edward_goodwin Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 How about some sharply molded unpainted plastic figures in 1/72 or 1/76 scale, the priesler figures are nice but a bit short, not sure if this is Airfix territory but th. old civilian set were reasonable for their time, Thanks Eddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The Bachmann figures are a better 00 scale representation than the German H0 makers such as Priesler, Noch and Busch, but a rather limited range. However, I have found that the China sellers on e-bay are now starting to produce figures in very near 1:76 scale if you search hard enough you can find 1:75 scale un-painted or poorly painted for about £4 per 100 delivery included..Once repainted, they look far more expensive. Under a magnifying glass the moulding detail is remarkedly fine for the price..For example see here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I wouldn't touch those Chinese import figures with a bargepole. You have no idea if the paint they use contains lead. Unlike official imports from people such as Hornby, they have not been CE tested. You can still get the old Airfix civilian figures btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The Airfix and Dapol figures are fine. They can be adapted to be what ever you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I'd agree that the old Airfix civilans and workmen now made by Dapol are fine for 20th Century figures. The Bachmann figures are better for post 1980 periods, especially the railway staff. What a lot of people overlook is that figures and their clothes changed over time so only look 'right' in a particular period. The European HO and some whitemetal figure producers do cater for different eras but the former are to 1 :87 scale and not 1:76 so are too short, and the whitemetal figures are horribly expensive. So I would encourage Hornby to consider making some appriopriate figures for a range of periods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward_goodwin Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 How about the old Triang Model land figures being brought back, unpainted would be fine to keep the price reasonable. Eddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 The moulds will almost certainly have been destroyed. What do you mean they'll be too short LC? They're perfect for my height. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 The Dapol workmen all have flat caps and jackets with waistcoats. A quick whip round with a scalpel and they can be in shorts an T shirts in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Reminds me of the old Hitch-hiker joke, one leg, no arms, three eyes, so the motorist said Eye, eye, eye, you look 'armless, hop in. (Alright, I'll go away!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Flat capped and waistcoated workmen are ideal for the late steam era (1930s to early 1960s) , bib & braced overalls under the waistcoat of course. The foremen wore Trilbys and the Gaffer wore a bowler. It was rumoured that Loco Inspectors wore bowler hats because they deflected bits of coal accidently on purpose dropped on them by engine crew, better than Trilbys!Before the 1930s the flat caps were bigger and senior personnel might have sported a Boater,although Bowlers were still fashionable.Watching old films confirms that very nearly all men at work wore collar and tie. (White or Blue?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Mennell Posted October 22, 2017 Share Posted October 22, 2017 Are Dapol figures the correct size? I only ask because some of the Dapol stuff, (station name boards on legs), is massive so looks out of proportion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted October 22, 2017 Share Posted October 22, 2017 Yes they are. Station name boards are large. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Mennell Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 I bought the Dapol rail workers and painted them flo orange to make them look modern. The only thing is that the head wear is wrong. Do you think I can get away with painting their caps white so they look a like the helmets worn by today's workers or should I make some helmets for them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I bought some B'mann 00 loco crew figures and they are too big to fit in my Hornby 00 loco seats - steam or diesel. They are just about OK in standing roles and appear to be accurate scale vs full size ratio - e.g. 5-1/2 to 6 ft equivalent. The figures supplied with some 00 locos are a lot smaller more like H0. My Dapol station people seem to be the right size. Re - making model folk look like other folk - colour has more to do with things than accurate form at the ranges we generally view our models. e.g. a model figure viewed at 10 feet is equivalent to viewing a full sized person from over 250 yards away. At that distance a yellow/white blob on someone's head taking into account a matching painted-on hi-vis vest, etc will come across as a site worker in a safety helmet not a bloke in a suit wearing a flat cap or trilby. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I always cut the base off Dapol figures, makes them a lot shorter. The head can be remodelled by carving away the cap shape so it looks like a hard hat, no hat etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Mennell Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 WTD, I wondered about shaping the existing headwear but thought the head area would look too small? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Mennell Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 For marking the relective strips on the hi vis clothing I used a thin rollerball silver gel pen. It's amazingly easy and depicts the strips very well! Very thin.This one was a test run and will have another coat of paint however you can see the reflective markings:-/media/tinymce_upload/45317398819d5a38563255a6b865f07f.JPG The rest of the guys hanging around for completion:-/media/tinymce_upload/8010ec585b66ffd5ceb9f305c027f4bc.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I have those mettalic roller-gel pens in various colours Jeff and use them for all sorts of things - words, loco stripes, etc. Very effective and easy to use.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 They look great. Trim around the bowler hat just leaving the peak then paint it yellow or white and it becomes a hard hat. The caps just need rounding off a bit and given the same treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postman Prat Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 I bought some B'mann 00 loco crew figures and they are too big to fit in my Hornby 00 loco seats Rob, Look back through the past few months editions of RM and you'll find a small article on a firm called Master Piece. He produces bespoke figures (painted or unpainted if I recall) designed and posed specifically for many of the Hornby /Bachmann steam locomotives. There are sometimes several different poses available for each loco type. No website though - I seem to recall it was his son's business which he took over as a retirement hobby. I think it is Springside who make diesel /electric drivers. 😀 Cailean Hi Cailean I was at the South Hants Model Railway Club exhibition at Portsmouth on Saturday. Standard of exhibiys quite high. Masterpiece Falcon Figures were there with a 'mock-up' of a cab. They'd give you a greasetop hat, pose you and then do the full scan for 'printing'. Impressive!!! His phone number is 01428 727341e-mail masterpiecefalconfigures@yahoo.co.uk Hope it's useful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Mennell Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Just an update on the modern rail workers I was painting. I decided to simply leave the hats as they were. Three coats of Revell Flo Orange, silver gel pen for reflective strips, Mattcote then a dark wash to pick out clothing detail and add shadow followed by a rub down so they didn't look too much like NCB workers. /media/tinymce_upload/95d26e54fa7d860cd417e51c2652e0a4.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/0bcabc00aee36a0fc73c9b8853877749.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/bfd6826585defa0f8a5f876ae5664648.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/7851b34ba2928d2c3c1b3ec604f07353.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Well done Jeff they look magnificent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Mennell Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Thank you WTD, that's a real compliment coming from someone with expertise. After taking these pics I rubbed off more of the 'dirt' and re lined the reflective strips. Real rail workers don't seem to get dirty these days according to the photos I have seen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 I've been called many things in the past Jeff, especially by PP, but never an expert. 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Mennell Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Yesterday I bought an orange tabard with grey reflective strips for when I ride my bike. The strips are in similar positions to the ones in the above pics, so now I feel like I'm one of the crew! 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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