An interesting addition to the Beatties collection courtesy of the excellent Nick Brad. He arrived at the recent Digitrains open day and thrust this wagon in my hands. I looked puzzled and he explained that Beatties bought out the chain in 1987, so it had a rightful place in my collection.
A quick look on-line brings up a short discussion on the Airfix Collectors forum with this info:
Taylor & McKenna Toy & Hobby Centres were a chain of toy shops
in the south east of England, pretty much a fore-runner of Beatties
model shops.
They had stores in Aylesbury, Banbury, Bletchley, Hemel Hempstead, Kettering, Luton, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Peterborough, Staines and Central London. They went bust in the early 80's.
The original store (selling just model railway stuff) was at 98, Craven Park Road, Harlesden NW10
They had stores in Aylesbury, Banbury, Bletchley, Hemel Hempstead, Kettering, Luton, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Peterborough, Staines and Central London. They went bust in the early 80's.
The original store (selling just model railway stuff) was at 98, Craven Park Road, Harlesden NW10
A shop in Banbury? That's just down the road from me. How did I miss it?
I see they also had their own glue, which I presumably need to find a tube of.
Can any reader tell me more?
12 comments:
I used to use the Banbury store quite often in my late teens.
It was by the townhall, in the row of shops that now contains Specsaver and McDonalds.
I seem to remember toys on the groundfloor and models upstairs.
They sold the usual ranges of Hornby, Airfix, Revell, humbrol etc, plus they were early sellers of Z gauge.
At least after they closed we still had Trinders.
Ahh those heady days before internet shopping.
Going looking for a tube of old glue?
...it's gonna be difficult - you'll probably get stuck!
Worked in the luton shop when I left school that's was many years ago,and have picked up the model train bug again
YES worked in the luton shop when I left school my first job many happy years then
I was the manager 1979 to 1982
By chance met one Patrick McKenna yesterday who runs a pub with his brother (called 'McKenna's' in Drumleague,Cavan) who is related to this McKenna and told me the tale...gd to know it was true!!
I thought you'd have one! I've just bought myself one of these vans today, from a toyfair in town, and thought of you. This mut have been sold after Beatties took over a there's a Beatties ticket on the box. I remember the Luton and Milton K. shops, later Beatties of course, neither were as good as a 'proper' model shop but who wouldn't want Beatties back now? As for the van, well that's destined to run on my Christmas trainset.
I used to work in the warehouse in Milton Keynes:)
Used the northampton store as a kid all
The time 1979 to 86isjj he
Worked in the Staines shop in 1982 , mick the delivery driver came with our delivery from Milton Keynes.
Z gauge markin , graham farish , mainline, Hornsby , and of course atoms remote control units.
Mrs Garner was the area manageress , The shop was in the elm sleigh centre.
Remember Kettering shop very well....general toys, diecast models, Action Man etc on the ground floor with Hornby, Scalextric, Aifix & Tamiya models upstairs, late 1970's early 1980's...is now a Vodafone shop.
Just came across an old 1959 Märklin pricelist for Taylor & Mckenna, Harlesdon. Quite how it came to be down-under here in New Zealand is anyone's guess but it's an interesting snapshot in time. :-)
Post a Comment