Paul I've just thought...I'm passing through your area tomorrow before I start a 3 day work committment in Manchester.

Q: Do you know of a decent model shop in your city that stocks 1/700 IJN warship models manufactured by the likes of Tamiya, Aoshima, Fujimi and Hasegawa...by any chance?

Oh and as a small point of interest....Corus steelworks on Teesside closed down Friday gone, ending a 170 year history of steelmaking in the area. It is estimated over 4000 people will eventually lose their jobs as a result :nope:

Try going to York instead ?
 

Well Jim,

I am afraid I dont know any of the model shops you are asking about,the closest I would have said would have been 'Beaties' if ever you have heard of that brand,but I dont think they operate anymore,they used to sell all manner of modelling kits especially for tabletop wargames,including paints,modelling equipment.Your best bet would be to do all that online,there will be a specialist shop SOMEWHERE catering for that,or you could pay a visit to York instead?,because they still have functioning armouries that make custom swords,armour etc etc,for local Viking battle displays,there may be a shop that sells model ships and stuff.York is fantastic for finding unique gifts etc.
As for the steel issue its a bloody shame,we used to have tons of steelworks in Sheffield,but as you can imagine as the market is changing they are all disappearing resulting in more miserable people without work.My dad used to be a welder that made steel plating for ships ironically,and was made redundant about 20yrs or so ago,when Maggie was in power.

No prob Paul, I'm catching up on the weather in the area and wondering if I'll drive now....might catch a train :hmmm:

I spent a 3 year stint living in Sheffield, well Mosborough which is on the outskirts. I remember my first few days there with random strangers saying morning, afternoon and evening, being from London it was all quite alien to me, lol. I really enjoyed my time there and met some nice genuine people and going down to West Street and East Street (the two roads that run parallel?) for a night out at the bars was cool. We used to start at the City Hall end and make our way along, don't think I ever stayed sober enough to visit the bars at the other end....

My girlfriend worked at the Hallamshire hospital and although I've now returned to London, I'd happily live there again amongst it's friendlier, down to earth people but you'd have to remove my now ex-girlfriend first as she was the reason I both moved to and moved away from there, seeing as she was a psycho b*tch. And I did almost get run over by a tram on more than one occasion...

@ Jim
Careful mate ,we got hammered with the snow again so driving may be treacherous depending where you are coming from,M1 may be clear though.Good luck pal!

@Damo
Hey thats great that you know Sheffield city centre,my house is about 20mins walk from West Street.That place is crawling with pubs and bars,and yes,the tram is a bloody nightmare!

See...Sheffield is a great place folks! :woot:

that's why you people on the Isle drive on the wrong side of the road! :know: :03:

Tut tut tut :88)

:D

this reminds me of when I liked to cross the street in Birmingham's center of town last September ......

Got back 7pm last night having decided to take a chance with the prevailing weather conditions and deciding not to chance my luck too much by travelling direct to Manchester.

Not too much snow going but lots of fog on the M62 returning.

On the plus side I found a ModelZone shop on Deansgate and purchased a nice IJN aircraft carrier Akagi.

Oh, and the trams in Manchester can be a menace too.