British manufacturer, PECO Model Railways, will be holding a nationwide modelling competition for people of all ages, to enter two different types of competition – that is open to both beginner and experienced modellers, and to mark and celebrate 200 years of British railways.
The competition will open on Monday 10th March 2025 and participants will be able to enter by purchasing a specially-designed RAIL200 baseboard, which will give the modeller automatic entry into the competition, and be sent to them for them to model. Entrants will have until 30th September to submit photos of their layouts, which will then be independently judges and selected for the final and exhibition.
There are two types of competition: One will be a ‘Modular Layout Competition’, where modellers can enter using a OO gauge piece of track (provided by PECO) and create a layout of their choice. There are strict guidelines that need to be followed, to ensure that the layout will be compatible with others, should the entry make the final. The finalists will be invited to a special venue towards the end of the year, where their layout will be joined together by PECO technicians, and exhibited to the public, and featured in Railway Modeller magazine. There will also be prizes for winners and runners-up.
The second competition will be a ‘Scenic Diorama Competition’, where modellers can create a diorama (a scenic display) in any scale they like. These dioramas will be judged purely on their scenic creativity and imaginative approach, and will not be required to join-together in a functional layout. The finalists will also be invited to see their exhibits on display and will be featured in Railway Modeller magazine. The will also be prizes for winners and runners-up.
For more information about the RAIL200 competition, visit www.peco-uk.com (Please note details will not be available until the launch date on 10th March 2025)