Apparently in the U.K in Barnet there's suppose to be a model show in April I believe, there's been very little info I can find, also what type of models will be on display, to add to my confusion I was told 2 days, and then 1 day only. Any help on this subject would be great.

Hi

Many UK shows are advertised and details given on the UK IPMS site. So I would think that might be worth checking out.
http://www.ipms-uk.co.uk/events.htm

Barnet would seem a bit of a way from East Anglia. I seem to remember a show in Essex being advertised but can't remember where off hand.

I'd say if you can only make it to one or two main shows in the year I would choose Euro Militaire in Folkstone, Kent or IPMS Scale Model World at Telford in November.

Telford will have displays by most of the IPMS clubs from around the UK along with a large quantity of traders to spend your money with.
http://www.ipms-uk.co.uk/smw_index.htm

Euro Militaire usually draws the very best modellers from not only the UK and Europe but from the Far East and the USA . There is also a good amount of traders to relieve you of your cash.
http://www.myhobbystore.com/g/31/Euro-Militaire-09.html

Of course if you see shows closer and want to go that's fine, but if, like me, you are a little restricted in time and budget then I'd recommend these two

Alan

It's on may 31st at the royal air force museum,london.Opening times are 10am-6pm and its only up the road from me.yipeeee
neil..........

Thank you for the info and fingers crossed there'll be a wide span of models on display as Barnet is only a 30/40 drive from Cheshunt, thanks again.

Wow

The old place has changed since I left the area ..... since when did they move Cheshunt into East Anglia

Do you go to any meetings of the local IPMS branches around your way ? I remember there use to be a good one, I think around the Stansted Abbotts area, but we are talking thirty odd years ago.

Alan

Alan - I've never been any good with a computer, and when I signed up on this site, there wasn't any Hertfordshire, and although I am more south then east, I really couldn't be bothered to change anything, its like my gallery, its all filled up and apparently I have to delete a load of my pix, I dare say this is not the case because I've seen other people's gallery with twice the amount of pix I have, but once again, me and computers simply do not get on, I've actually owned one for just over 2 years, never had one before, but in this time I've managed to crash it 3 times, not bad considering it hasn't got any wheels.

Hi

If it's any comfort I use a computer every day and that still doesn't mean I'm immune from it going wrong, change settings without doing a thing other than start it up the next day !! Their fascination wore off years ago. For something that is meant to save me time it's also cost me some over the years

Looking at the location options you don't have a Hertfordshire just a choice of East Anglia or the South East which to anybody living in this small but crowded island doesn't really qualify as a true description of where you are or anyone else lives but I guess on a worldwide site it's close enough

Do check out to see if you have any modelling clubs in your area, either with the IPMS or maybe local model shops would know, if there is any around Cheshunt way these days. The internet is great for communication on an instant and global scale but nothing beats seeing stuff in the flesh and clubs can also be a great source of knowledge with hands on help.

By the way which is the best model shops around that way ? I sometimes come back to visit family in Hertford, my old home town and would love to pop into one whilst I'm around.

Alan

Cheshunt's the other end of Hertfordshire - it's on the Metropolitan line.

IPMS Barnet may be among the most convenient clubs - it'll be about 30 minutes by road. I drive that far to get to my club (North Surrey Military Modelling - plug, plug!) and it suits me very nicely.

Hi

So what about good model shops? Any around the South Hertfordshire/North London area apart from Hannants?

Alan

Alan, bad news, there very few and far between models shops anywhere near where I live, up the road from Broxbourne is small (yep they're all small these days) model shop that mostly deals in R/C and over-priced plastic models, the other way along the Hertford Road at Ponders End, the same sort of thing, choppers, speed boats, aircraft and not a great deal else, join the A-10 heading towards Cambridge, and just after the M-11 roundabout going through Trumpington (probably spelt wrongly) and before the only speed camera before you hit Cambridge itself, is the best of the 3 model shops, this shop deals in bigger R/C and you can also buy styrene sheets (you can't in the other 2 shops) and there are loads of paints, spray tins and obviously from darkest Cheshunt the furtherest away, when I'm working that way, I normally pop in if I'm on day shift for a look, and blow about £20.00 on bits and bobs I might need, it gives the boy's a laugh, bless em as they don't understand the need of a model builder - come to think of it, neitehr do I !

Hi
Never use the R/C shop in Cambridge . I get most of my items from Simon's Model & Craft Shop at Barton it's about 6 miles out from Cambridge on a small business estate. Only problems is they have funny hours. But there well worth a visit.
Simon's Models & Crafts Ltd
Top Field Farm,
16 Cambridge Road ,
Barton,
Cambridge,
CB23 7AR
01223 262426

They also support are local model club
Cambridge MAFVA.
We meet 1st Tuesday every month at Duxford Air Museum.

Hi

Yes it does seem that the only "Model Shops" around these days are doing radio controlled cars, boats, planes etc.

I guess the one down the road in Broxbourne is Hurricane Models in the shopping precinct ? I just did a search and found them.

I'd say Hannants would be your best bet then, a quick trip round the North Circular or M25. I say quick with my tongue definitely in my cheek, depending on luck is the best way you can describe any car journey these days.

We've actually a few reasonable model shops down this way, quite spoilt in comparison, so if you ever holiday down on the south coast near Bournemouth and heaven forbid it should rain you can find a model shop to look in.

The most dedicated of these for plastic kits has to be Just Add Imagination in Botley near Southampton. Go upstairs to the model section and you are greeted with floor to ceiling kits and a really friendly owner. They did have a on line shop which is in the process of being revamped. In the meantime this one covers what they do and where they are etc. Closed on Mondays - I found out the hard way
http://www.justaddimagination.co.uk/index.html

Poole has Setchfields down the High Street near the Quay, and Salisbury has Salisbury Model Centre. Hobbycraft at Ferndown is okay if you want the odd pot of Tamiya paint or other supplies like oil paint, card etc. Games Workshops are good for a few items and are in Poole, Salisbury and I believe Southampton.

Shame you can't have a long weekend down here next weekend. Poole Vikings will have their excellent local model show on Saturday, you can maybe visit one of the model shops mentioned and then on the Sunday visit Bovington Tank Museum before heading back.

Alan

It's been a while since I lived up that way so I'm a bit rusty. Hannants was always pretty convenient so I tended to drift their way... Station Road Models in Harrow shut a few years back. There's one in Chorleywood that I've been meaning to take a look at but I suspect it's a bit biased towards RC. Jennings in Enfield seems to be fairly reasonable, but again, no personal experience.

I don't think that they sell to much RC but they do sell the full range of tamiya & revell paints and it has a big stash of plastic kits too.And its just round the corner from where i work.
neil............

So, as I'm providing the taxi service for my daughter and friends to Thorpe Park this week is Hannants going to be the nearest and best place to while away the time and modelling budget till I pick them up for the return trip ??

Alan

If you're at that corner of the M25 I pity you, but the nearest decent shop is probably Dorking Models. From the M25, get off at Junction 9 (the A24), go round Leatherhead and down into Dorking, turn right before the railway (signposted A25 Guildford), turn left at the roundabout, then park wherever you can find space at the bottom of the hill. Continue up the hill on foot and left at The Star into West Street, where you'll find the shop on the right - next to the antique shop, just up from the antique shop, and over the road from the antique shop. You could try parking in Waitrose and using the bottom steps but they often queue round the block for that (and Waitrose have some old-fashioned ideas about buying something in return for use of the car park).

It's a great little shop, with the emphasis on little, but possibly not well set up for a relaxed browse. If uninhibited poking of boxes in a space big enough to breathe is more your bag, Hannants it is!

Hi Sean

thanks for that. I did here a story that the guy, Tony is it, in Dorking Models has somewhat unique attitude towards customer relations but as I don't have any personal experience of the shop if that comment is correct.

Alan

Not quite unique ...

I mean to add, an OK alternative is Antics in Guildford. Go off at Junction 10 (the A3) and head down to Guildford, taking the second exit for the town (that is, the one after Burpham - which, disappointingly, isn’t pronounced the way it looks - but don’t start on what Dorking means in other parts of the world…sorry, I digress). Right at the first big set of lights, past the fire station, left at the next big set of lights and you’re on Woodbridge Road. Ample parking in the town. Antics is on the other bit of Woodbridge Road, for which the easiest directions are probably to find the bus station, go out the back, and cross the road at the lights. If you park in the Leapale Road multi-storey you’ll probably have passed it on your way in. If you’re familiar with Antics in Plymouth this isn’t as good, but it’s better than the branch in Worcester.

Hi

Antics in Bristol I've been in a couple of times and they seemed well stocked and friendly, so I may give them a look in at Guilford and Dorking Models. I see they have a Modelzone at Guilford to.

Hannants would be good I guess but looking at the map and the thought of having to go around the North Circular Maybe when I'm actually heading for Hertford again I'll do that one.

Failing that I might take some tools etc. and a model or two and just sit in the car park doing some modelling. Easily pleased these days.

Thanks

Alan

You can avoid the North Circular if you stay on the M25, come in on the M1, and leave it at Junction 4. The RAF Museum should be signposted from there and Hannants is all but next door to it. It's at the back of a very unassuming little group of light industrial units and there's an Evangelical church between it and the Museum.

I've just realised that I mixed up Cheshunt and Chesham earlier. Sorry everyone!

Mixed up ? Boy what have you been drinking ? No problem as I often get confused with Harrow and Harlow especially when it comes up on the news, (something blar blar blar has happened in Harrow) I turn to the wife and say - Harlow ? That's only up the road, and she will say - get your bloody ears checked out !

Hi

Well I didn't make it to Hannants but did do some window shopping in Dorking and Guildford.
"Interesting" re Dorking Models. A model shop that reminds me of the kind I'd go to as a nipper. Well stocked with Dragon kits and a few others including the big 1/16th Trumpy King Tiger, which I'd loved to have been able to buy. Worth looking in if you are in the area I'd say.

Whilst not much to offer in comparison to the Bristol branch, Antics in Guildford was having a 25% off of Dragon Tanks so I picked up the George Bose Stug they released for DX07 for the princely sum of £22.49. It's only on for this week, and I don't know if it applies to other branches, but you'll have to hurry if you fancy anything. Not got a great amount in stock but might have one you desire.

I went back to Thorpe Park waited for my Daughter in the car park and started building it sat in the car's back seat. I'd taken my tools along just in case along with a Tamiya Cromwell, but that got sidelined with the Stug. Very nice. Managed to get most of the road wheels cleaned up. Got a few second glances with my Optivisor on but I don't give a ****, I was enjoying myself.

Speaking of wrong places, I remember as a young lad getting stopped and asked an address location by a lorry driver who was beside himself when I pointed out that the address on his delivery note said Hereford not Hertford. Only about 160 odd miles and 3 hours travelling difference

Alan