Wheeltapper Competition 2024
The Wheeltapper 2024 competition took place on Friday March 22nd. This year we were delighted to invite Martin Goodall to judge the competition. Martin gave an interesting talk on his P4 layout “Burford” which was started 45 years ago and is still a work in progress. Burford is a GW branch line terminus in the Cotswolds and the track layout is based on Ashburton. Martin described some of his modelling techniques, including how he created the backscene town-scape in acrylic paint. Martin has a blog on the Scalefour Society website Burford where he has posted numerous photographs of his layout. Burford has also featured in Model Railway Journal on several occasions over the years as the layout has developed.
Wheeltapper Trophy
Martin presented the Wheeltapper trophy for the best model out of all the rolling stock categories to Tim Peacock for his model of an ex-LNER Twinset to Diag 210.
The model has been built from etches that were specially commissioned to fill a gap in the market. This pair of coaches are a Brake Third & Lavatory Composite and are part of a six coach rake for outer suburban services from Marylebone. Details parts to finish the model are from the MJT range.
This model also was the overall winner of the Passenger/Non-Passenger Coaching Stock category.
Steam Locomotives
The winner of the Steam Locomotives category was Mick Moignard with his Quarry Hunslet ‘Alice’. Alice is a Bachmann 009 model, weathered and with a crew fitted. Mick has fitted her with DCC Sound. The speaker is in the left side coal bunker so that the footplate is left clear of clutter. The driver and fireman are whitemetal to add extra weight.
Diesel/Electric Locomotives
The winner of the Diesel/Electric Locomotives category was Mick Moignard with his Rio Grande Southern locomotive ‘Goose’.
RGS Goose #6 depicts the prototype as it was in 1950. It’s HO Scale, 3 foot gauge running on 10.5mm gauge track. The model is mostly scratchbuilt in brass. The cab, snow plow and pilot, plus the two trucks, came from other donor brass models; the rest of it is scratchbuilt. The donor cab has been modified and detailed to better represent the prototype as it was in 1950. It is powered by a small coreless motor under the bonnet. It is DCC fitted; the headlights work and it has sound.
Freight and Engineers Stock
The winner of the freight and engineers stock category was Roy Norton for his Southern Railway Departmental Tool/Mess Van. The prototype was converted by the Southern Railway from a SECR (ex-LCDR) 6 wheel passenger ‘birdcage’ van. These conversions were used as stores, tool and mess vans for departmental use. The original vehicles were built in the 1880s and were converted in the late 1920s/early 1930s.
The model is 4 mm scale (OO) made from a Branchlines etched brass kit using soldered construction. It will be used as a tool/mess van as part of Roy’s weed killing train featured in Wheeltapper 2023.
Road Vehicles, Boats, People, Animals etc.
The Robbie Robinson award for the winner of the Road Vehicles, Boats, People, and Animals category went to Steve Walker for his model of a Horse and Dray ‘waiting to leave’.
Steve’s models of both the horse and the dray were from Dart Castings. The horse is a shire horse and the dray has been slightly modified from the original kit. The horse’s reins were made using soft electrical wire. The load comprises various items from a number of manufacturers.
Scenic Models: Buildings, Trees, Signals etc
The winner of the Jack Kine Trophy for Scenic Models: Buildings, Trees and Signals was Tim Peacock for his model of High Wycombe Goods Shed. Tim took about 2¾ years to build this model, which is scratchbuilt from laser cut MDF, Perspex, Rowmark, card and paper with some detail additions from the ModelU range. The lighting is with micro LEDs in Grandt Line shades. The colouring has been done using watercolour pencils and acrylic paints and the building has been weathered with a mixture of washes and dilute enamels.
Interior detail of one of the bays showing a goods van being loaded with boxes.
Dioramas and Figurines
The winner of the Dioramas and Figurines category was Paul Wright with his model, ‘Windmills & Tulips, a T-Trak module. The model is N scale 1:160. T-Trak is a N scale modular format using Kato Unitrack. This is a scene of the Dutch bulb fields with modern and old windmills. The backscene is painted and then details have been added as self-made decals and paper. The modern windmill is a Faller Kit which has been motorised with a N20 motor/gearbox unit. This was built for the WorldWide Group of the NGS Convention last year.
Aylesbury Town 4mm Model
The winner of the Robin Lane Trophy for an Aylesbury 4mm Model was Gary Day for his model of a BR 16 Ton Mineral Wagon. This model is a 40 year old Airfix body kit fitted with brass grab handles. The model has a Rumney Models brass chassis fitted with P4 scale wheels and Accurascale buffers. The model has been painted and weathered and has been filled with a real coal load.
Aylesbury LNWR Model Project
The winner of the category for best model for the club’s EM gauge model of Aylesbury LNWR was Steve Walker for his LNWR D90 Coal Wagon. The D90 coal wagons were built to carry 10 tons using the newly-design 18 ft underframe with bottom doors. 2,650 were built from 1905 and over 35 were still in service 45 years later. The model has been built from a Mousa Models 3D printed kit and has been painted using acrylics. The transfers were from HMRS with some custom decals produced by Paul Wright.
Chairman’s Cup
The winner of the Chairman’s Cup for the best model was John Compton for his LNWR coach. The LNWR had a large number of 6 wheel carriage types, in 30’ 1” and 32’ lengths. This model is of a D359 Three Compartment Brake Third. The 30′ 1″ centre brake compartment layout was popular with the LNWR and fifty seven were built between 1889 and 1892. The model is part of 3 coach train that used to form a regular passenger train on the LNWR Aylesbury branch. The model is a London Road Models etched brass kit which has been HMRS transfers to complement the excellent painting and lining.