stephens Green that Mayner mentioned.  I think the name of it was GEARYS.     Then if it was just before Christmas, Switzers in Grafton Street had a layout on display in a window.   There were also displays in Arnotts and Clearys windows.   From Grafton Street up Dame Street and two or three shops before Georges Street was Healys.   They had a model railway section and I remember drooling over an o gauge scale length bogie passenger coach in a display case.  I have no idea who made it but the detail was marvellous compared to the Hornby tinplate four wheeled coaches. 

In the window of the B&I Shipping company in Westmoreland Street was a scale model about 3 or 4 feet long of MV Leinster or Munster ships. On the way to Amiens Street Station for the train back to Bray, the last stop was McHugh Himself under the bridge in Talbot Street. 

While not a model shop, there was a opportunity to look, drool and dream for some years at the RDS Spring Show trade exhibition at the CIE stand, but I seem to remember being disappointed that there was no model railway at the RDS Horse Show.  I discovered  many years later that the CIE display was set up by Cyril Fry.

DSERetc

 

[Wexford70]

In Wexford the toy shop was owned and run by George Bridges on North Main Street.  An small shop with an enormous store room that was opened for Christmas. He stocked some Hornby and Lima trains  including train sets.

An absolute gentleman, he lived above the shop with his family and would open late Christmas eve and early Christmas morning for all those parents that forgot batteries.

 

 

 

Edited September 21 by Wexford70

[Colin_McLeod]

On 20/8/2024 at 2:02 PM, Markleman said:

There was also the Post Office opposite Queens University where in about 1967 I saw my first Hornby 2-6-4 tank which caused me to get pretty hot under the collar. Never could afford one though.

A meeting point every Saturday morning for railway modellers.

I think the name of the postmaster was Cecil Robinson.   Please correct me if I have the name wrong.

[Newtoncork]

Trains, Boats and Planes, Princes Street, Cork. Amazing shop in the 1970's. Had full model railway layout upstairs. So good, that the Frank and Walters named an album after it! I used to love going their on a Sat. Couldn't afford anything but at least I could look.

[amdaley]

Young's in Fermoy.

Bought a lot of stuff there back in the seventies or eighties I think ?

[derek]

14 hours ago, amdaley said:

Young's in Fermoy.

Bought a lot of stuff there back in the seventies or eighties I think ?

Wasn't Marks Models in Fermoy back in the day?

[amdaley]

1 hour ago, derek said:

Wasn't Marks Models in Fermoy back in the day?

Can't remember them down there but maybe someone else can ?

[Bob229]

Great memories of visiting Youngs in Fermoy a Gentleman, a fine selection of trains and accessories and a garden railway.

Also Kilgrews in North Main Steet used to stock some trains especially Lima

[amdaley]

Days in Patrick Street

[ttc0169]

Model railway shop in Phibsboro was the one for me back in 1984-the McGowan brothers were legends 

[Bob229]

14 hours ago, ttc0169 said:

Model railway shop in Phibsboro was the one for me back in 1984-the McGowan brothers were legends 

Was the shop in Monck Place? when visiting my Grandparents in Dublin  my Grandad used to bring me there, great memories 

[DERAILED]

The McGowan brothers built this for me back in the late 1980s - pic doesn't do justice to how good the model was.

 

[Bob229]

34 minutes ago, DERAILED said:

The McGowan brothers built this for me back in the late 1980s - pic doesn't do justice to how good the model was.

 

Fine model 

[Westcorkrailway]

I’m jealous