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Toy/Model Shops City Centre

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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Lloyd said:
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!
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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
 
bode5997 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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
 
maggs said:
I thought the Doll's hospital was somewhere near Bingley Hall. But perhaps I am going back further.

Maggs.
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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
 
I regular visited the Model Aerodrome for my Airfix kits many years ago but more recently I visited one in the Pallisades (spelling??) cannot remember the name, now I purchase my model kits on line, sign of the times I suppose. Eric
 
I remember going to Horntons Corner in the late 60's when my parents bought me my first "Airband Radio" which enabled reception of the Air Traffic Control at Elmdon (in those days!) Compared to the gear I have now, it was pretty basic, just a tranny with a bit more coverage on VHF!!
I still remember the shop owner in his natty striped suit!! I'm pretty sure at some point I had binoculars from there as well.

Talking as you were about model shops, in the 70's I used to frequent a great little emporium at the bottom of Formans Road Sparkhill (I lived in Tetley Road, Springfield, off Shaftmoor Lane) I'm not 100% sure but I think it was "AV Lucas" he used to stock all the Construction kits ie Airfix, Revell, Frog (showing my age now!) and all the rest. He used to stay open until about 8-00pm on Friday evenings as well. Wonder if anyone remembers him ?

It would be mind blowing to see a photo of the place, Long shot though!!!!

Regards BobM

PS There was a "Dolls Hospital" on Stratford Rd near College Road, owned by Bev Bevan's mother. Later it became his record shop.
 
Bob M I remember my dad and brother going to Lcas's and also Bobs models on the Cov at Small Heath, now in Shirley I think?
And Liz, we too had a bird that drank from a glass, which one of my great-aunts got me from the Ideal Homes exhibition in the old Bingley Hall on Broad Street
And to please all of you, not all kids only want computers, although my 12 year old loves his x-box, he also gets great pleasure from the train set-up he and dad have and has just strated making Airfix models, having found them in Hamleys at Xmas - snag is the cost, not only of the actual models but also the myriad of paint colours you need for them - and the quality of the models leaves a lot to be desired compared to the old ones!
Still, it's a welcome change from the x-box!
Sue
 
Yes I remember Bobs Models, just forgot where it was!! Also I used to go to Shirley Models that was up on the parade of shops on the right just past Haslucks green lights, on Stratford Road. (there was a great cycle shop up there as well, was it Tommy Godwins ? or am I mistaken ? probably!!)

Its a shame so many youngsters cant appreciate Kits and Meccano etc, so it is good to hear your lad enjoys Airfix and model railways . I always believe what goes around etc, so you never know there might be a resurgence !!

Many thanks for the reply Sue.

Bob M
 
Quote Bob M
"Its a shame so many youngsters cant appreciate Kits and Meccano etc, so it is good to hear your lad enjoys Airfix and model railways . I always believe what goes around etc, so you never know there might be a resurgence !!"

There is always this place. My Grandkids love this shop in Bull street.
https://www.modelzone.co.uk/stores/birmingham.html
 
And going back to the 1950s, does anyone remember Juneero (Junior Engineering)? I doubt if it would get past 'elf'n'safety these days as it included small pieces of sheet steel (around 22 swg) with a guillotine, some 1/8" diameter steel rod and a tap to thread it. The guillotine also had a slot for cropping the rod to size, and lots of nuts and bolts (around 4BA). I spent hours playing with this stuff as it was much more flexible than Meccano for model building. About the only thing missing was an arc welder!!!

Maurice
 
Tommy Godwins was in Kings Heath and Priory Cycles opened oppostite the Shirley Model Shop. I think Bob's Modles are still in the Hobs Moat run of shops. Or were last time I went. There was another old standing cycle shop on Robin Hood Island but forget the name at present.
 
Oh yes thats right Bernie, Vicarage Road was where Godwins were, Priory Cycles was the one I was thinking of. I (at least my parents!) bought my first racing cycle from there in about '69, a "Falcon Gnat" claret frame and blue mudguards, very apt considering my football leanings!! (say no more!)


Cheers for the reply!

Regards bob M
 
Have to say though the most enduring construction is Lego - mom sensibly kept all the lego my brother and I had as kids and it is now taking over her house, along with the new kits that Owen still buys. It is a great attraction for his friends too and of course dad loves it. There's still a big interest in Lego and we went to Swindon in October to a Lego fayre , it was incredible what they had made, best one for me was the scale model of Kings Cross station in London and even the number of steps on it was right - Owen counted them when we went to London the week after.

Sue
 
Re: Model Shop

Rob Lowe said:
Yes Den, I also bought models from there, it was called "The Model Aerodrome", do you remember the racing cars they sold with a cordite fired engine ? it,s a wonder any of us didn't have a hand blown off.
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Hi newbie here, apologies if I'm repeating old threads, I remember the Model Aerodrome back in 1964/65 when I saw Aurora models in the window and was totally in awe seeing King Kong, the Munsters, Frankenstein monster Dracula etc. facing me and on entering the shop it was full to the ceiling with model kits of all kinds and I remember seeing The Aurora JFK model behind the counter. Does anyone have a photo of the shop? I vaguely remeber it as Tiffany's in the 1970's (clothes shop/flower shop) correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Talking abut the model shops in Brum this week prompted me to look up Jim Davis, a model maker who made amazing larger models of aircraft
and perhaps other things. People were wondering what happened to Jim and here is link regarding his passing from his son Steve.
Jim Davis had a shop on Stockland Green behind the Plaza Cinema where the old Co-op stores used to be. I remember seeing large plane models
outside on the forecourt and if I remember correctly a helicopter. This would have been 1977. https://www.rcmf.co.uk/4um/index.php?topic=86175.0
 
he was my first boss - got a job, in '75, at another shop he owned, and his 70+ mom managed, over the road from his model shop at Stockland Green - it was called 'the Gift Shop' - he also owned Toyland next door to it, which I was seconded to in '76.
I wonder if any of the staff that worked there visit here - a Margaret, a girl a year or two older than me called Marian, and another lady, can't recall her name - might have begun with a 'D.'

I remember he (Jim Davis) had 2 sons, James, the elder, (3rd Jim Davis in a row) was about 2 years younger than me, 15 when I was 16/17, and a younger son.


I recalls a Doll's Hospital (discussion a page or two back), in the rag market on a stall - my mom used to take me to in the 60's to get my dolls eyes and suchlike fixed. Plus one in Erdington market in the 70's (by then used for my younger sister's dolls).
 
There was a model shop up from Marks and sparks going up a hill towards I think New Street that I spent many hours at lots of Hornbys trains etc. Also I use to buy stamps the collector kind. I still do have a coolection of stamps that I got there in the early 50s. anyone remember? John Crump OldBrit.Parker. Co USA
 
I don't know if it's another incarnation of the same shop but Ian Allan used to be on Stephenson St or thereabouts for a long time. They're still around although the internet site mostly deals in their books https://www.ianallanpublishing.com/ . There was a stamp/coin dealer in the arcade by Hudsons as well.
 
George, what a small world we live in, just browsing and I saw the name M.Hanson come up. Before Hobbs moat rd was built on in the
area of Ulleries rd it was all fields when I was a kid and we used to fly free flight and control line on the fields either side of the road.
Maurice was always up there at the week ends and this is the first time I have ever heard his name mentioned since those days. It brings back good times, he was older than we were so he may have passed on by now.
Thanks for the memories.
Dave Edwards
 
I must be the only one who remembers the model shop near the corner of moore st and the BullRing which was my hunting ground at the latter part of the War,"Hobbies" it was facing st Martins, the building next to it was damaged during the war and was shored up with very large pieces of timber for years, anyone remember it?
Dave Edwards
 
wam said:
I don't know if it's another incarnation of the same shop but Ian Allan used to be on Stephenson St or thereabouts for a long time. They're still around although the internet site mostly deals in their books https://www.ianallanpublishing.com/ . There was a stamp/coin dealer in the arcade by Hudsons as well.
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The Ian Allan shop is now in Ethel Street, just round the corner from Stephenson Street.
 
If it is the one I am thinking of did it have a model railway in the window. I remember as a young lad looking in the window while waiting for the bus with my mother.
 
The trams ran up the Bull ring when I was a kid and into Moor St, to be honest I can only remember trams going up Digbeth and up to the top of the Bull Ring and into Moor St and then on to Carrs lane and to Albert St.
I would not know if "Hobbies" was moved to a different location but I do remember the stamp shop in Ethel St. The other,sports and model shop was, I think the second shop round the corner in Cherry St from Corporation St, was run by Peter Bates a friend who lived in Yardley when I was younger, he was there many years.
Dave Edwards
 
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