History

Loco-Notion Models was founded in 1994 by David Young in a very small way indeed, trading at Toyfairs and Swapmeets around the South-East with second hand model railway models and new scenics & accessories from small manufacturers. A few years later He opened a shop at Cliffe in Lewes which was closed after 18 months as it was losing money ( lovely shop - wrong location, no passing trade whatsoever ). It may have done him a small favour as it was submerged in the heavy floods the following year. He then moved on to a workshop in Hove nr Brighton and back on the Exhibition and Toyfair scene. He ceased trading for one year when family health problems arose but then decided to open part-time in a tiny shop near where he lived in Peacehaven and see how it went.  This was early in 2002 and it was so tiny that if two customers came in nobody could move. This resulted in a move to slightly larger premises later that year, and  we have been there ever since.

Philosophy

We strive to provide that old-fashioned concept of being as helpful as we can to our customers, young or old, experienced or novices.  We are happy to explain the how, why and what of model railways to newcomers and learn ourselves from other customers who know more than we do. We like a happy atmosphere in the shop, it attracts customers back and many have become good friends. We strive to stock a range of products from most major British manufacturers in OO & N as well as a number of smaller ones.  Due to space limitations we do not pretend to carry a fully comprehensive stock at all times but we can always order in items. We can order in items from many Continental manufacturers as well. We buy and sell second-hand items. All locomotives are tested before being put out for sale even the new ones!  We carry out servicing and repairs (if parts are available). We don’t pretend to be the cheapest in the country, we know we can’t compete with the big  Mail-Order boys but despite this every item with a RRP over £10.00 has a discount applied - up to a maximum of 20%. Please check our sample listings elsewhere on our website. In addition all track has a discount on RRP as do some other items below £10.00.

Recently we have also decided to start commissioning models from major manufacturers as many will be aware we are in the process

of commissioning a OO Gauge model of the Bullied Leader and hope this will be the first of many new models.

Meet Our Staff....................

There are four of us who run the shop between us......

David

David is the owner of Loco notion Models and has spent many years of hard work to build it to where it is today. He is in the shop on Fridays and Saturdays and is a wealth of Railway and Narrow Gauge Information. He has a special interest in Narrow gauge and Southern Railway. David is a very keen model maker and is always happy to help out new modellers or just have a chat about railways! He collects N, 009 and 16mm railways also many odd bits and pieces of Large scale narrow gauge. David also has a small garden railway where he lives in Peacehaven with his wife and cat.

Ken

Ken is a highly accomplished model maker who specialises in kit builds in OO Gauge and O Gauge. He has a very large collection of OO and N with an ever increasing collection of O gauge. Ken has spent a while now working with DCC and often fits chips for people. He has a huge knowledge about railways and Model railways and is always happy to chat and help out in the shop. Ken runs the shop on a Thursday where he can often be found either tinkering with a model or working on a new one. He is also a good artist and paints in his spare time and used to build and fly Radio Controlled Aircraft. He lives with his wife and one cat in Peacehaven and has two grown up children.

Nikki & Keith

Nikki and Keith are engaged and run the shop on Mondays and Tuesdays. You will always find one of them or both in the shop dependant on whose got other things to do! They both have an interest in railways both model and real. They live in Newhaven and have one son and two cats.

Nikki is an extremely good model maker  who scratch builds pretty much everything these days including track and points. She is also a very skilled kit builder  and fine detail painter. She specialises in Buildings, Scenics and Narrow Gauge and much of her work can be seen at exhibition. She also collects OO Gauge Modern Diesel Traction and modern rolling stock. At the moment she is completely revamping her entire 009 collection and rebuilding them all to DCC with working directional lighting. On sundays she works at a preserved railway. She is also a semi professional photographer, artist and musician with a heavy interest in fashion and design.

Keith is an up and coming model maker who collects OO Gauge Steam and Diesel. He has an extremely heavy interest in disused railways and abandoned lines. He is currently restoring a full sized Class 205 Thumper at a local preserved railway. He has a large and varied knowledge in Railways in general and is at present building a 4mm ( OO Gauge ) model of the Devils Dyke Railway Station nr Brighton. He has a heavy interest in Music and is also a Local Radio DJ as well as being an accomplished Guitarist. He also loves to play around with computers and has spent many years learning new stuff!

Their son also collects OO Gauge model railways and has built up quite a collection over the years. He does some model making when he isn’t at army cadets or generally doing what kids do!