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Toy/Model Shops City Centre

Hobbies Ltd moved to a shop in Dale End. I can remember buying 'Aeromodeller' there in early December 1959. It had a full-size plan for a control-line Hawker Fury biplane - I've still got the plan but never built it. Our flying-field for control-line was Perry Hall Playing Fields, and for free-flight Sutton Park. There must have been over a dozen model shops in Brum when I was in my teens.

I still fly control-line models with the Nuneaton MAS, but these days everything is very, very different to how it was over 50 years ago.

G
 
My life long friend used to free-flight in Sutton Park with Nigel Mansell up until a few years ago. He was keen on his radio control free flights, his collection consists of over 30 engines, rather a lot when you can only use one at a time.
Dave
 
maz_beth said:
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).
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Grandad bought me Noddy's car from there
 

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sospiri said:
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
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Maurice
It's about 8 years late, but I remember Juneero.
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i loved the toy shop in nav st, while waiting for the bus,i would press the button on the window frame,that started the train going around in the window.
 
Bob M said:
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.
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and one on nechells park rd.nechells.
 
Bob M said:
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.
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i went formans road when i got a p/t job for co op butchers at hall green
 
sospiri said:
Posts #97, #124 & #132 referred to the Dippy or Drinking Bird. But how does it work? I came acropss this explanation the other day, so for the inquisitive and technical amongst us, here's why.......

Maurice :)
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Thank you Maurice for sharing that! I don't remember that when I took heat engines at university! I also remember the "collapsing can" in secondary school that I thought was very good!
Thank you again!
 
Yes, before reading that I just assumed that it was cleverly counterbalanced and evaporation of the water did the trick. But I've never actually owned one so had never taken a close look or played with one. As I recollect, they weren't all that expensive when they came out - about ten bob? Probably Costa Fortune now.

Maurice :cool:
 
I vividly remember a toy/joke shop which must have been on the main road when I got off the 5A at Asylum Road. It was quite close to the bus stop. Would it Alma Street there or Summer Lane? This would have been in the 1950's and we were on our way to my Auntie's cafe. It had a small window full of dusty things and Mom would drag me away saying that I didn't want to look in there. Well I did! The thing I remember most clearly was 'dirty doggie' - a very realistic object which I would love to have bought.
 
A Sparks said:
The Ian Allan shop is now in Ethel Street, just round the corner from Stephenson Street.
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Just read in today's Sunday Times that the Ian Allan Book and Model shop near London Waterloo station is to close on 31st October. It was mainly used by people over 50 and they are not traveling to London anymore. I got the impression that this was the last of the Ian Allan bookshops and therefore the one in Birmingham must have already closed. It was a great favourite for train and bus-spotting enthusiasts. Presumably you can still buy models, books etc online.
 
Does anyone recall a model shop in Harborne, in Albert Road's side passageway in the 1970s? They had an attached Barbers shop. That was the only way I'd agree to get my short-backnsides in those days, if I could pick a model kit to follow with my pocket money
 
Back in the 50s, there was a model shop on the Stratford Road, near the Main Street junction. I can't remember the name, but I used to look longingly at the Hornby o-o locos and wagons in the window. There were Mammod steam engines too.
 
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