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The 2017 Wagon Competition Results

The competition for this year did not attract as many entries as in previous years. What we lost in terms of numbers we gained in respect of quality of build and of finish. Following on from the precedent set by previous competitions the S7 Group invited a well-known 7mm modeller to judge the entries and for this year the judge was Nigel Smith, current Chairman of the Gauge 0 Guild.

The subject for 2017 was four or six wheel Non-Passenger Coaching Stock in revenue livery (such vehicles in “departmental” condition is the subject of a future competition). The three entries for this competition were:

  • a LMS Fish Van by Ron Pitts
  • a Midland Milk Van by Alan Turner
  • a SR GUV by Rob Thompson

As is the norm, the entrants are requested to provide details of their entry — prototype and model — and those details are:

  • LMS Fish Van to D1884, 1933 numbering, lined crimson livery, condition as running circa 1936. The model was built from a Parkside kit for the LMS Beer Van with ends from a Parkside kit for the D1664 van
  • MR Milk Van D416, post 1912 livery with black underframe, condition as running a few months after a works visit. The model was built from a Connoisseur Models kit to which has been added: sprung suspension from Bill Bedford (kit has fixed W-irons); sprung buffers from Slater’s Plastikard (kit has solid buffers) and working screw-link couplings from Slaters (kit offering is somewhat nondescript)
  • SR GUV (or VAN-U) was built, with end doors, in 1929, painted BR crimson in 1952 and depicted as running circa 1955 (weathered with crimson livery showing through the dirt). The model was built from a Slater’s kit - straight out of the box.

Nigel had a tough job to choose between three equally good models...and his choice was driven by the lining ap- plied to the panelling of the MR Milk Van. Our thanks are due to Nigel and congratulations to Alan who becomes the guardian of the Chairman’s Cup until the next AGM (yes, I know the award is a shield) and presented with a smaller cup to keep.

And so to 2018. Those of you who were present for the AGM are aware that the scope of the annual competition was discussed at some length during the Any Other Business part of the meeting. As a consequence of the comments from the floor, the Wagon Building Competition is to be discussed at the next Scale7 Group Committee meeting and hence the scope of the next competition may change from that which was announced in a previous Scale7 Newsletter. For now, and to be confirmed, the subject for the 2018 Wagon Building Competition is a tank wagon which is/was used for carrying crude oil or the products produced by refining of crude oil. There are kits for circular tanks, kits for rectangular tanks, kits for four wheel wagons, kits for bogie wagons and in plastic, resin, etch brass, so something for everyone.

Graham Beare

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