Model Shops in Central London?

[anonymous-user]

Are there any... I will do the obligatory trip to the top floor of Hamleys anyway, but just wondering if there are any hidden gems I should check out?

[Eric Mc]

I think the now closed Modelzone might have been the last.

[dr_gn]

MrBig said:

Are there any... I will do the obligatory trip to the top floor of Hamleys anyway, but just wondering if there are any hidden gems I should check out?

Let me know what it's like at Hamleys- I'm going next week.

[CalNaughtonJnr]

If you're after die-cast there is St Martins models in Covent Garden (or that area) - small and a bit pricey though.

[TURBO II]

I used to walk past this shop every day on the way to and from work until they moved - http://www.stmartinsmodels.co.uk

[IanV12]

Diecast legends own the shop above

Edited by IanV12 on Thursday 17th October 19:38

[Barbarossa]

Anyone remember Hamleys Model Shop? Late 70s, early 80s, not on the Regent Street site. Nirvana for a 12 yo lad.

[16VJay]

Yep, went to the Hamleys model shop several times, got my Italaeri (as it was then!) Airspeed Horsa and PzKpfw IV F1/F2/G there to name two.

[anonymous-user]

Will check out St. Martins Models, thanks. I shall report back on Hamleys. Not been for a few years, but they used to have a good selection of diecasts and Tamiya R/C too.

[zorba_the_greek]

TURBO II said:

I used to walk past this shop every day on the way to and from work until they moved - http://www.stmartinsmodels.co.uk

Visited St Martins models new stop 50m round the corner.....came out alot poorer...

Think they are under new ownership.

Shop is smaller than before but they seem to have better stock now. Apparently they have load in their stock warehouse if you can find what your looking for in the actual shop.

[anonymous-user]

Yep, some fantastic gear in St. Martins, but none of the ones I was looking for sadly.

Hamleys, selection was a bit so-so in my opinion, but that's mainly because I only collect 1:18 and the majority of their stock was 1:24 or 1:43.

Good selection of Tamyia R/C cars in stock, but I just can't justfiy £380 for the Sand Scorcher kit!

[dr_gn]

Went to Hamleys yesterday with the boy (6). Maybe it was because of the school holidays, but it was a pretty terrible experience. Absolutely packed with chavs and their offspring, it seemed even lower market than Toys r us. Didn't see anything of particular note over 5 floors of stuff. Even the boy wanted to keep his money for 'somewhere better', which is unheard of in the history of him having pocket money.

[RichB]

Barbarossa said:

Anyone remember Hamleys Model Shop? Late 70s, early 80s, not on the Regent Street site. Nirvana for a 12 yo lad.

Yep but going off at a tangent the shop I have fond memories of is Gamages in Holborn in the '60s. Use to be an annual pilgrimage with my Mum once a year before Xmas. They had a massive model railway running but also a couple of lines around the entire circumference of the inner gallery/well so you looked down inside the store and there were trains running round in a glass case

Edited by RichB on Friday 1st November 09:35

[5avvy]

zorba_the_greek said:

Visited St Martins models new stop 50m round the corner.....came out alot poorer...

Think they are under new ownership.

Shop is smaller than before but they seem to have better stock now. Apparently they have load in their stock warehouse if you can find what your looking for in the actual shop.

They are now owned by diecastlegends the mail order company.