Wheeltapper Trophy

The model has been built from an etched brass kit by Hobby Holidays. The kit is highly detailed with the complete beam structure of the vehicle modelled. The bogies are made from brass castings separated by thin etched strips to make the diamond frames. The bogie springing works properly. The wooden parts are real wood. This model also was also a winner of the Freight and Engineers Stock category where it shared the honours with James’ SR Bogie Bolster wagon.

Steam Locomotives

The winner of the Steam Locomotives category was James Aitken with his model of a Southern Railway Battle of Britain class locomotive backhead. This is the backhead for his Battle of Britain loco, which will be Anti Aircraft Command, no 21C149. All the parts come from the Martin Finney kit for the loco, with a cast whitemetal backhead onto which the many castings and piping were placed. All pipes are copper, in 6 different diameters, and all are carefully soldered into tiny holes in the castings which first had to be opened out using a suitably small drill.

Diesel/Electric Locomotives

The winner of the Diesel/Electric Locomotives category was Tony Bucknell with his 4mm model of class O2 Diesel Shunter number D2865. The British Rail class O2 were a class of twenty 0-4-0 diesel-hydraulic shunting locos built in 1960 for service in areas of restricted loading gauge and curvature such as docks. The model has been constructed from a Craftsman Kit and is presented in early BR green livery.

Passenger/Non-Passenger Coaching Stock

The winner of the freight and engineers stock category was Roy Norton for his Southern Railway Royal Mail coaches. The two coaches are a sorting van and a storage van. These models are of the ex-SECR mail vans were constructed from etched brass sides and ends which Roy had designed and etched. The models include modified MJT corridor connectors, Masokits screw couplings, scratch built emergency brake linkage etc. Paint was Railmatch SR green (Royal Mail vans were never red on the Southern) and transfers were a mixture of HMRS, Model Master and custom transfers from Precision Labels for the post box panels on the sorting van.

Freight and Engineers Stock

The winner of the freight and engineers stock category was James Aitken for his models of a SR Bogie Ballast Wagon (shown here) and a GWR Rectank wagon, which also won the Wheeltapper Trophy (see above).

The Bogie Ballast Wagon was built from a PRMRP kit of a BR Sealion, but only using the etched parts. The kit has been heavily modified to represent the Southern diagram 1775 wagon which was first produced in 1947. Changes include modifications to the 3 wheel brackets, the vacuum cylinder supports, the steps and the inside of the hopper. The Ashford bogies are 3D printed to his own design, as are the buffer bodies and vacuum cylinder. The buffer heads are turned from mild steel.

Road Vehicles, Boats, People, Animals etc.

Scenic Models: Buildings, Trees, Signals etc

The smock mill is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded, thatched, or shingled tower, with six or eight sides. The majority of smock mills in the UK were octagonal. The spindle for the sails was attached to the cap at the top of the tower; the cap can rotate to bring the sails into the wind. This type of mill was common in England, particularly in Kent. They reached their heyday in the early part of the 19th century but once steam power became commonplace this started the decline of the windmill.

Dioramas and Figurines

The winner of the Dioramas and Figurines category was John Ashby with his model of a three-horse plough team. The reason a plough needed multiple horses was because a single horse would tire quickly ploughing a single furrow. Put three horses on the job and a farmer could plough for 6 – 7 hours per day with breaks.

Okement Quarry Wagon Project

Aylesbury Town 4mm Model

Aylesbury LNWR Model Project

The winner of the category for best model for the club’s EM gauge model of Aylesbury LNWR was Paul Wright for his F. J. Davis Private Owner wagon. The model is a Cambrian 6.5 plank plastic wagon kit. The decals are home-made, with the yellow lettering being clear over a yellow base coat as yellow letters over green do not show up. It is the real livery of the coal wagons owned by F. J. Davis in the Aylesbury area.

Chairman’s Cup

The winner of the Chairman’s Cup for the best model was Gary Day for his Great Eastern Railway Grounded Coach Body. The model is an Everleigh Creations brass kit, which has been modified with laser cut doors, repair panelling, 3D chimney, and access steps. It has been painted and weathered to resemble a prototype (see photograph below).