Garden Railway Forum

Just finished painting 30 figures in preparation for the next running season. Range of sources - quite a few from ModelTown, a couple from Jon's People which I bought at Llanfair in a Bits Box (as they were missing limbs), a handful from Motley Miniatures, a couple of whitemetal figures from Trenarren, four 3D printed from DesignPrintScan and a few others from unknown sources (again rummaged from Bits Boxes at Llanfair) . . . . .
Rik

A fine collection Rik, certainly a mixed bag! When strategically placed each will fulfil its role on the railway and they will all blend in well.

I must admit that some of them seem a bit zombie like, or maybe they're just startled to now be out of the box in which they've been stored, some for a couple of years!

Rik

Very nicely painted Rik!

Coincidentally, I've just finished painting a small group of figures - on nothing like that scale though, well done!

Andrew.

Well done Rik, glad to see the female side of the population well represented. Something lacking in my figures. It can get interesting painting many figures, different hair, clothing, and hat colours without getting too repetitive, but you have captured it well.
Grant.

Really nice.

Do you leave the spikes on their feet and then you can move them around the garden?

LNR wrote: Sun Jan 26, 2020 10:33 pm Well done Rik, glad to see the female side of the population well represented. Something lacking in my figures. It can get interesting painting many figures, different hair, clothing, and hat colours without getting too repetitive, but you have captured it well.
Grant.

Well spotted, Grant. I was feeling that the number of ladies was unrepresentative and so concentrated on them. I have painted two figures identically on the basis that when I take photos it might appear she has travelled from one station to another.

Rik

sjrixon wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:41 am Really nice.

Do you leave the spikes on their feet and then you can move them around the garden?

Absolutely. I have rawlplugged holes drilled in the platforms to receive the spikes and try varying where I put the figures each time I have a running session. I sometimes will also remove figures when making a video to show they have boarded the train eg


Rik

ge_rik wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:55 am “I sometimes will also remove figures when making a video to show they have boarded the train...”

And it’s still a lovely video!

All thoughtfully shot with wonderful rolling stock and scenery (loads of it) and, of course, neat use of the figures.

I’ve watched some of your older, explanatory videos (where you speak!) since you first posted ‘Jeanne’s Day Out’ and I’m even more convinced you should try replacing the subtitles with a voiceover - and release your inner Eric Thompson or Oliver Postgate. If you haven’t already, you could do a parallel re-edit and gauge the reactions of your nearest and dearest at the test screening.

I’m looking forward to the detailed ‘Running mixed trains on the PLR’ video with narration in a relaxed, Bill Nighy sort of way...

(Hope I don’t get told off for going off-topic)

I agree regarding narration, you do have the voice for it Rik.

Have you considered recording audio books?

tom_tom_go wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 1:13 pm Have you considered recording audio books?

I did once record a short dual language book for children. Fortunately, I did the English version - my Polish wasn't up to it (ie non existent!)......

BertieB wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:50 pm I’ve watched some of your older, explanatory videos (where you speak!) since you first posted ‘Jeanne’s Day Out’ and I’m even more convinced you should try replacing the subtitles with a voiceover - and release your inner Eric Thompson or Oliver Postgate. If you haven’t already, you could do a parallel re-edit and gauge the reactions of your nearest and dearest at the test screening.

I’m looking forward to the detailed ‘Running mixed trains on the PLR’ video with narration in a relaxed, Bill Nighy sort of way...

Very kind of you. I'm really not sure. I really admire Oliver Postgate's easy style and would love to be able to emulate it. I might give it a try, but I think, these days, subtitles are favoured by those who want to watch on their phones as they don't want to have sound when on trains etc....

Rik

ge_rik wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:18 pm but I think, these days, subtitles are favoured by those who want to watch on their phones as they don't want to have sound when on trains etc....

Personally I agree Rik. Not that I have a phone, but on both desktop and laptop at home, I very rarely have the sound even switched on, whether its a railway video or BBC news piece, etc. I prefer to watch without the background music which I generally find distracting and unnecessary.

Rik, I'm fairly sure that it was you who videoed your railway a few years ago and you mentioned adapting the 1:20 figures of a car racing pit stop crew. A long time after that I saw the kit in a model shop near Lake Garda while we were on holiday there. Most of them I managed to paint as RN matelots in Action Working Dress (No 8s) with hats made from fimo. I still haven't got round to including branch badges on the shirts but I will eventually. Here those matelots are trying to learn to sail near Bramley Bank on the Crowfoot Light Railway. I have used photos of these guys before.

andymctractor wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 7:41 pm Rik, I'm fairly sure that it was you who videoed your railway a few years ago and you mentioned adapting the 1:20 figures of a car racing pit stop crew.

Hi Andy
Not me, I think it was Peter Butler .......
I've never managed to track them down.

Rik

I have found a box of the figures on e-bay.....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Orig ... 3391862265
Although I can't recall mentioning the use of these figures on my line (although I might have?) as I certainly had several. I can only find one picture which includes one of the kneeling figures, left hand side in the photograph....

Peter Butler wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:06 am I have found a box of the figures on e-bay.....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Orig ... 3391862265
Although I can't recall mentioning the use of these figures on my line (although I might have?) as I certainly had several. I can only find one picture which includes one of the kneeling figures, left hand side in the photograph....
IMG_2664.JPG

Hi Peter, thats the kit. The guy in the photo on the box at the bottom left is the matelot in the rear of the sailing boat looking like he's lost the plot. He looks much better when the rudder is fitted to the boat and hes got something to hold onto. I will probably have to make a new rudder, then I'll find the old one.
Sorry Rik if I got you mixed up. My memory is of your railway in early days for me and trains in the garden. You were showing a day of movements through one of your stations and I was hooked by the fact that your steam engines were all battery powered.