The Model Centre Reviews 

5,508
•
TrustScore 5 out of 5

4.9

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 1,250 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company, consistently praising the exceptional overall quality and professional service. Consumers frequently mention that online orders arrive very quickly, and products are securely packaged in sturdy materials to protect delicate items during transit. People also deeply appreciate the wide selection of available models, very fair competitive prices, and the consistently helpful customer support team. However, some reviewers were not happy with occasional delivery damages, missing small parts discovered upon unpacking, and frustrating delays when dealing with returned repairs. These few customers noted that items arrived broken, were found already sold on display, or required extra effort to resolve problems.

What people talk about most

Delivery service

Customers had positive experiences with delivery service, frequently highlighting the exceptionally fast... See more

Product

Customers consistently note positive experiences with product, highlighting the great selection of models and... See more

Service

Reviewers highlight positive aspects of service, consistently praising the fast delivery, reliable... See more

Price

Users describe positive interactions with price, noting that products are offered at very competitive and... See more

Order

Consumers find order satisfaction due to the simple and user-friendly website, quick delivery times, and... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The TMC had a special offer on for a pre-owned Hornby TT:120 LNER Blink Bonny locomotive, the price was irresistible, so I snapped it up through their website. It arrived very quickly and extremely we... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Visited shop at Beck Hole - grandson who is just starting out with model trains found it fascinating. Everything you can think of with service second to none. The trip to Beck Hole was amazing too. Se... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

TMC are always great with product descriptions, display of clearly marked 'in stock' items, range of products and helpfulness in clarifying questions/concerns. Postage to Australia is quick (around 9/... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This large and weighty kit was delivered by TMC very quickly in sturdy and secure packaging. I've only just got to look inside the box and was amazed at the engineering and finish of the metal parts.... See more


Company details

  1. Model Shop
  2. Hobby Store
  3. Scale Model Club

Written by the company

We’re a friendly, family run business nestled in the glorious North Yorkshire Moors, within walking distance of the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway. Our customers are modellers, collectors and enthusiasts who are fans of model railways, vehicles (military and civilian), and diecast models and figures. They are also keen kit builders and diorama creators. Our knowledgeable team includes railway modellers and dedicated railway enthusiasts, RC experts and plastic kit enthusiasts. We’re ready to provide you with a premium experience and first-class service. We’re essentially mail order, but we do have an onsite showroom and workshop for visitors to enjoy. We stock all major brands of model railway locos and rolling stock across all gauges at competitive discounted prices, usually around a 15% reduction on the recommended retail price. It’s not just locos - we supply everything you need to compliment your layout from scenery, figures, buildings and electrics to modelling tools, paints and effects. We also sell an extensive range of plastic kits, slot cars, diecast models and aviation models.


Contact info

4.9

Excellent

TrustScore 5 out of 5

6K reviews

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Asks customers to review

This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative

Replied to 100% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 48 hours

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4.9

All reviews

(5,508)

1,239 reviews in the last 12 months

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Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Midsomer marvel.

Item as described. Money wise a real bargain. 25% cheaper as the same model on other websites .Delivery prompt as usual from your good selves.

1 September 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Occasionally buy from TMC

Occasionally buy from TMC; their service is prompt, their provision of a "trunk" to store purchases thus saving individual postage charges is appreciated. Prices (for O gauge) on a par with other suppliers - i.e not particularly attractive, but thus time they had a rather unique wagon that attracted me, so I paid up.

21 August 2026
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Very disappointed that I chose 3…

Very disappointed that I chose 3 different locomotives that were on display only to be told they were already sold.
I don't think they should have been on display if already sold

22 August 2026
The Model Centre logo

Reply from The Model Centre

Good afternoon, Mrs Currie,

Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback, and we’re very sorry that the locomotives you had chosen were not available for purchase when you visited us.

Normally, sold items are removed from our display cabinets, although this is generally completed at the end of the trading day. We’ve checked with our shop team regarding the particular locomotives you saw, and they’ve advised that a couple of trunked orders were being held and had been left in the cabinets as examples of the types of weathering effects we can achieve.

We completely appreciate, however, that this would not have been clear to you, and we understand how disappointing it must have been to select three models, only to find that they had already been sold. We apologise for the frustration and disappointment this caused.

We’ve taken your feedback on board and will be removing sold items from the cabinets going forward to help avoid this happening again.

Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.

Kind regards, Tom

Rated 3 out of 5 stars
The Model Centre logo

Reply from The Model Centre

Good afternoon, Mark,

Thank you for your review. Thank you for your feedback, and we’re very sorry that your order took much longer than expected to reach you.

While our usual workshop preparation time is around 2 weeks, or up to 3 weeks during busier periods, your order took much longer with our customisation team. This is significantly longer than we would expect, and we sincerely apologise for the delay.

We’re currently reviewing our workloads and processes to help prevent delays like this from happening again.

We’ll also be reaching out to you by email to discuss this further and make sure we address your concerns properly.

Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.

Kind regards, Tom

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