Model Shops in Central London

[Ossian]

(Mods, please move if this is not the appropriate forum)

I'm visiting central London next week (mainly as bag carrier and card-holder for my wife and daughter, who scranned the trip for her 18th) but I will get a bit of time to myself, so would like to see if there are any model shops worth visiting.

In the past, it has been Hannants, in Colindale, but I know they have nothing train-like (certainly not in N) so I'm hoping for some suggestions that don't involve massive tube journeys.   All such gratefully received!

[jamespetts]

I do not think that there are any left in central London any more.

[crewearpley40]

I am agreeing can only think Jane's tooting.   

[Coyote]

The LT museum in Covent Garden had a few models on my last visit, can't remember if there was any N gauge but it was all Underground related.

[Paul J]

I was in the LT museum shop a couple of weeks ago, and there was very little there.

Jane's Trains in Tooting is the best option. They have a good selection of new and second-hand N.

[Gordon]

I'm visiting central London next week  so would like to see if there are any model shops worth visiting.

A big fat zero I'm afraid.

I'm afraid its a reflection of British retailing as a whole (long pre-pandemic by the way - simply priced out of town). I can think of no major railway modelling country where there is no model railway shop in the capital city...

[crewearpley40]

There's harburn hobbies Edinburgh, lendons Cardiff but back to the point maybe worth calling or emailing first see if they are open http://www.northfieldsmodelshop.co.uk/

[Ossian]

Thanks, folks.   Northfields looks interesting, as does the one in Tooting, although both are more than a slight trek!

[Foonting]

I'm visiting central London next week  so would like to see if there are any model shops worth visiting.

A big fat zero I'm afraid.

I'm afraid its a reflection of British retailing as a whole (long pre-pandemic by the way - simply priced out of town). I can think of no major railway modelling country where there is no model railway shop in the capital city...

I'm in the music business - and with the pretty much complete demise of Denmark Street our capital is fast becoming bereft of music shops too. In fact anything that isn't a restaurant, fast food outlet or a bar.
I'm afraid our addiction to buying online and the huge prices of keeping 'bricks and mortar' shops open (I have  High Street premises in East London and they are bad enough) are condemning our city centres to be for corporate retail giants and late night revellers only.

I can't see any way of reversing this trend now - at least without major reform to business rates, perhaps in part funded by fair taxation of internet retail giants like Amazon!

[Gordon]

Thanks, folks.   Northfields looks interesting, as does the one in Tooting, although both are more than a slight trek!

Jane's Trains is local to me so I'm lucky in a way, but it doesn't cover my specialist area very much so I only go there occasionally. Most of the basics are stocked and I usually come away with something

[ntpntpntp]

Memories of trekking Oxford Street area in the 80s and early 90s for W&H, Beatties in Holborn etc. I used to be able to do those in my lunchtime when I worked in London.  All gone. What was the place somewhere around Angel Islington? I went there too though IIRC that was American models mostly.   I use to pop in to Wheels of Steel behind Grays Antiques, picked up a few fair priced second hand bits and pieces from there.

Doesn't help with the OP's current quest though.

[Bigmac]

Memories of trekking Oxford Street area in the 80s and early 90s for W&H, Beatties in Holborn etc. I used to be able to do those in my lunchtime when I worked in London.  All gone. What was the place somewhere around Angel Islington? I went there too though IIRC that was American models mostly.   I use to pop in to Wheels of Steel behind Grays Antiques, picked up a few fair priced second hand bits and pieces from there.

Doesn't help with the OP's current quest though.

victors ?

[Bazza]

4D Model Shop, E1 (for modelling supplies, materials, consumables, etc,); Addlestone Model Shop (kits, RC, trains, etc,); and a bit further out; Roxley Models at Gt Bookham and Alton Model Centre, Alton (both for model railways).

[devonjames]

Memories of trekking Oxford Street area in the 80s and early 90s for W&H, Beatties in Holborn etc. I used to be able to do those in my lunchtime when I worked in London.  All gone. What was the place somewhere around Angel Islington? I went there too though IIRC that was American models mostly.   I use to pop in to Wheels of Steel behind Grays Antiques, picked up a few fair priced second hand bits and pieces from there.

Doesn't help with the OP's current quest though.

Yes, I remember getting the 29 bus to Beatties in High Holborn, although in those days I lived nearer to their other shop in Southgate which was always better for second hand items.   When did the Holborn shop finally close?

[njee20]

4D Model Shop, E1 (for modelling supplies, materials, consumables, etc,); Addlestone Model Shop (kits, RC, trains, etc,); and a bit further out; Roxley Models at Gt Bookham and Alton Model Centre, Alton (both for model railways).

With respect, 3 of those (the actual railway shops) are all outside the M25, which is probably stretching the definition of "Central London". Alton is over an hour by train, which means you could include large swathes of the Midlands as closer