BG John Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 I've just bought some cheap unpainted "O Gauge Figures" as they're described on the packet, and advertised as 1:43 scale. The tallest man is about 6'2". I wondered if 1:50 scale ones might be better, as a 1:50 6'2" man would be 5'4" in 1:43 scale (I think!). I bought them to see if I could "Edwardianise" them for my new industrial area micro layout, or forthcoming rural East Sussex one, both set around 1905-1910. Either that, or the ones I've got get held down, whisky poured down their throats, and a chunk sawn out of their legs! I know they're not 4mm scale, but I think I've got enough Victorian/Edwardian people for my 4mm layouts already! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted July 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 11, 2015 Interesting discussion! I'm reluctant to quote Daily Mail but they refer to a study that seems serious enough, which has the average UK male at 5'6" in 1900, and 5'10" in 2000. In 4mm that's about 22mm vs 23.3 m (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1381273/Modern-man-grown-4-inches-taller-100-years.html). Measuring railways staff in my two favourite ranges including caps, I get Dart Castings varying between 23-24 mms, while Andrew Stadden are around 23 mms. If you deduct the caps that's not too bad then, although some of the more recent Dart Castings figures at 24mms do seem to suffer from a bit of scale creep, even for their period. What is also noticeable is that the Dart Casting figures are more bulky - although in their defence, their range is intended for the 1920/30ss onwards. For the 1900s, the Stadden figures do seem spot on in terms of both height and bulk. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2015 In the course of my family history studies I have obtained the military records of both my great uncle and my late father. My great uncle (1888-1918) joined the army in 1906 and was discharged as medically unfit early in 1914, he died of tuberculosis. His height on joining the army was given as 5' 8" he had acquired another inch at the time of his discharge. Likewise my father (1919-1990) was 5' 9" when he joined the territorials in 1937 and had grown 2 inches during his army service. The London Underground tube lines suffer capacity problems, some of which is due to us being a lot bigger today compared to the Edwardian period when many of the tube lines were built. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted July 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 11, 2015 (edited) If you are wanting to use model soldiers then Plastic Soldier Review as part of their review will give the height of the figures. He also finds it quite annoying when a 14th century set of figures averages over 6ft. This of course does not help with white metal or resin figures. Edited December 8, 2015 by ChrisN Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lee Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Every cloud has a silver lining: such figures are great for S scale... (And please tell me what they are!) On the packet it says "Mike Pett's Supercast", 12 Chatham Street, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 7PP. There is a website: http://modelrailwayfigures00.co.uk/ I bought them at a show in Worthing when I visited the UK last year. They are noticeably bigger than the Langley Miniatures 00 figures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted July 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 12, 2015 On the packet it says "Mike Pett's Supercast", 12 Chatham Street, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 7PP. There is a website: http://modelrailwayfigures00.co.uk/ I bought them at a show in Worthing when I visited the UK last year. They are noticeably bigger than the Langley Miniatures 00 figures. I have bought Mike Pett's figures and everyone except the newspaper seller are over scale, which is shame as they are all excellently sculptured figures. The porter with luggage is enormous and I would not like to meet Dr Watson on a dark night. (If I was an in scale 00 figure that is.) The newspaper seller will definitely be on my layout though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbr Posted December 8, 2015 Author Share Posted December 8, 2015 Andrew Stadden is continuing to make Edwardian figures and this morning I had an email saying he has added two more sets of 10 figures - loco crew and children. These are sets 7 and 8, so scroll down the page on Andrew's website. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted December 8, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 8, 2015 I recently obtained a couple of 1/43 scale buses and I am now looking for suitable seated figures to populate them with but without much luck so far. I have only found two figures so far, a 'DMU driver' that is a tight squeeze in the cab of the bus and a rather well endowed young lady who except for the feature alluded too appears to be closer to 1/50 scale. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted December 8, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 8, 2015 Andrew Stadden is continuing to make Edwardian figures and this morning I had an email saying he has added two more sets of 10 figures - loco crew and children. These are sets 7 and 8, so scroll down the page on Andrew's website. I shall be ordering a set of loco crew, just timed right as my NER 1001 is nearing completion. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted December 8, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 8, 2015 Andrew Stadden is continuing to make Edwardian figures and this morning I had an email saying he has added two more sets of 10 figures - loco crew and children. These are sets 7 and 8, so scroll down the page on Andrew's website. Thanks for that, both sets are a much needed addition to the market. I fear that Andrew will eventually ruin me though, if he keeps on introducing all these nice figures! 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted December 8, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 8, 2015 They look very good. The children are a very welcome addition as they are in short supply although Preiser do some. The loco crews as with all his figures appear to be from photographs which means they are neither driving or firing. This is good as it means they can have several uses, not just on the footplate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbr Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 I recently obtained a couple of 1/43 scale buses and I am now looking for suitable seated figures to populate them with but without much luck so far. I have only found two figures so far, a 'DMU driver' that is a tight squeeze in the cab of the bus and a rather well endowed young lady who except for the feature alluded too appears to be closer to 1/50 scale. Look at the Modelu website. I was on the stand at ExpoEM North in Manchester when the driver of the vintage bus arrived in full fig. Alan Buttler scanned him in 3 poses and can print him in whatever scale you want. The bus driver / conductor poses are currently on the front page. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF51 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 PhilJ W, Stadden has some seated passenger figures in 1/43. Just a FYI, as you hadn't mentioned them in your post. Jim F Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted March 19, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 19, 2016 Dart Castings have produced a Edwardian Loco Crew. Right hand drive by the look of it so fine for the Cambrian. I will have two sets as being whitemetal it is easier to cut the cap off and replace it with a bowler. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 The reason that Castle Aching is set in the 1900s, as opposed to a decade or so earlier, is primarily due to the advent of the Andrew Stadden range of Edwardian figures, which, I believe, are unrivalled in terms of scale fidelity, anatomical correctness, realism and poise. They are quite simply beautiful. These will be the mainstay, though I can see some Monty's and Preiser supplementing them, and one or two others. During the 'Armchair Years' I had planned, fairly extensively, another Light Railway style layout, set in the 1890s. I may still build this, or part thereof, and in the meantime have been persuaded to write it up. Before the advent of the Stadden range, I had collected such Late Victorian and Edwardian figures as I could find with this project in mind. These are mainly Aidan Campbell and Mike Pett Supercast. They are a little on the large side and cannot be compared with advantage to the Staddens, but they have a certain charm. I thought I would start painting them up and see what I could make of them. I often find it useful to see painted up examples of figures, so I thought that, on finishing a batch, this topic might be a suitable place to post the results. First up, the Mike Pett's: 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penlan Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 .... During the 'Armchair Years' ....... I like that, it gently flowed in the overall text....... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard i Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 Armchair you were lucky! When I were a lad we had only wooden stool modeling . Richard Apologies to mp Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 Wooden stools? It brings tears to my eyes thinking of the splinters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 Now some of the Aidan Campbell. Left, cat. no. 035, "3 wealthy Victorian passengers". Right, cat. no. 055, "Wealthy Victorian couple and city gent". 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted March 25, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 25, 2016 Dart Castings have produced a Edwardian Loco Crew. Right hand drive by the look of it so fine for the Cambrian. I will have two sets as being whitemetal it is easier to cut the cap off and replace it with a bowler. I am not too sure if the Cambrian had any locos with a firebox needing a firing shovel that length. Or any other railway for that matter. That looks more like a fire/ash clearing tool than anything a fireman would use on the footplate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jol Wilkinson Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 I think that we are very fortunate to have Andrew Stadden's 4mm figures available. They surpass anything else, especially when painted by someone like Cat Gibbs: https://www.facebook.com/Cats.Custom.Characters There isn't much I don't try to do for myself on London Road but all the new figures I have are painted by Cat (some shown on 12 - 18 May 2015 on the link). Some clever chap complained that the gents watch didn't move when it was pointed out to him at a recent exhibition, but at least it is right twice a day. I think that the horses from Dart Castings are also the best available at present. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted March 25, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 25, 2016 I am not too sure if the Cambrian had any locos with a firebox needing a firing shovel that length. Or any other railway for that matter. That looks more like a fire/ash clearing tool than anything a fireman would use on the footplate. It looked rather long to me as well, but I am sure that it will not be that long once it is on the footplate. It is nice to have figures doing something rather than posing for a photo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 More Aidan Campbell figures: Seated are Cat. no. 130, "3 seated Victorian passengers", mixed together with Cat. no. 136 "3 seated Edwardian 'Toffs'", Mr Campbell's choice of word, not mine. The 3 shopkeepers are Cat. no. 007. The railway staff are (left) Cat. no. 041, "3 early guards with bandoleers and kepi hats", and (right) Cat. no. 003 "3 porters carrying/leaning on large trunks". The seated porter seems to have been replaced by one with a barrow. I have depicted the porters' uniform as having hard-wearing brown corduroy trousers. I have read of porter's uniforms included corduroy trousers (green in one instance I seem to recall) because they stood up to the rigours of the job better than the uniform cloth, though I don't recall seeing any figures painted up this way. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted October 29, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 29, 2016 Andrew Stadden has updated his website, and his Blog is here. It was a bit flakey when I tried it as it kept on coming up with '404 not found'. You will notice that he has some 1860 people, and Brunel on the way, some sitting down 2mm figures and 4mm train crews with attachable arms. I might just get some 1860 figures, just for fun, as it is only 30 years before 1895 and some old ladies had had their clothes for years! 1880s would be good as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted October 29, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 29, 2016 Qualtiy 1860 figures in 4mm scale. Who would have thought that a few years ago! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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