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Model of the Year 2011 Results


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Model of the Year 2011: The Results

 

Each year Model Rail magazine, RMweb and MREmag join forces to ask modellers to vote for their favourite models of the preceding 12 months. The results of the latest poll, which saw a record number of participants, are published today. 2011 saw a record number of 1927 people taking part in the poll.

 

The Model of the Year awards have become hotly contested over the last few years, with manufacturers eager to outdo each for the coveted titles. 2011 once again saw Bachmann/Graham Farish dominate the manufacturer’s titles with Bachmann taking the ‘OO’ Manufacturer of the Year, Farish winning the ‘N’ Manufacturer award and Bachmann/Farish taking the overall award by a substantial margin.

 

Bachmann also achieved wins with its ‘Derby Lightweight’ DMU and FNA nuclear flask wagon and Farish produced winners with the Peppercorn ‘A1’, ‘4-CEP’ EMU and Mk 1 coaches.

 

The company’s European Sales & Marketing Manager David Haarhaus said: “We are thrilled to be voted as the 2011 Manufacturer of the Year in both ‘OO’ and ‘N’ Scale. To also be crowned Overall Manufacturer of the Year for the fourth year running is a great honour and we thank our collectors and consumers for their loyal support. We are delighted that they have voted for Branchline and Graham Farish in the categories in which our products could be entered, and look forward to our exciting new models competing in further categories in 2012 and far beyond”

 

Dapol increased its ‘OO’ profile in 2011 with several significant products including the Model Rail Sentinel 4wVBT and LMS 10000/01 for Hattons - which emerged as winner in the ‘OO’ Diesel/Electric category ahead of Dapol’s own Class 22. Significantly it also won the ‘OO’ steam category for Kernow Model Rail Centre’s Beattie 2-4-0WT, the third year in a row in which a locomotive with pre-Grouping origins has taken that title. A delighted Chris Trerise of KMRC said: “What a great way to celebrate our tenth anniversary. When we first opened our doors we never thought a small shop in Cornwall could achieve so much. The development of our models is a demanding process but this shows that our customers appreciate the efforts we’ve made to ensure they meet the high standards demanded by today’s modellers.”

 

Dapol also produced ‘N’ gauge winners with its HST power cars and BR snowplough for the N Gauge Society. Dapol Product Development Manager Dave Jones said: “We’re disappointed not to have done better in the ‘N’ gauge categories but our ‘OO’ awards are a real ‘shot in the arm’ for everyone here. Coming second in the overall manufacturer poll proves that hard work and listening to your customers can help both manufacturer and customer alike. We look forward to another landmark year in 2012, with our emergence into ‘O’ gauge and many more innovations in ‘N’ and ‘OO’.”

 

Hornby produced winners too with the Gresley non-gangwayed teak coaches and GWR horse-box topping ‘OO’ gauge categories dominated by Hornby products. “We at Hornby are absolutely delighted to win our awards,” commented Marketing Manager Simon Kohler. “It is particularly gratifying in respect of the Gresley Suburban stock as we believe they are arguably the best RTR coaches available. And now on to 2012!”

 

Heljan continues to dominate in the ‘O’ gauge diesel categories, whilst Loveless’ LNER ‘A1/A3’ headed the ‘O’ steam poll. L. H. Loveless said: “This is praise indeed, and we are gratified that the long hours of painstaking research and design for our LNER ‘A1/A3’ project has been recognised.”

 

Model Rail editor Ben Jones said: “Congratulations to all our winners. In another remarkable year for ready-to-run British models, the competition was greater than ever and there are worthy winners in every category. 2012 promises to be another exciting year with many more high profile and interesting models.”

 

Full results

 

Source

 

MotYa.jpg

 

N Gauge

MotYb.jpg

 

OO Gauge

 

MotYc.jpg

MotYd.jpg

 

O Gauge

 

MotYe.jpg

 

Innovation award

 

MotYf.jpg

 

Overall

 

MotYg.jpg

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  • RMweb Gold

Interesting to note despite Dapol being dissapointed with there N standings they still beat Hornby to the number two slot in the overall manufacturer result.

Very nice to see Kernow rewarded again for their commitment to special editions and the superb Beattie Commision.

It really is the big three now :)

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Although it's not my era the one that stands out for me is the Hornby 4VEP. After all that's been written on here (let alone elsewhere) it got 1/8th of the votes in its category, and beat the Bachmann 350 (though poss potential buyers were holding out for other livery options on the Desiro?)

 

I guess there's a sizeable silent corps out there of VEP fans?

 

 

 

Edit: looks like I was typing at same time as SAC Martin

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Interesting to note the number of 'Retailer Special Commissions' topping their categories:

 

The Kernow Well Tank, Hattons LMS twins, and N Gauge Society commissions in the top two places in the N rolling stock. Do the retailers really know better than the manufacturers what will be popular or is it that these odd-ball 'niche' models stick in the mind better than more mainstream offerings?

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I am, however, mortified that the Bachmann 350 lost to the Hornby 4VEP, place wise. I have only one question for that, looking at the two models based purely on their overall design and specifications - how?

 

I was similarly surprised by this one Simon. The Desi had my personal vote within the category for its design innovations as being the first unit to be really user friendly in terms of lights and DCC. After discussion I can only feel its a personal reflection from people that the prototype isn't as immediately useable* for a wide range of modellers.

 

*As in the number of contemporary WCML modellers.

 

Although I'm sure it's probably not much different from the number of Bodmin and Wenford modellers but what do I know? The truth lies somewhere in there.

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I was similarly surprised by this one Simon. The Desi had my personal vote within the category for its design innovations as being the first unit to be really user friendly in terms of lights and DCC.

 

This exactly Andy, I agree with that summation entirely. When I examined a Bachmann 350 earlier this year at one of my favourite haunts, the overall design specification was so far ahead of the Hornby 4VEP it was, truth be told, rather a strange contrast when you put them side by side.

 

I would hope the style of design innovation in the 350 is perpetuated further in Bachmann's multiple unit models for the future, and that this showing in the poll doesn't dissaude Bachmann from producing what is an absolutely stonking model, which I would hope could be appreciated even if you don't necessarily model the period or area.

 

Whereas you know my views on the Hornby 4VEP's specifications by now - coat, got, going!

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  • RMweb Gold

.

 

I would hope the style of design innovation in the 350 is perpetuated further in Bachmann's multiple unit models for the future, and that this showing in the poll doesn't dissaude Bachmann from producing what is an absolutely stonking model, which I would hope could be appreciated even if you don't necessarily model the period or area.

 

 

I'm sure the only thing that would dissuade Bachmann in producing future models of EMUs such as the 350 would be poor sales. I agree though, it's bizarre that the VEP would beat it, the 350 looks to me as one of the best OO gauge models available.

 

I'm sure Paddy Murphy will be delighted at how well his 201 did in the D/E category too, despite Irish models being somewhat of a minority interest in such a poll compared to their British counterparts. Roll on the 071s, I'm sure they'll do him proud next year too.

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  • RMweb Gold

Having had time to digest the numbers further the other thing in OO that strikes me is the 2 Dapol items at the top of the list (10000 and Class 22) polled a tad under 60pct of the total (ie close to 2 votes in every 3 cast) - I'm sure Dapol Dave's energies played a great part in this.

 

 

(Afraid pension wouldn't run to a 10000 (a bit out of area anyway) nor to the current Class 22 but hoping to be able to fund a disc headcode 22 in time).

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To be fair though when the 350 Desiro came out, it was towards the end of the year and only the likely to be less popular plain livery with the much more attractive and wanted London Midland ones only arriving after voting had closed. The VEP in my opinion was the right idea, a common third rail EMU that many will remember and have travelled on, just ruined by the execution.

 

Hornby's quite frankly miserable performance in the rankings (the coaching stock catergories where they were the only manufacturers can be ignored in this analysis) will I hope provide the wake up call/kick up the jacksi they need.

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I am, however, mortified that the Bachmann 350 lost to the Hornby 4VEP, place wise. I have only one question for that, looking at the two models based purely on their overall design and specifications - how?

 

I couldn't agree more, Simon. Quite staggering. The 350 is an excellent model. The VEP, well - it;s a model.

 

Delighted to see Bachmann win the Manufacturer accolade. Good showing for some Dapol products too! Very healthy for the industry!

 

Jeff

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I thought it was unfair to list the desiro last year as previously stated it had only just arrived when the voting opened in the least popular livery, looking at the hattons site they still have over 10 of the grey livery while the first london midland livery I have watched quickly drop down to no stock! I have no idea how many have sold but hope it's enough to convince Bachmann to produce more.

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