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View Of Inside Of Rc Model Shops Back In The Day

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Hi, a thought came to me today, has anyone got any old photo's or magazine scans etc. showing the inside of any RC Model Shops from years ago (say 10 years or more ago), I thought it would be interesting to see them. Any material is appreciated.

One shop that I have been wondering about recently is DKG Hobbies in Southport, does anyone know anything about them i.e. how long they have been there. I only found out about them in the last few weeks or so, must go and visit them sometime soon.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

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Hi, a thought came to me today, has anyone got any old photo's or magazine scans etc. showing the inside of any RC Model Shops from years ago (say 10 years or more ago), I thought it would be interesting to see them. Any material is appreciated.

One shop that I have been wondering about recently is DKG Hobbies in Southport, does anyone know anything about them i.e. how long they have been there. I only found out about them in the last few weeks or so, must go and visit them sometime soon.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

Hmmm, nice idea Alistair,

Sorry I cant be of help.

I'd also like to see some pics of inside model shops from back in the day.

Especially Beatties in Lewisham :)

Cheers,

Steve

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Here is a scan from page 33 of issue 152, July 1996 of Radio Race Car International (RRCI) showing Apex models at 182 Dukes Ride, Crowthorne, Berkshire, England RG45 6DS, and the large selection of NIB Tamiya ;-

Cheers,

ARG

post-6936-1326922780_thumb.jpg

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Here is a scan from page 33 of issue 152, July 1996 of Radio Race Car International (RRCI) showing Apex models at 182 Dukes Ride, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 6DS, and the large selection of NIB Tamiya ;-

Cheers,

ARG

Very cool LSM! I love old pics like this!

OSR

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Its a real shame beetties are not about as there counters were the best mainly filled with Tamiya stuff, we used to ask to look in boxes now and then. I think we have a model zone

and they have a few tamiyas and smaller independent model shop does to but they are up high on top shelf lol.

Now I guess we tend to view them on line more to, It has been years since I bought something from a model shop, last time I looked in ours neither had any of the paint I wanted and the kits are far to high priced unfortunately.

I remember going with my Dad to get first kit (Ta-02 Chevy S-10) at Beatties and first Acome 2 channel radio and tamiya 1400np stick pack with a slooow charger Dad could not afford fast charger, was so excisting though had to wait unitl Christmas day!

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Its a real shame beetties are not about as there counters were the best mainly filled with Tamiya stuff, we used to ask to look in boxes now and then. I think we have a model zone

and they have a few tamiyas and smaller independent model shop does to but they are up high on top shelf lol.

Now I guess we tend to view them on line more to, It has been years since I bought something from a model shop, last time I looked in ours neither had any of the paint I wanted and the kits are far to high priced unfortunately.

I remember going with my Dad to get first kit (Ta-02 Chevy S-10) at Beatties and first Acome 2 channel radio and tamiya 1400np stick pack with a slooow charger Dad could not afford fast charger, was so excisting though had to wait unitl Christmas day!

i used to take the homage every week to beatties in the back end of the bullring in birmingham every satdy to go stand there and watch the videos ....... those were the days when the staff would just let you stand there for hours on end and ask any questions get the cars out of the display because they could tell that you were hypnotised by the tamiya !!!!

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i used to take the homage every week to beatties in the back end of the bullring in birmingham every satdy to go stand there and watch the videos ....... those were the days when the staff would just let you stand there for hours on end and ask any questions get the cars out of the display because they could tell that you were hypnotised by the tamiya !!!!

Spot on

My local beatties was in romford, Essex.

Used to pop in once a week to see the models and watch the videos running.

They used to keep an A4 folder full of tamiya decals. I bought loads and stuck them all on my school books :lol:

Also had a shop called "RadioActive" near me, more of a pro shop that I went to as I got a bit older, stocked Kyosho and Schumacher.

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This pic was of Modelzone , Liverpool - taken in aug 2006.

Title011.jpg

This model shop has had somewhat of a chequered history. Before it was ModelZone, it was The Model Centre, and before that Beatties. Perhaps a sad reflection of the fact that it's harder and harder for model shops to survive, especially in city centres where leases can be expensive.

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I haven't been able to find any photos of inside the model shops I used to frequent BUT I have found photos of them from the outside back in the day. :lol:

Photo 1 : Beatties Model Shop in Newcastle city centre, seen on the left hand side. Not sure of the exact year but pretty safe to assume it's between 1988 & 1994, judging by the cars on the street! Beatties always used their whole left hand side window to display their Tamiya kits, and if you blow the photo up you can just make out the stack of white boxes. What kits they are is anyone's guess. :D Sadly the shop closed long ago and is now a Maplins electronics store.

5029538562_f3cb9bf0b0_b.jpg

Photo 2 : This was the other main model shop in Newcastle, situated on the outskirts of the city centre. This shop largely dealt with the Kyosho kits and RC planes & helicopters. This was where all of the "serious" buggy racers hung out. :lol: This shop also vanished completely as it was bulldozed along with everything else you see in the photo as the whole area was redeveloped & modernised in the late 1990s.

5028944909_4c18acf3ba_b.jpg

Ah, the memories of visiting that Beatties every Saturday from July 1985 until Xmas that year watching the Hotshot video. I even ended up getting a Saturday job there when I was 16. :)

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I dont have a inside photo but i wish i'd a quid for every hour i used to spend looking at all the new Tamiya releases in this wonderful shop when i lived just outside of Leeds . Happy Days

post-37759-1327000175_thumb.jpg

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Spot on

My local beatties was in romford, Essex.

Used to pop in once a week to see the models and watch the videos running.

They used to keep an A4 folder full of tamiya decals. I bought loads and stuck them all on my school books :D

Also had a shop called "RadioActive" near me, more of a pro shop that I went to as I got a bit older, stocked Kyosho and Schumacher.

Wez-li thanks for the memories man, i used to get a bus from rainham just to browse in beatties on romford then go back home, never did buy a tamiya in there as was very young back then, its a shame only now i have the money i have to order online, would love to go to beatties now with a wad of cash :D

i remember radio active too, that was near the college right? used to sell balsa planes in there too, i move from that area 20 years ago so my memory has faded a bit ;)

my friend who i still talk to to this day was the one i used to go to beatties with, he no longer is into RC but has a Gold tub RC10 that he still wont part with!!

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Great photos!

Well, these pics are not that old, (though I hope that's fine...) but that's the hobby shop where I am coming by from time to time to buy R/Cs & spares and to drool all over those pretty kits.

tamicoladen11tjqb.jpg tamicoladen23mjtf.jpg

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Wez-li thanks for the memories man, i used to get a bus from rainham just to browse in beatties on romford then go back home, never did buy a tamiya in there as was very young back then, its a shame only now i have the money i have to order online, would love to go to beatties now with a wad of cash :D

i remember radio active too, that was near the college right? used to sell balsa planes in there too, i move from that area 20 years ago so my memory has faded a bit ;)

my friend who i still talk to to this day was the one i used to go to beatties with, he no longer is into RC but has a Gold tub RC10 that he still wont part with!!

Yeah Beatties was great, RadioActive was in Upminster.

I bought a used 959 from the bay last year and when it arrived it came with some spares with RadioActive stickers on! I almost fell out of my chair!

Hamleys used to stock tamiyas too, slightly overpriced though :D

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Great photos!

Well, these pics are not that old, (though I hope that's fine...) but that's the hobby shop where I am coming by from time to time to buy R/Cs & spares and to drool all over those pretty kits.

tamicoladen11tjqb.jpg tamicoladen23mjtf.jpg

Holy Cow :D

That's like a dream palace :D;) Now that's what I call a decent selection of NIB! Nice model shop!!

Cheers,

Alistair G.

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Holy Cow :)

That's like a dream palace :):lol: Now that's what I call a decent selection of NIB! Nice model shop!!

Cheers,

Alistair G.

soo i guess more cash to spend there?!! looool :lol:

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Great photos!

Well, these pics are not that old, (though I hope that's fine...) but that's the hobby shop where I am coming by from time to time to buy R/Cs & spares and to drool all over those pretty kits.

tamicoladen11tjqb.jpg tamicoladen23mjtf.jpg

If you click on these pic's you will have pop ups . :)

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If you click on these pic's you will have pop ups . :)

Not on Firefox 9 with Adblock Plus!

Don't know why the poster didn't attach them here.

Cheers,

ARG

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Did you photoshop the sky? :)

Ha. It's always sunny up north my friend. :lol:

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Please forgive me for resurrecting this thread (again for non-vintage content :( ), but I think I just can't let you miss out these pictures. My favourite LHS has moved into its new rooms recently.

Clicking on the thumbnails will enlarge them.

th_SAM_2743.jpg th_SAM_2742.jpg

View from outside. Do you want to step in? Of course you do! :lol:

th_SAM_2737.jpg

That's what you get to see at first.

th_SAM_2738.jpg

All the colours of the rainbow.

th_SAM_2740.jpg th_SAM_2741.jpg

The Carson Modelsport girl standing next to a lot of kit boxes. I wonder what meets your interest more? :D

th_SAM_2739.jpg

- without words -

Don't know why the poster didn't attach them here

TC members who don't have a paid subscription can't attach large pictures. :) However I'm using a different image hosting service now with hopefully less annoying advertising.

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This pic was of Modelzone , Liverpool - taken in aug 2006.

Title011.jpg

This model shop has had somewhat of a chequered history. Before it was ModelZone, it was The Model Centre, and before that Beatties. Perhaps a sad reflection of the fact that it's harder and harder for model shops to survive, especially in city centres where leases can be expensive.

the modelzone in the trafford centre has a good display of models, but i found the liverpool one was more expensive than most for 'bits' and now generally use the local model shop (steve webb in frodsham) or T.o.p. models in north wales if i need anything,

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Wandy: I used to go to beatties there many years ago ( I'm 27 ) With my Dad, If i remember correctly the RC was at the rear of the long thin shop with the TV showing the Tamiya videos shame about it being a Maplins now !Please say you have more photo's !!!

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OMG i'd kill to have a LHS half as good as that near by .

there online shop is pretty much ace too, very ok prices and sometimes really nice weekly actions.

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