Its full steam ahead for model rail retailer’s £100k turnover

Date: 21 July 2009

A LIFELONG model railway enthusiast who turned his hobby into a business is on track to turnover £100,000 in his first year of trading.

Paul Boyland set up Penketh Model Rail Centre in Warrington last year after being made redundant from United Utilities and has increased turnover month on month since he started.

The 54-year-old started out selling repaired model trains on eBay, and also attending swap-meets and model railway exhibitions, and the business has literally been a runaway success. He converted the living room of his Maple Crescent home, which was formerly a greengrocers, back into a shop and has not looked back since.

North West Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors Mitchell Charlesworth helped Paul set up his model shop and provided tax, VAT and general business advice.

Paul said: “We started from scratch and we are set to turnover £100,000 in our first year. When we set up our business bank account the bank set us an ambitious target of £40,000 turnover, so we’ve more than doubled that!

“Business has gone unbelievably well, even though many other model shops are standing still or closing down, but there is still plenty of opportunity for us to expand further and we are in the process of revamping our website to include sales, which is an exciting project for us.

“Model trains are still big business. When I started going to model train fairs I was surprised at just how many people attended them. But model trains appeal to all ages, from children and their parents’ right through to retired people returning to the hobby. One of the reasons for our success is that we do a lot of pre-owned trains, as well as offering services such as re-numbering and weathering, which has helped our business grow.”

Penketh Model Rail Centre supplies all the major model brands, including Bachmann, Hornby and Gaugemaster as well as collectable gems such as Hornby-Dublo and Wrenn.

Paul, who is a member of Rainhill Model Railway Club, still attends toyfairs, swap-meets and model railway exhibitions and also sells his products across the UK, as well as to customers in Europe and Australia.

Amanda Turpin, an associate at Mitchell Charlesworth, added: “Paul Boyland is one of the few people to successfully turn their passion for a pastime into a full-time business and to turnover £100,000 in your first year of trading is absolutely fantastic.

“Penketh Model Rail Centre provides niche services which stand it out from its competitors but Paul has also listened to his advisors who have helped him create a sound platform for future growth.”

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