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British Model Railway Awards 2018 - The Winners


Andy Y
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The 'industry Oscars' are now out!

 

Recent years have seen disruptive changes to the model railway manufacturing ‘establishment’ with newcomers and start-ups making a name for themselves within the modelling community; that ‘noise’ is now translating into products, sales and reputation. This year voting modellers have clearly rewarded the likes of Hatton’s, Revolution Trains, Accurascale, Rails and Locomotion alongside our dependable guard of Hornby, Bachmann, Dapol and Heljan.

Over 5,800 modellers participated in the award voting and the BMRA results in the industry-leading poll clearly show the number of votes cast for the products which reached the retailers’ shelves and modellers’ layouts during the calendar year. This year we have chosen to broaden the recognition for entrants with gold, silver and bronze awards as it certainly isn’t just about getting top spot.

 

Dapol 68 N.jpg

 

Whilst Dapol’s products came top in the N Gauge product categories with their Class 68 and the Maunsell Brake Third Revolution Trains won the hearts of voters giving us a new name as a winner of the N Gauge Manufacturer of the Year, some going for a business with two modellers at its core delivering well-regarded quality products.

 

Click images to expand

Results - N Gauge.jpg

 

Stirling Single.jpg

 

In the OO section of the poll Rapido Trains, although not listed as a manufacturer in their own right (as we chose to list those who originate a product), have scored remarkable successes for the Stirling Single produced for the National Collection in Miniature with Locomotionmodels and the LNER Dynamometer Car for Rails of Sheffield in their respective categories. Dennis Lovett, Exclusive Models Marketing Executive for Locomotionmodels.com said “we are delighted that No.1 came in at number one in this year’s poll”. Kernow Model Rail Centre’s variant of the Bulleid Diesel won the D&E category by a substantial margin, a design championed by owner Chris Trerise. The disruption of established brands continues in the wagons category with Hatton’s departmental Beilhack snowplough emerging a clear winner. A good showing through various categories sees a new name on the OO Manufacturer of the Year Award for Hatton’s Model Railways; something which I know means a lot to everyone in the business as MD Richard Davies explains "2018 has been one of the most rewarding and interesting years at Hattons. We released more of our own models than any other year and grew our workforce to just shy of 70 people. From everybody at Hattons we would like to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to vote for Hattons and our products. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of the Hattons team for 20 years now and I can safely say that there has never been a more exciting time to be part of this hobby and business. We look forward to maintaining and exceeding our current standards both in terms of customer service and the products we provide."

 

Results - OO Gauge.jpg

 

Dapol 57xx.jpg

 

Moving up to the senior scale Dapol’s move into the O Gauge market over recent years sees further recognition for their Pannier Tank, silver and bronze awards in the rolling stock category and the title of O Gauge Manufacturer of the Year whilst Hatton’s name appears once more for their impressive Warwell wagon.

 

Results - O Gauge.jpg

 

We recognize innovation outside the main headlines and it is gratifying to see a genuinely new product for the layout builder with ready-to-use point rodding from DCC Concepts ahead of Train-Tech’s smart screen displays and Bachmann’s well-featured DCC coach lighting.

 

Hornby have had a respectable showing through many categories and brand loyalty carries them to the prestigious Overall manufacturer of the year title for 2018.

 

Overall Manufacturer - Gold - Hornby.jpg

 

As Phil was at the Toy Fair this week he was able to give Hornby their news in a short clip with Lyndon and Simon.

 

 

Results - Overall.jpg

 

Once again Hatton’s dominance of the domestic marketplace earns a win in the Customer Service Award ahead of Rails.

 

Results - Customer Service.jpg

 

Our awards go beyond industry awards and looks to recognize the efforts of modellers and others who support the hobby. Once again Warley MRC’s National Exhibition wins the Exhibition of the Year award ahead of our own show at Alexandra Palace which will take place on 23/24 March this year.

 

Results - Exhibition.jpg

 

The UK Model Shops website is frequently the first port of call for modellers looking for shops and exhibitions and Adrian’s site once again is duly recognized by modellers.

 

Results - Website.jpg

 

Numerous layouts were nominated for the Layout of the Year title and for the first time an ‘at home’ layout wins the title, Dave Segar’s Waverley West (as featured in BRM November 2015) which is perennially popular on RMweb with Dave also taking silver in the RMweb Modeller of the Year award.

 

Waverley West.jpg

 

Results - Layout.jpg

 

Finally, a rather special recognition as RMweb’s Modeller of the Year, a sadly posthumous award for the legendary Allan Downes who passed away in 2018 who so often graced RMweb’s pages with his back catalogue, skills and humour.

 

Allan Downes.jpg

 

Results - Modeller.jpg

 

Thank you to everyone concerned, particular everyone who took the time to vote in the polls.

Results - Customer Service.jpg

Results - Exhibition.jpg

Results - Layout.jpg

Results - Modeller.jpg

Results - N Gauge.jpg

Results - O Gauge.jpg

Results - OO Gauge.jpg

Results - Overall.jpg

Results - Website.jpg

Dapol 57xx.jpg

Stirling Single.jpg

Waverley West.jpg

Overall Manufacturer - Gold - Hornby.jpg

Allan Downes.jpg

Dapol 68 N.jpg

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Strange how time changes context. Forty years or more ago disruptive was what we did in chemistry lessons when all the materials for the experiment were put into a pyrex beaker and heated over the bunsen burner until they exploded/fizzed/gave off bad smells/filled the classroom with smoke. "Rushby, see me after the lesson".

 

Back to awards, I was going to say that there's an element of predictability about the results, they're all the obvious crowd pleasers, but given it's a public vote they all would be, wouldn't they? I suppose that the biggest positive for me would be that there's so much choice out there that it's worth holding a poll. It should remind us that we're in a golden age for railway modelling.

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The 'industry Oscars' are now out!

 

Finally, a rather special recognition as RMweb’s Modeller of the Year, a sadly posthumous award for the legendary Allan Downes who passed away in 2018 who so often graced RMweb’s pages with his back catalogue, skills and humour.

 

attachicon.gifAllan Downes.jpg

 

attachicon.gifResults - Modeller.jpg

 

Thank you to everyone concerned, particular everyone who took the time to vote in the polls.

 

It was a surprise to be nominated in the first place and that in itself, was as good as winning and to be placed third below the late great Allan Downes, who I attribute a fair amount of my modelling skills to and Dave Segars is amazing. 

 

Thank you everyone that voted for me, I feel very humbled.

 

Mike

 

*edit* Andy Y, perhaps with the permission of Allan's family, we could name the modeller of the year award after him - The Allan Downes Award? That's got a great ring to it!

Edited by scoobyra
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Congratulations to all of the winners, and thank you to those who cast a vote in my direction! Really quite humbled to even be mentioned in the same list as the rest of those names above so thank you very much! 

 

Whilst I personally voted for the Pendolino on account of the quality, scale and sheer audacity of the project, the Dapol 68 is a worthy winner of the N Gauge section, being a superb model all round, so congratulations Dapol! You can do it when you try...

 

Equally Revolution are well deserved winners of the N Gauge Manufacturer of the Year and I offer my congratulations and thanks to Ben, Mike and the rest of the team for bringing us some fantastic models since they started the project.   

 

Tom.  

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Considering I could happily have given top marks to five in the OO loco category due to various reasons that each stood out it shows the strength of competition. One reason I don’t worry about the actual results but nice to see the breadth of good support for the other nominees.

Keep up the good work folks! :)

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It was a surprise to be nominated in the first place and that in itself, was as good as winning and to be placed third below the late great Allan Downes, who I attribute a fair amount of my modelling skills to and Dave Segars is amazing. 

 

Thank you everyone that voted for me, I feel very humbled.

 

Mike

 

*edit* Andy Y, perhaps with the permission of Allan's family, we could name the modeller of the year award after him - The Allan Downes Award? That's got a great ring to it!

 

 

Would be very fitting . Perhaps for structure modelling

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Hi everyone,

 

Just a quick note to say a sincere thank you to everyone who voted for us, our HUO and Tara Mines wagons. Third place for wagon of the year for a brand new company competing in a very busy market and selling direct to market is a great achievement in our eyes and we're delighted to see even the Irish stuff which is very niche compete well!

 

Congratulations to all the winners, there really are some great models in there across the different scales which is the best news for the modeller. 

 

Cheers!

 

Fran on behalf of the Accurascale / IRM team.

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What are these then?

 

"Wow, none of the big three manufacturers won anything in the OO scale section.  All retailer commissioners or newer players"

 

And what about Hornby with the Silver/2nd places ?

Edited by johnd
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Wow, none of the big three manufacturers won anything in the OO scale section.  All retailer commissioners or newer players.

 

Maybe recent site issues have caused an invisible ink problem for some users?

OO Coaches - Bronze - Mk2F.jpg

OO Coaches - Silver - Maunsell Diner.jpg

OO manufacturer - Bronze - Bachmann.jpg

OO manufacturer - Silver - Hornby.jpg

OO Modern Traction - Bronze - Class 800.jpg

OO Modern Traction - Silver - Class 87.jpg

OO wagons - Silver Toad E.jpg

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Congratulations to all of the winners, and thank you to those who cast a vote in my direction! Really quite humbled to even be mentioned in the same list as the rest of those names above so thank you very much! 

 

Whilst I personally voted for the Pendolino on account of the quality, scale and sheer audacity of the project, the Dapol 68 is a worthy winner of the N Gauge section, being a superb model all round, so congratulations Dapol! You can do it when you try...

 

Equally Revolution are well deserved winners of the N Gauge Manufacturer of the Year and I offer my congratulations and thanks to Ben, Mike and the rest of the team for bringing us some fantastic models since they started the project.   

 

Tom.  

 

TomE I voted for the Class 68 with a vested interest, as I had an involvement, as I scanned it, it is interesting that as I understand it neither the Cl 50 or Cl 142 were scanned much to my disappointment, as I would have enjoyed scanning and then drawing them (in 2D) as I did for the Cl. 68. The Cl. 68 was a to draw in 2D with those curves but got there in the end, China then produced great 3D cads from my line work and Scan and consequently model in N and OO.

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TomE I voted for the Class 68 with a vested interest, as I had an involvement, as I scanned it, it is interesting that as I understand it neither the Cl 50 or Cl 142 were scanned much to my disappointment, as I would have enjoyed scanning and then drawing them (in 2D) as I did for the Cl. 68. The Cl. 68 was a ###### to draw in 2D with those curves but got there in the end, China then produced great 3D cads from my line work and Scan and consequently model in N and OO.

 

Can you scan and draw everything in future then please?!  :laugh:  :laugh:

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I am confused. OO gauge manufacturer of the year is Hattons yet overall Manufacturer of the Year is Hornby.

 

Also the OO table where non of Bachmann, Hornby or Dapol win any of the categories doesn't match what is posted later.

 

The OO Wagon winner in the table is Hattons snowplough but later in the thread it is the Hornby Toad.

 

Huh?!?

Edited by John M Upton
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I am confused. OO gauge manufacturer of the year is Hattons yet overall Manufacturer of the Year is Hornby.

 

Huh?!?

 

We don't make people vote the way they do; maybe they don't read things properly? There's enough evidence for that 12" up the page.

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I am confused. OO gauge manufacturer of the year is Hattons yet overall Manufacturer of the Year is Hornby.

 

Also the OO table where non of Bachmann, Hornby or Dapol win any of the categories doesn't match what is posted later.

 

The OO Wagon winner in the table is Hattons snowplough but later in the thread it is the Hornby Toad.

 

Huh?!?

The bit you are missing is that there are gold, silver and bronze awards
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Thanks to everyone whom nominated and for voting my website a fourth place. I must admit I hadn't heard of the Model Engineering one and notice they asked for votes, something I've always declined to do - it seems to be the coming way with this as Hattons asked for my vote several times!

 

But, to me, more importantly I gave some assistance with 4 of the 5 O gauge wagons, two of the placed N gauge rolling stock and all three placed in the 4mm wagon category - as well as several others. I must admit I'm surprised by how little recognition there was of the work that went into the historical FFA, BOC bogie tank and Plate/double bolsters. But, the incredible numbers of contenders in the 4mm wagon category shows just what an amazing year it has been. And we already know some brilliant new entrants are lining up for 2019 - hopefully to include several 7mm enlargements.

 

Thanks again

 

Paul

PS - I do think web address links for the websites, models, layouts etc on the questionnaire would be helpful

Edited by hmrspaul
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Totally humbled to even be mentioned in the same breath as the late, and great, Allan Downes and equally the other names on the page. Stunned that Bournemouth West achieved silver in layout of the year, what a day! Thank you ever so much to all those who voted.

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