Hobbyrail - Sutton Coldfield

Hobbyrail style themselves as "the original Aladins cave for enthusiasts" and I can't see any reason to report them for trade descriptions. The shop is located a little off the beaten track in Sutton Coldfield. Walking from the town centre or station takes around 10 minutes if you don't get lost.

From the outside, the place looks small and like an inverse TARDIS, the inside is smaller still because of all the stock on the shelves. This is not a shop for those who need to have everything presented to them on a plate. Everything is neat and ordered, but there is a lot of it.

As an example, I dug through the Kinghtwing box. Most of the range was there as far as I could tell, but you had to leaf through them. Same with the 2 boxes of Wills kits. Ratio and Peco get wall hangings but at about my knee height.

In the middle of the room are the Woodland Scenics items along with other kits and bits. I'd not seen Heljan working lamps before but resisted. Even the back of the door is used, this time for Merit packets. Behind the counter are the RTR locomotives, most of which have photos added to the ends of the boxes so the helpful proprietor can find them.

4 or possibly 5 paint ranges are stocked and the displays all appeared full with no gaps for missing colours. There's plenty of balsa wood and plasticard. Glues and oils too along with lots of other modelling chemicals.

If there is a problem it is that the shop is snug. 6 people inside would seem to the the limit and even then they would have to be friendly and non-smelly. If you are in this bit of Birmingham then it's worth a visit. Just my sort of model shop.

Update: The shop has now moved to the shopping centre.