Good N Gauge/N Scale World Wide Model Shop Map.

OwL · January 20, 2013, 12:05:20 AM

Ive had a thought for a new idea. If enough people like it and mods agree then hopefully we can see it on NGF soon?

Idea:

I would like to see a world map thread, whereby any member who has found a great model shop that stocks decent N Gauge/Scale can place a location pin with address details so other members can find it.

The idea came to me through seeing lots of members ask the froum of the location of decent N Shops in a location/country/city they are travelling to soon and havent been before.
That way all the shops locations can be put under one roof On the forum so to speak and people who are looking to travel, go on holiday or wanting a different shop can just open the thread, click on the city they are going to and look if fellow members have left a pin.

People who find a hidden gem shop could also add to it?

What do people think? Good or bad?

Im planning a trip to Holland soon, and would like to know the locations of some good N Scale model shops that other members reccomend.

Flakmunky · January 20, 2013, 12:11:16 AM

This would be useful!

weave · January 20, 2013, 12:57:06 AM

Great idea,

Went to a shop, which I had googled, last year in San Francisco which was OK but not great.

Luckily about 10 mins walk from the hotel but if I'd 'traveled' there, would have been disappointed. There were some reviews on the net but be much better coming from you guys! I vote YES.

Cheers Weave.

1936ace · January 20, 2013, 03:05:54 AM

A great idea. I recently went to queensland for the holidays with the family and on our quite day wondered if there were any shops locally.i knew the Aust importer for Peco was located nearby but they don't do visitors I'm told by one of the retailers they don't them much either. Anyway went through phone book and found two but sadly one closed not enough sales and the other not much at all in n. do find the gold coast model railway club and the guys just happened tone there and let zac and I have a look. The main layout was amazing about 90 mtrs of double track main plus branch lines etc.
I'm up for supporting the idea
Bart

tadpole · January 20, 2013, 09:12:15 AM

Great idea, owl.

Maurits71 · January 20, 2013, 09:15:19 AM

Quote from: OwL on January 20, 2013, 12:05:20 AM
Ive had a thought for a new idea. If enough people like it and mods agree then hopefully we can see it on NGF soon?

Im planning a trip to Holland soon, and would like to know the locations of some good N Scale model shops that other members reccomend.

let me know when, I know quit a few very good ones ,

Jack · January 20, 2013, 09:15:50 AM

Forgive me Guys if I've missed something but isn't the "Shops - Online", "Shops - Not Online" section of the forum for this purpose? After all the pins would only appear if the shop was good, where as in the Modelling Shops section, good and poor shops could be listed.

Maybe the Modelling Shops section is under used?

OwL · January 20, 2013, 09:25:22 AM

Hi Jack, i was thinking of an actual map. I remember when the forum first started running there wqs a similar thing whereby members could pin their location/home for other members to view on a world map.
I was thinking of something more fun, visual and interactive for members

You are 100% correct that we do have an online/model shop section but as you pointed out it is underused and i doubt members would trawl through the posts of trying to find a shop to a location they are thinking of going to.

Sorry if i wasnt clear enough in my first post, hope this clarifies my idea.

Kind Regards
OwL

longbridge · January 20, 2013, 09:27:35 AM

Great idea Owl and I hope it takes off for you, cant contribute any retailers here in Oz because they are all to expensive.
British modellers buy online fron the UK and USA modellers buy online from America, its very hard to patronize shops over here that have been ripping us off for years, thank goodness for the www.

Pengi · January 20, 2013, 09:32:19 AM

Thanks Owl, will follow this thread and if there is sufficient interest, we will give it our consideration.

Pengi · January 20, 2013, 09:50:51 AM

Having just read another post, one of the key things in making this useful is that the shops identified are kept up to date. It would be awful if someone travelled to one of the shops only to find that it had closed or had new ownership and the service provided was not of the same quality. Bear in mind that it may only be one person's opinion that a shop is good (or bad) - others may have a different opinion.

OwL · January 20, 2013, 09:55:05 AM

Could always date tag each pin per visit and leave a phone number so that people can phone before wasting a journey?

daveg · January 20, 2013, 10:11:44 AM

Online shops are brilliant and use them a lot but I do like to physically wander around a 'real' shop where you can see the kit and do a bit of impulse buying.

I think the idea is good (could be linked to the exisiting shops section?) but as mentioned, keeping it up-to-date is the challenge and it would have to down to members to do that.

As an example of stale info:

I went to the Dapol site yesterday and they mentioned Antics as a stockist and gave, amongst others, a Guildford address. All excited as it's not too far from Sevenoaks, I 'Googled' the map and after a bit of faffing around, discovered that the branch is closed.

Dave G

PS: I think I'll contact Dapol but wonder if they'll make the changes as emails seem to get lost in the ether.

OwL · February 03, 2013, 10:59:03 AM

Any more interest in this idea? Have moderators discussed?
Thanks in advance.

Tom@Crewe · February 03, 2013, 11:06:59 AM

I have seen this sort of thing set up on another Forum for Members they used a google maps link

If I remember you sent him postcode and he would add your name and a flag to location, would work well for shops and members to see who's local to you.