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
While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more
To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more
Review summary
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
What people talk about most
Reviews shaping this summary
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
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
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
- #8 of 48 best companies in Model shop
- #25 of 180 best companies in Hobby shop
- #2 of 9 best companies in 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
Hill Farm, Beck Hole, YO22 5LF, Whitby, United Kingdom
- 01947899125
- sales@tmc-direct.com
- www.themodelcentre.com
4.9
Excellent
6k reviews
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
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Great service and advice from Callum!
21 August 2026
Being able to speak to
Being able to speak to
staff who are helpful and have an excellent product knowledge.
19 August 2026
Very good service.
Made an offer for the item I purchased, which was happily accepted by TMC. Item was dispatched very quickly and delivered when expected.
21 August 2026
Faulty goods receuved and too slow to…
Faulty goods receuved and too slow to put it right
20 August 2026
Reply from The Model Centre
Good morning, Graham.
Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your experience. We’re very sorry that you received faulty goods and, in particular, that it took longer than it should have for us to put this right. We completely understand your frustration and apologise sincerely for the inconvenience caused.
As the item was supplied to us factory-sealed, we will also be raising the incorrect component with the manufacturer to understand how this occurred.
We’ll be contacting you directly by email to discuss this further and hopefully resolve matters with you personally. Please keep an eye out for our message.
Once again, we’re sorry that your experience fell short of the standard we strive to provide at TMC.
Kind regards,
Tom
Excellent service as always.
21 August 2026
Great shop to visit.
The shop staff are very welcoming and not at all pushy to get a sale. They are very knowledgeable and helpfull and the shop is well stocked.
21 August 2026
TMC weathered S160
TMC weathered S160. Excellent convincing weathering. First class product and rapid well packaged delivery.
21 August 2026
Prompt, efficient service
Easy to find what I wanted on the website, and delivered the day after ordering, in perfect condition (thanks, Royal Mail).
20 August 2026
Weathering was good
Weathering was good, wheels not cleaned, fitted accessories causing derailments, so not tested. Had to repair a broken fall plate.
20 August 2026
Reply from The Model Centre
Good morning, Andrew,
Thank you for your feedback. We’re really sorry to hear that your model arrived with these issues. We completely understand how disappointing it must have been to receive it in this condition, particularly when you had chosen to have it customised by us.
Every model should be carefully checked before it leaves us, so it’s disappointing to hear that the wheels had not been cleaned, the fitted accessories were causing derailments, and that the broken fall plate had not been picked up. We’ll be speaking with our customisation team to understand how these issues were missed and to make sure we learn from this.
Our customisation service is backed by our satisfaction guarantee, and we always want to put things right if something isn’t as it should be. We would have been very happy to arrange a prepaid return as soon as the issues were identified, so that our team could inspect the model and rectify everything for you.
We’ll also be reaching out to you directly by email, so please keep an eye out for our message. We’d really like the opportunity to discuss this with you and see how we can help put things right.
We’re genuinely sorry that your experience fell short of the standard we aim for, and we really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us.
Kind regards, Tom
Sent in a timely fashion
Sent in a timely fashion, well packaged and a superb model from Hornby.
20 August 2026
So helpful and a very fair price
So helpful and a very fair price. Service was first rate.
19 August 2026
Prompt efficient service
Prompt efficient service throughout, from order to receipt of my loco
20 August 2026
Good website to order from
Good website to order from. Great products. Most brands available. Quick delivery service. Fair postage cost. Good prices on most products.
19 August 2026
Pre-owned loco as…
Excellent quality pre-owned loco as described and tested. Quick well packed delivery and great communication.
19 August 2026
Very good and fast.
19 August 2026
Quick Service
Quick & exhalant service from all at T M C followed up with the same from the Post Office.
19 August 2026
The Trustpilot Experience
Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.
We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.
Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.
Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.
Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.
Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.