Model Railway, Church Road

The History of Sydenham from Cippenham to present day. Links to photos especially welcome!
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Sid & Ham
Posts: 50
Joined: 15 Feb 2008 08:28
Location: London

Model Railway, Church Road

Post by Sid & Ham »

Does anyone remember a toy/model shop in Church Road that had a model railway as part of its window display? On the outside of the shop there was a slot for putting money in and you could watch the trains go round. I think it was towards the roundabout opposite one of the two cinemas.

There was also a toy shop opposite Gipsy Hill police station that specialized in Scalectrix?
MartinH
Posts: 149
Joined: 10 Sep 2007 10:17
Location: Sydenham SE26

Post by MartinH »

Yes I remember the shop well. My father took a locomotive made by tri-ang to the shop to be repaired. When he collected it the bloke gave him a Hornby engine which used a three rail system instead of two and swore blind it was the one my dad gave him. The bloke was a tall slim man with a pencil moustache who used to wear a brown coat, just like Open all Hours. It was common practice in those days for toy shops to have train sets in the window which operated with a penny in the slot. There was Blands in Maple road, Penge, Beckenham Toys in the high street but I don't remember Toyland in Sydenham having one.
regoneil
Posts: 73
Joined: 27 Nov 2007 12:35
Location: walton on the naze

model railway church road

Post by regoneil »

Yes I remeber it well. It was also the London home base for "Hobbies"" who produced a regular catalogue covering most hobbies.
A similar store operated from an address on Norfolk but whether they were connexted, I never found out but I did deal with both at one time ot another.
Sid & Ham
Posts: 50
Joined: 15 Feb 2008 08:28
Location: London

Post by Sid & Ham »

I don't recall ever going into the shop, seemed quaintly old fashioned even in those times.
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