Visit Great Eastern Models

Описание: In todays video we will head east over to the Cathedral city of Norwich to visit the award winning model railway trader, Great Eastern Models. https://www.greateasternmodels.co.uk/

Located on Plumstead Road to the North East of Norwich city centre, this traditional model railway shop has been in business for 38 years, opening its doors for the first time in 1986 and run by the current owners father Robert ‘but known as John’ Hockey. After Johns death in 2005, the 3 Hockey children Anne, Helen and Rob, took over and expanded the business, turning it from a local shop, into a nationally recognised name.

In 1986 when Great Eastern Model opened, there were 7 model railway shops in Norwich alone, however, with the gradual demise of brick and mortar shops, they are now one of the few shops of the type remaining in the whole of East Anglia. Great Eastern have a very active social media presence and very much enjoy engaging with and building friendships with their customers. Many of these customers travel considerable distances to visit the shop rather than shop online, for the more traditional shopping experience with face to face advice. The business does not trade via a website, and this is very much by choice and a decision which has worked very well for them. They do however provide a mail order service and take order over the phone, as well as posting the odd items for sale on their Facebook page, particularly from the ever changing selection of preowned items which pass through the shop.   / 627539614510187  

GEM also offer a technical support service for servicing and repairing locos, as well as DCC fitting.

Great Eastern Models regularly attend model railway exhibitions and heritage events across the region with their travelling trade stand, and more recently have held events of their own in the shops upstairs show room. One of these free events was taking place during my visit, and this was an O gauge day hosted by the Norfolk O gauge Mardlers. The aim of the event was to give visitors to the shop an introduction into this larger scale. Members were on hand to give demonstrations on different aspects of the hobby, such as different control systems and kit building including 3d printing, with a layout of their own to showcase that this larger scale doesn’t require a large space to have a perfectly enjoyable and rewarding layout.