Short history about Ferris-wheel (Riesenrad) models:

Märklin:

In 1996 Märklin released a limited Großbaukasten 10821 dedicated to Vienna’s famed Prater wheel. The set shipped in a wooden crate with a dedicated instruction book (print ref. 601144 11/96). The finished model is substantial—about L 132 × T 72 × H 136 cm—and was engineered for continuous operation. It reproduces the prototype’s cabin count at 15 gondolas (the comparison comes from a larger custom build that notes “30 gondeln, nicht nur 15”). Collectors often cite a parts count of ~5,700 pieces, underscoring why this is regarded as one of Märklin’s most ambitious construction sets.

Read more information about Vienna Ferris Wheel by Andreas Abel here. He built an amazing model(Third picture from roght). 

Long before 10821, a Ferris-wheel-style model appeared in the classic Anleitungsheft Nr. 71b as the „Große Radschaukel“ (see the discussion and pointer to p. 134)