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Toy/Model Shops City Centre

There was also Bill Daniel's shop in the Mander Centre, moved to near Banks's Brewery. I think the only shop left in Wolvo now is Penn Models.

The internet killed off model shops, plus very few 'modellers' scratch-build these days. Cars, boats and aircraft all come ready-built and ready-to-run. Even basic stuff like balsa-wood is difficult to get nowadays. Sad, really, but unfortunately symptomatic of a generation that has little or no feel for skill.

Big Gee

Yes I'm sure when the spirit of craftsmanship among the young was allowed to wither, then the construction trade was handed over to those who had little or no heart in the actual building. Nothing is Built for Britain nowadays, just Built for Back Pockets!!!

Richie.
 
Anybody remember a model shop called “Beatties” in what is now called the “Palisades’” shopping centre? I spent many a happy hour in there during the seventies drooling over all the fantastic models and hoping my pocket money balance would reach the dream target to purchase some of the fantastic things they had on display. What was the name of the “Palisades” before? Was it the “Bull Ring Shopping Centre”? I always called it “the place where the model shop is”.
 
I remember that model shop " Beatties". We bought our lads a remote controlled car kit from there.
 
Yep I remember Beatties lots of Airfix kits and the like. Also remember Barnby's toy shop and my favorite the Midland Educational
 
Yes I remember Beatties, Barnby's, Midland Ed., and Henry's department store. They were all lovely shops, but Beatties had a shop more recently in Corporation Street, that one closed about three years ago. Originally Beatties started in Wolverhampton during the 1960's. Does anyone remember Evans Evans?

My son had all his toys from Barnby's including his Jacko the monkey.
 
Yes I remember Beatties, Barnby's, Midland Ed., and Henry's department store. They were all lovely shops, but Beatties had a shop more recently in Corporation Street, that one closed about three years ago. Originally Beatties started in Wolverhampton during the 1960's. Does anyone remember Evans Evans?

My son had all his toys from Barnby's including his Jacko the monkey.

Maggs,I think that was a different Beatties to the one in Wolverhampton and then Dudley,Solihull etc. That came about in the 1930's.
 
Sorry Richie, I obviously got it wrong then! I thought that there was only one Beatties.
 
Big Gee

You are correct the name of the model shop was Horntons (Models & Toys) 15 Navigation St, Birmingham 4.

Phil

I remember a model shop near to Horntons,but I've a feeling it was in a covered arcade,I remember it was near New St. station,does anybody else remember this shop,or is my memory playing tricks again?Having said that,I'm pretty sure I'm right,because I remember distinctly seeing my first view of an O.S. Max (Japanese) glo engine.This would be about 1957,when Japanese goods were still though of as being cheap copies of Western items.How times have changed !I do,however,remember the model railway layout that could be started by placing your hand on the shop window,so perhaps I am getting confused...can anybody enlighten me ?.................Mal
 
There was a model shop in the arcade right opposite the old entrance to New Street Station. I think it was called Kanga Models, and in the 1940's and early 1950's it was run by the wife of the famous Colonel C E Bowden, designer of the ugliest model aeroplanes ever.

The shop with the 'hand-over-the-window starter for the railway layour was definitely Hornton's, on the other side of the street (and I can't remember the name of that street...)

OS is now the world's oldest manufacturer of model aircraft engines. Even in the 1950's they were considered quality items, better than a lot of the cheaper US-made engines. Japanese model stuff was always pretty high quality.

Big Gee
 
Hi Big Gee,you're right about Col. Bowden designing the ugliest model aircraft ever,I remember some of his designs,and they all had incredible amounts of dihedral,and immensly long spindly undercarriages.They never inspired me to build a copy,but was it him who designed the first radio-controlled model to cross the English Channel,also the first model boat to do the same,or was that Colonel Taplin,of 'Taplin Twin' fame ? I think the model was equipped with E.D. radio equipment,designed I think,by George Honnest-Redlich.The shop you mention is certainly the one I remember,but I must have also visited Horntons,because of the railway memories,but I don't seem to remember the shop.Strange,because I used to go miles finding model shops,and I remember most of them...............Mal.
 
Another photo of Horntons (partly hiding behind a Midland Red bus) at the Stephenson Street end of Navigation Street. I too remember the train set that would run when you covered part of the window with your hand!
 
Do you remember Jim Davies models,Erdington i beleive.He was the man for radio control anything.My brother and me,used to go there to buy stuff to keep us busy.Do kids make models nowadays?Unless it plugs in the wall,they ain't interested.
 
Bode, did you see the James May programmes on TV, where he was trying to get kid's interested in model making? it wasn't an easy task.
 
Kids nowadays,my eldest,now 26,i tried to get him into models years ago.He said "can't see the point of this",then promptley went back to his computer.I couldn't wait for Saturdays to come.We used to get the Lewisis bus into town,it cost 10p.It ran from the Fox&Goose up to Lewisis.We would go to Beatties in the Pallasades to buy our models for the week.No computers,life was so much simpler then.
 
Seems all they want to do to-day. Blimey,we used to go out,have a larf,cause no trouble and live to tell the tale.
 
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Another photo of Horntons (partly hiding behind a Midland Red bus) at the Stephenson Street end of Navigation Street. I too remember the train set that would run when you covered part of the window with your hand!
I remember this shop they also sold jokey things,i recall buying a bird drinking from a glass (of course it wasn't real) but you gave it a nudge and it would bob up and down indefinitely,anybody remember them,and Beaties i spent hours in there with my son in the 70s
 
Do you remember Jim Davies models,Erdington i beleive.He was the man for radio control anything.My brother and me,used to go there to buy stuff to keep us busy.Do kids make models nowadays?Unless it plugs in the wall,they ain't interested.

Hi bode, I remember Jim Davies Models,or 'Big Jim', as he used to be known amongst the model-making clan,very well.He was one of the first model shops to have a display team of what were for the time,about the mid '70's,a fleet of 'large' models powered by 'chain-saw' engines.His display team was headed by a superb model flyer ,who I believe was his shop manager,named Dave Wright.He also had a very large model 'Lancaster',which flew at many model events throughout the country.He was also one of the first model shops to offer discounted prices,and at one time he was one of the largest model retailers in the country.Last time I went to his store,he was operating out of a large unit off Dartmouth Street ,that would be ,I would think,around 1978-80,not quite sure.He seemed to disappear off the scene shortly after,and I often wonder what happened to him.............Mal
 
Hi ,referring to the Jim Davies retail unit I quoted above,on reflection it would have been nearer to 1990 when I made my last visit there,,,,,,,,Mal
 
I thought the Doll's hospital was somewhere near Bingley Hall. But perhaps I am going back further.

Maggs.
I remember the dolls hospital in Broad Street,and there was also one in the Street where the Silver Blades was in the late 50s early 60s,a very small shop does anybody remember that one
 
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