Jump to content
 

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Gold

Greetings gents,

 

Over the past couple of months I've been slowly finishing little jobs that I started a while ago. One such project are the various figures which I've acquired to populate Horrabridge and other future projects.

 

I really enjoy painting people, I find it really therapeutic and one gets a finished item quite quickly. Over time I've moved away from Games Workshop paints and used Vallejo. The paint coverage is very good and the range is quite large, filling the gap in the acrylic market.

 

post-7376-0-76743900-1424178752.jpg

 

Anyway first up are some of the station staff who will feature on Horrabridge, once it is built!

 

post-7376-0-78687700-1424178926_thumb.jpg

 

Working from left to right, Mr Jim Walters, District Livestock Inspector, Mr E.J. Thomas, Station Master (seen here in three different positions!) and Mr Les Allen, Signalman. All of these are real people, found through local records.

 

The figures require a bit of light touching up and detailing, eyes, cap badges and so on, but you get the idea.

 

post-7376-0-06218900-1424179253_thumb.jpg

This gent is one of Monty's figures, but portrays Mr Sydney Mitchell, Parcel Porter, who also acted as a goods guard. He will be planted behind the goods shed, taking a five minute break whilst in between shunting duties. 

 

post-7376-0-61892600-1424179437_thumb.jpg

Last photo are the two who I probably know most about, Bill Rundle, fireman (left) and Claude Bolt, driver. This pair very often worked the 5:25am Laira Yard to Tavistock South goods.

 

Bill is the author of Laira Fireman, Footplate Recollections of a GWR Fireman, a really good read for anyone modelling the late GWR/BR Western Region in the South West. I've learnt a huge amount about railway operation from the book and for £18 I think it is a bargain; worth it for the photographs alone. 

 

Moving back in time now I purchased some of Andrew Stadden's Edwardian figures. I have no idea what I'm going to use them on, probably an earlier version of Horrabridge. Bar stock and building colours, little really changed between 1910 and 1955.

 

Andrew produces 6 different sets, below are sets 5 & 6, which focus around workmen and station staff. Sets 1 & 2 portray Upper and Middle Class Edwardian figures all standing. Sets 3 & 4 are similar, although all the people are sitting. Ideal for benches and populating carriages.

 

The figures are beautiful. One or two edges to clean up, but nothing major. He has done an incredible job.

 

post-7376-0-11707500-1424179933_thumb.jpg

Workmen 1

 

post-7376-0-32394700-1424180015_thumb.jpg

Workmen 2

 

post-7376-0-83545800-1424180063_thumb.jpg

Edwardian Station Staff 1 (I do love the centre figure - I think he is a station master, certainly looks like one!)

 

post-7376-0-48088800-1424180161_thumb.jpg

Edwardian Station Staff 2

 

post-7376-0-14242500-1424180536_thumb.jpg

Last up was a surprise. Because I preordered I received this little lot. The gentleman on the left I think is one of the Edwardian Locomotive engineers, who's name now escapes me, but the other three were a complete surprise. 

 

They remind me of the characters from the Railway Children, old Gentleman, Perks and Kind Edward VII!

 

I'm hoping to do a bit of painting over the week, so if anyone would like a guided please say.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick

 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Hi Nick, those Dart figures are really nicely done. We clearly have the same taste in figures (er, that came out wrong).

 

Andrew's "surprise pack" was a real bonus, I think. I especially like the gent on the right, he has real presence. Have you got any particular plans for him? I was thinking of using him as a carter at Farthing, though maybe his coat is a bit too fancy and cumbersome for that kind of work. Plus, there's the issue of season.

 

 

post-7376-0-14242500-1424180536_thumb.jp

Link to post
Share on other sites

Brinks now you've done it! Named figures...........

 

Stand by for the didn't you know Jim Walters had a beard, was ginger and you got the colour of his eyes wrong brigade!

 

Ps Les Allen was my wife's brothers cousins uncle, three times removed.

 

Pps,see you at Taunton!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Brinkly, many thanks for this very informative topic on figures, which I have learnt a lot from. It seems that many UK modellers are using Monty's figures and I hope that I can buy on line for my evolving GWR/SR joint layout.

 

Regards, Andy R

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I agree they're very nice indeed, you've done an excellent job.
I too am a fan of the Dart Castings figures... I quite like their taste for the old style high waist pleated trousers with knife-edge creases, very fashionable!
I had a go at painting their signalman a while back, most pleased with their moldings.

1469892_584868218228718_958457227_n.jpg?

Cheers, Reece 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...