Close of play for Mr Toy Shop

Beesleys 89A Spon Street, Coventry ?

This blog has a different view of Mr Beesley

Were you a member of the working mens club ?

Some shop owners should not have any contact with customers. I find some grumpy, sarcastic and unhelpful ..... they only do it to me or my son once ! Yet other people sing their praises ( perhaps they spend more than me or don't complain when, for example, they are a Hornby registered dealer and have hardly any stock of spares.

In one shop I asked if he could beat a price quoted in another shop and his reply was "I have to live too" then told another customer about having to close the shop as he was going on a Mediterranean cruise.

"Dragon Heart" wrote

We are both a Hornby Service Dealer and a Collectors' Centre, but even so stocking spares for their locos is now extremely difficult. In years past we would carry 90% of the available spares because they were common to virtually all locos, now almost every single loco is comprised of unique parts.

At the last stock check my (written down) stock value on Hornby spares parts was around GBP3½k but annual sales of parts averages around 1/10th of that, so clearly one questions the viability of carrying increasing stocks to cover every eventuality on every new release.

Sure it aids good will if someone comes into the shop and spends 25p on a coupling hook, but it's amazing how often that is to repair something bought on eBay or at a swapmeet, and remarkable how offensive these people can be if we don't happen to have spares for a model made 40 year ago! It's not always the shopkeeper who is grumpy and sarcastic - but of course the customs is *always* right!

John.

"89 Spon End", it's an important distinction. "Spon Street" is nearby in the same general area but has never had a model shop.

Not that different. He may well have been likeable when he started but he got crankier as he got older. Just casually mention to someone the limitations of the shop within earshot of Claude and flew right offf the handle. His assistant was a great bloke, I always got on well with him. As to the true reason for its closure all I can say is that the nearby Modelcraft stayed in business for many after years after the premises formerly rented by Beeseley were used for something entirely different.

No, as I was only 15 years old when I last shopped at Beesley's! It is actually the Railwaymen's Club (although you don't have to be a railwayman to join). I still pass it once a week. Over the years both the former model shop three others have been gradually integrated into the frontage of the Railwaymen's Club such that they are no longer distinguishable as being separate buildings. This is a shame as it is supposed to be a building conservation area.

(kim)

"kim" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Reverand Lovejoy in The Simpsons? :-)

In article , kim writes

There was the American publication AWNUTS Much missed. Always Whimsical Not Usually To Scale Garden railway magazine I contributed a good number of articles but, as it eventually folded, you may have a case that there is not enough fun and whimsy in the world.

Wait till I've finished moving, and then I'll be adding some more whimsy to the West Country.

Sounds like he had it about right, then.

:-)

Dont take a child into a certain model shop in the centre of Nottingham (it isnt TMC - theyre fine). Talk about the evil eye with matching intent !

If you live in the midlands then its worth a trip to 2nd hand shop in Church Gresley - dont tell him anyone said it, its good stock at good prices. But beware hes only open for a few hours odd each week.

cheers, Simon

Cheers, Simon

Yes Chris and didn't Gomez Addams used to enjoy blowing up his model railways ?

Walt Disney also loved trains of all sizes ..... as he was said to be a Nazi sympathiser I assume ALL his trains ran on time ?

Bing sings and Walt Disn'y

We sometimes take a visit to Burton so do you know when he's open and it's location ?

Thanks Chris

M & P models - Church Street. Opposite a pub. Definately on Sat 14:00-16:00 Sun 10:00-12:00

But also couple of evenings, think tuesday at thursday about 19:30 ish.

Cheers, Simon

Thank you Simon

On Sat, 04 Aug 2007 15:26:44 -0700, Dragon Heart said in :

Back in Ye Olde Days one could make the trains go round in Mr. Patrick's toyshop window in Lillie Road, Fulham, by inserting an old penny in the slot provided.

Guy

The message from "kim" contains these words:

They don't make bunks like that any more...

Especially not at IKEA.