Local model shops - do we support 'em?

[Ralph Yeates]

just supported mine to the tune of £200.00 last week

"can't take it with you"

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Chippy]

My LMS closed about 2 years ago, I supported him as much as possible but the overheads just got too much for him to make a living. My nearest LMS is now 40 minutes drive away, quite a well know store but is vastly overpriced.

I tend to buy most consumeable items online, for major purchases I wait till I'm passing a model shop on my rounds with work.

 

Tom, where is Barnstomers? I'm a bit of a sucker for multiplex too.. might have to "pop in"

[Paul Marsh]

Barnstormers is in Winsford, Cheshire. Actually, it's just outside Winsford, unusually the shop is in the countryside, in a converted barn. It's one of the larger model shops in the country.

I just been to Slough Model shop. Quite a good shop-one of the largest and well stocked.

The model shops I go to, and the biggest and best are: (not in order of prevalence)

Steve Webb Models, Frodsham, Cheshire;

Slough Model shop, Slough;

The Model Shop. Crossgates, Leeds;

Barnstormers, Winsford, Cheshire;

Mick Charles Models, Ewell, Gtr London;

Inwood Models, Huntington.

[Ian Jones]

Posted by Chippy on 11/10/2011 22:49:14:
Snip...

 

Tom, where is Barnstomers? I'm a bit of a sucker for multiplex too.. might have to "pop in"

Barnstormers Models is here The marker is a few yards out of place (due to new photos since the marker was put there) but it will get you close enough.

 

Edited By Ian Jones on 23/10/2011 01:21:08

 

Update:

I've just moved the place marker to the right location, it can take a day or two for Google maps to catch up though. 

Edited By Ian Jones on 23/10/2011 01:21:57

[Tom T]

Kings Lynn model shop is a very good one. I visit there quite often .

[Paul Marsh]

It's the L-shaped barn on the left. Now completely different, as there are gates and the drive is full tarmac - better than the roads.

You should pop in, as it's quite surprising, being the middle of no-where, etc. However a busy shop, and doing quite well, due to lower over-heads and the owners owning the land.

They also have a full-size Hughes 500 Helicopter.

[leccyflyer]

My secondary kit mountain - not counting the actual kit mountain in the cupboard - achieved eye-level this week with my second Spitfire in a month, both from the LHS. Well over 70% of the content of those kit mountains is from the LHS, with much of the remainder being second hand, again mostly originally sourced from the LHS.

 

Apart from lipos, motors and ESCs, most of my modelling stuff comes from the LHS (Webbies), but I'm lucky in that they are very well stocked and, only just down the road. In fact I've known Steve and his family for years, even before I came back into modelling.

[Chippy]

 

Posted by Ian Jones on 23/10/2011 01:09:52

Barnstormers Models is here The marker is a few yards out of place (due to new photos since the marker was put there) but it will get you close enough.

 

Thanks, definitely gonna pop in Barnstormers next time I'm up that way

Been to a few model shops on my work travels, Slough RC the most recent.

[Brian Cooper]

I am located between two well-known model shops, but niether of them is "local". They are both about 27 miles away (in totally opposite directions). The cost of fuel nowadays makes casual trips to these shops rather prohibitive. Consequently, when I use them I tend to have a fairly long shopping list.

Alternatively, I also use the shops' mail order service and the Internet.

 

B.C.

[Keith Simmons]

Mick Charles models is my local LMS. Nice to see it named as one of the "Biggest and best" in a few posts earlier.

[Paul Marsh]

I pop by Mick Charles Models - obviously famous for building and flying the models in the 1968 film "Battle of Britain".

The shop has a good range of stock, but one thing stands out, is that the shop has loads of "older stock". For example, I was looking for a replacement Ripmax Xtra Slim Twin, and there were two untouched kits on the shelf. Bliss!

The problem with most model shops, it that they mainly stock new stock, but here there are MFA Gearboxes, accessories, long-since gone for sale.

[Dennis Jones]

My local shod is about 65miles away and is the bigest rip off s ever full rrp plus real bad exchange rate, eg:- £200 =350 euro so I use 3 in the uk steve webbs must be the best and have never let me down, Just Engines very helpfull, Avicraft great to talk to and they make the panic's they all are fast on postage, its a pity some other shops iv tryed in the past took so long to post

[NigelH]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 27/10/2011 20:20:24:

I pop by Mick Charles Models - obviously famous for building and flying the models in the 1968 film "Battle of Britain".

The shop has a good range of stock, but one thing stands out, is that the shop has loads of "older stock". For example, I was looking for a replacement Ripmax Xtra Slim Twin, and there were two untouched kits on the shelf. Bliss!

The problem with most model shops, it that they mainly stock new stock, but here there are MFA Gearboxes, accessories, long-since gone for sale.

That's a nice looking bipe in the bottom left-hand picture. Anyone know what it is ? Maybe just a common one with a not-so-common colour scheme ?

[John Privett]

Posted by NigelH on 29/07/2012 16:23:28:

Posted by Paul Marsh on 27/10/2011 20:20:24:

I pop by Mick Charles Models - obviously famous for building and flying the models in the 1968 film "Battle of Britain".

The shop has a good range of stock, but one thing stands out, is that the shop has loads of "older stock". For example, I was looking for a replacement Ripmax Xtra Slim Twin, and there were two untouched kits on the shelf. Bliss!

The problem with most model shops, it that they mainly stock new stock, but here there are MFA Gearboxes, accessories, long-since gone for sale.

That's a nice looking bipe in the bottom left-hand picture. Anyone know what it is ? Maybe just a common one with a not-so-common colour scheme ?

Perhaps it's just me being a bit thick... but I haven't a clue what picture you're talking about! (Bottom left-hand of what?) Can you give us a hint?

[NigelH]

Bottom left-hand of

**LINK**

[Malcolm Fisher]

The Model Shop in Leeds is my "local" and I suppose I'm lucky that it's only a ten mile round trip. I have been dealing with them since they opened circa 50+ years ago and is my first choice when I want anything although I have bought some items from further afield by mail order

I have always had a friendly reception and very rarely have I not been able to get what I want. but there has always been the option to wait until whatever it is is back in stock and wait for the phone call to let me know.

Sadly I now don't need to go very often as I have amassed a considerable stock of materials with more planes than I really need and as a pensioner don't have enough spare cash to buy or build as much as I would really like to do.

Malcolm.

[Jon Laughton]

Its a tough one this (for me) as I work abroad most weeks and therefore the temptation to surf the web and buy from UK modelshops on line is very great! At weekends I need to concentrate on being home and flying of course!

However, I do try to use the proper rc model shops nearest me - Leeds model shop is my favourite but is 40 minutes there and back by car and Balckburn models is also somewhere I go. Usually the help and service in these shops are excellent as is the stock holding. Long may it continue.

If I can find model shops abroad then I try to visit them - I've bought some great stuff at quite good prices from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur recently!

[Erfolg]

Over a number of years I have seen LMS come and go. When the last LMS closed, the owner explained the issues which faced running a shop. I then came to the conclusion, LMS will always be expensive, just to try and cover overheads.

I also realised from both observation and discussion, that large value purchases are rare at an individual level, and that the catchment area for the LMS contains very few modellers. In short not many radios or models are sold.

I concluded that only the likes of Webbies will survive, covering a very large area. many of us will seldom go, other than for those large purchases.

What about small purchases? I anticipate that these will come to be dominated by Internet sales, where the cost P&P is trivial compared to the cost of fuel and time going to that regional/large model shop.

Increasingly I would expect that even Webbes etc., will have a significant mail order business. In the case of Webbies, the "Servo Shop".

As for those very cheap HK servo leads, well, they are the same in most cases as the very expensive LMS servo leads. Although we do know why they have to be expensive.

As for the LMS versus the HK debate, it is relevant, it is part of the ever changing face of retailing. Just as the debate that would have been topical in the 1960's with respect to the Corner Shop and supermarkets. Now we just accept that Supermarkets offer value for money and a tremendous range, and the surviving Corner Shops provide, convenience at high prices with limited choice. I personally expect something similar with those LMS that survive. They will survive in lower numbers, and be different than those we now know. But Internet shopping is here to stay, for the foreseeable future, be it UK based or in HK or mainland EU.

[Alan Cantwell]

I miss the chat, a coffee in all things the internet spoils, visit to the model shop, chatting over a 2nd hand bargain at the model swapmeet,

the internet is souless,

The chat over a purchase is part of the crack of the hobby--just like getting together at the field, the older of us will miss it, the younger ones will never have it, in our quest to get it cheaper and faster, we have knocked the soul out of the hobby, what will we do when everything is on the net, and all we do is sit in front of the telly, do nothing, and get waited on hand and foot, its here now, we just done realise it, its evil tentacles are spreading, and i despair

[Jon Laughton]

I'm not quite as doom laden as Alan but he beat me to the point about being able to have a chat etc. having said that it is still possible via the phone call or email to web based RC outlets. A case in point is BRC hobbies who I have found to be both helpful and friendly either on the phone or by email.

I suppose we pay our money and make our choices !

[Diamond Geezer]

tried to support the lms, but its closing now anyway,so don't know what to do, really loved to go to the lms even if it was just to ask for advice orr take me plane over and ask what to do with this or that can't do that on the net can yah

[Alan Cantwell]

yes, it was a tad doom laden, but, take a look at it, everything is there on line, you dont even have to go to tescos, no wonder there are lots of unhealthy folk out there, in america its drive through everything, thats coming here too, over there, i even saw a drive through CHURCH, where you could get a blessing or a prayer for the day, even do confession, as for model flying, i am in oldham, nearest models shop that open saturday, leeds, thats a 88mile round trip to buy a gallon of fuel !!!

[Erfolg]

As has been pointed out, even Tesco are online, along with Asda, Sainsbury and probably many more.

I was thinking about the chat, what about club night, more specifically the club field? The days of chatting over the yard wall went when our parents moved to the suburbs and any way, if the LMS has time to chat, there are not enough customers.

I do agree that BRC seem to have a very good telephone manner, I found that with Robotbirds and Andy, it all depends on his mood, but always helpful.

It is not gloomy to accept that the LMS will evolve and there will be far fewer, it shows that the world is not stagnating.

[Alan Cantwell]

club nights? our commitee, without consulting the membership, have abandoned club night, cant even chat there now,