Mikkel

Many thanks David. I had given up on finding a new programme, as it all suddenly seemed a bit costly, what with the financial crisis etc! So a free option certainly sounds interesting. I've found it and will have a look.

That would be me with arms folded, having decided to skip all the other layouts and just stick around here to learn :-) BTW, where is the sidetable serving steaming hot and strong espressos?

Yes the Stevens figures were a pleasant surprise, but as I said all the ranges seen here vary from figure to figure, so I usually discard or modify some of the poorer ones. Thanks for the link to Andy Stadden's figures, they are superb. The idea of the loose arms is great. And the Collett figure must be one of the most lifelike model railway figures I've ever seen! Rich, that's not a bad idea to use the AG loco crew for a reversing/bunker first loco! (as per this entry: http://www.rmweb.co....ker-first-1927/)

Very good :-) I'm sure that happened very rarely in reality! I was wondering if the bloke on the left is in fact reciting poetry. While the one on the right is wondering how best to shut him up!

Aha, so they are still available (but different). Thanks for that info, I hadn't realized. Just found a review of the Dapol versions here: http://www.plasticso...ew.aspx?id=1161 So presumably - being styrene- these would also be easier to modify than the whitemetal equivalents from Geoff Stevens. In fairness, the latter does include other figures in his shunter's set - as well as two fairly good horses, rope and chain and a few (very) simple sketches on shunting arrangements.

Ah yes, 7mm figures, now there's detail! I keep returning to these, in particular: http://borderminiatu...platecrew1.html. Almost enough to make me change scale... The Aidan Cambell range is one I haven't personally tried out yet in 4mm. They certainly have character!

Pete, yes I agree that the bulk is crucial. As a boy I was happy with the Hornby stick-men, but realistic they are not :-) Halfwit, very interesting! I just did a search for the Airfix figures, and it turns out that the Geoff Stevens ones (or some of them, at least) are a direct copy: http://www.airfixrai...lwayWorkmen.htm. I wonder what that is all about? Ian, I don't think there's a website, but they're available from Mainly Trains: http://www.mainlytrains.co.uk/

I've been exploring some of the smaller and lesser known 4mm whitemetal figure ranges recently. Here's a handful of photos showing a selection of some of them. These are cruel close-ups, but if we're concerned about the details of our stock, shouldn't we be equally concerned about whether the figures look right? Above: This group of horse shunters are from the Geoff Stevens range, which features sets of railway staff that can be used together in little cameos. As evident from the header photo, some of the figures in this range have well sculpted faces. Very often, I think, it is the face that makes or breaks a 4mm figure. Above: No, not a fight but a sheeting gang, also from Geoff Stevens. I am not normally attracted to figures that are frozen in mid-motion, and cameos like these can very easily become a cliché. However I couldn't resist the two sets pictured here, which fit well with a concept I have in mind for a future third layout in the Farthing series. Above: These figures are from Model Railway Developments (MRD). I've been wanting to have a closer look at these for some time, as the range is focussed on my own Edwardian period. Above: Two further MRD figures. This range demonstrates how whitemetal figures can vary considerably in quality and detail within the same range. The little girl seen here is very good, but I don't think she takes after her mother :-) Above: The same figure seen from two different sides. Quite often, I find, a figure can look unrealistic from one side but quite good from another. I wonder if this has something to do with the original sculpting process? In any case, careful positioning can sometimes bring out the good side in a figure. Above: This loco crew is from the small Alan Gibson range. Figures in the range seem to have a 1900s-1920s look and feel. The loco crew is made for L/H drive, which is a pity for GWR modellers. But I suppose non-GWR modellers deserve decent figures too ;-) Above: Two porters, also from Alan Gibson. I might change the pose of these, but the faces have a certain character! Captions, anyone? Above: A line-up of station staff from the above ranges, plus a figure from the better known Monty's range from Dart Castings. Above: Clearly there's a dinner party nearby! Another comparison here, with a couple from the large Langley range thrown in. Above: A group of Monty's figures. While there are individual useful figures in all of the above ranges, they don't trump the Monty's range, which in my view wins hands down every time. They have the right bulk, relaxed poses and the faces are usually good.

Ah yes, looking very good indeed. In fact, it might even work without the station building (no, really). I forget: those letters in the text, what are they made from?

Nice Buffalo on the way there, looks like a neat build. Look forward to seeing it painted. PS: You may be interested in Nick's blog here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/87-buffalos-workbench/

Hi Peter, no not all my own work (see comment above) - bit of a mix of my own and s/h stock. But I try to give them a degree of consistency by repainting etc. I'm off to your blog to see how things are going on the Brazilian balcony :-)

Hi David, I'm afraid I can't help, but can I suggest you post this question in the forum section instead? That's usually a more fruitful place to post short specific questions like this: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/forum/25-modelling-questions-help-and-tips/ Got any photos of your line? It would be great to see them here on your blog.

Personally, I think the hoods add further to the look and feel. Plus, they would be obvious by their absence.

That's an unusual workshop, and probably a slightly unusual place to be modelling UK steam :-) Look forward to seeing some of your modelling progress.

That is very, very good. Pendon comes to mind - or a victory on Tourmalet :-)

Hmmm, I do hope this diesel thing isn't growing on you, Chris! :-) Seriously though, that actually looks quite nice! Hope you'll post a photo of the 0-4-4 chassis when it arrives, it'll no doubt be an interesting project to follow.

That looks very neat Ian. I really like the test vehicle, it almost looks alive :-) Are you planning to show us the video?

Lovely work Will, the second shot really shows off how well your idea works. To get such a sight on a micro is a rare treat. Agree about the table cloth disturbing things a bit though :-) I am not a great fan of painted backscenes, but your solution is really interesting and effective - perhaps because unlike other painted backscenes it does not pretend to show anything specific, and so there are no improper perspectives etc.

Thanks, that's really appreciated as I've been in two minds on how light the deck should be. One confusing fact is that it looks lighter when viewed from eye-level height, than from above! But in any case I agree, it should be lighter than it is now - and the bottom of the walls should be weathered a little more, to bring the two tones together, I think. Currently laying the track (finally!).

OOh nice! As always, your mock-ups are superb Pete. Not to mention the actual modelling that follows. It really is neat, so don't loose that part of your nickname. As for bay platforms, it would be fun to have challenge centered on those at some point. I've got a ton of them I'd like to build. They lend themselves so well to small layouts.

Great pictorial demo, thanks for taking the time to document it. I really like how it looks weathered by time, but not actually poorly maintained.

Very nice indeed James. You prove very convincingly here that garden railways can be about realism too, and not just large-scale toy trains as some accuse them of being. The last shot is particularly convincing, I think - perhaps because of the way the chunkiness of the stock and building mix in with the detail/delicacy of the natural background. I also really like the composition of the shots - especially the first one.