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Victorian & Edwardian Civilians

Posted by Edwardian on 14 Mar 2017, 09:43

MABO of this parish expressed an interest in civilian figure ranges.

Here are a selection from two ranges; Aidan Campbell and Mike Pett Supercast.

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They are white-metal ranges designed for British outline 4mm scale model railways. Because of this they do not include cast bases, but have a peg for insertion into the ground.

It also means that they are nominally 1/76 scale. This model railway scale is noticeably larger than the Continental/North American/Rest of World model railway scale of 1/87.

In terms of wargaming scales, true 1/76 scale probably best matches 20mm, i.e. a little smaller than 1/72nd, BUT, nominal scales are misleading and railway figures have also suffered from 'scale creep'.

Both ranges pictured here are really too large to be 1/76 scale. In fact, they are a little taller than my HaT industrie nominally 1/72 plastics! I think they look OK with 1/72nd plastics, though, and the heft of the metal figures helps with this.

I will try to take some comparison shots at the weekend. In the meantime ...

Aidan Campbell First Class passengers:

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You will see that they are a little crude in places, and some better than others. The faces are perhaps not what we are used to, for instance. Still, I have done my best with them.

Aidan Campbell seated passengers:

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Aidan Campbell railway staff:

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Aidan Campbell shop-keepers:

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Now some Mike Pett Supercast. These are also very tall for nominally 1/76 figures, but you do get a Famous Detective and his Boswell:

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Link to Aidan Campbell: http://www.aidan-campbell.co.uk/76catalogue.htm

Mike Pett's seems to have disappeared for the moment.
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Edwardian  United Kingdom
 
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Posted by C M Dodson on 14 Mar 2017, 11:44

Hi. These look like nice figures and en masse are very effective. The features are a little bashed upon close inspection but you have done a lovely job bringing them to life.

Best wishes,

Chris
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Posted by Wiking on 15 Mar 2017, 05:01

Nice to see some civilians. Well painted figure. :-D
The pose are for true more to Railway modeller. Stay, wait , sit.
But in spite of that I use from Monty`s Models a few figure of 4mm (1/76) in my Dio.
They are with a peg and in white metal too. The advantage of the peg is that you can hold the figure with a clamp. Paint it drill a hole where you want to place it. Glue it on. For soft plastic figure I have to fix a peg always fist.
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Wiking  Germany
 
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Posted by Kostis Ornerakis on 15 Mar 2017, 05:56

Your paint job is adorable! :thumbup: :-D My favorites is Mike Pett's. I like his sculpting. It's a pity that at the moment they aren't available. :(
I have some 4mm (1/76) Edwardians from A Stadden. I also like his sculpting, though his figures are significantly smaller than 1/72s.
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Kostis Ornerakis  Greece

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Posted by Edwardian on 15 Mar 2017, 08:29

Thank you, all.

Picking up on Wiking and Kostis, I agree. IMHO, Monty's (generally for 1930s or later) and Andrew Stadden's (1860s and Edwardian) are the best 1/76 model railway figures by a Country Mile.

Stadden's, which are pewter, are exquisite and very much true 1/76. Funnily enough, they are not too bad a match with HaT height-wise, even so, but many wargames figures have more heft.

I will see if I cannot post some size comparison shots over the weekend.
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Edwardian  United Kingdom
 
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Posted by Cryns on 15 Mar 2017, 11:43

Thanks for posting, an interesting topic, figures I knew nothing about.
My compliments to the way you gave them a very authentic look by painting them :yeah: A great range of real life civilians.

Mike Pett's figures are great sculpts.
To be honest the proportions of Aiden Campbels figures are very poor, I am sorry to say this because I still like them as funny, lively figures. But look at those enormous heads, huge shoulders and gigantic arms with the elbow half way the biceps :shock: :eh:

Anyway, thanks for showing.
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Cryns  Netherlands

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Posted by Edwardian on 15 Mar 2017, 12:32

Mr. Cryns wrote:Thanks for posting, an interesting topic, figures I knew nothing about.
My compliments to the way you gave them a very authentic look by painting them :yeah: A great range of real life civilians.

Mike Pett's figures are great sculpts.
To be honest the proportions of Aiden Campbels figures are very poor, I am sorry to say this because I still like them as funny, lively figures. But look at those enormous heads, huge shoulders and gigantic arms with the elbow half way the biceps :shock: :eh:

Anyway, thanks for showing.



Thank you. I agree with your comments. I purchased the Aidan Campbell figures several years ago, when I was considering a Iate Victorian model railway (which I never built). I started an Edwardian period model railway a year or so ago, and by that time the excellent Andrew Stadden figures were available.

I decided to paint up the Aidan Campbell figures, partly to get some practice, as I had not painted any figures for some time, and partly to see how they would turn out. They are too large, have poor faces and are anatomically challenged, but they nevertheless have a certain charm!

I think I might use a limited number on my model railway, including some of the seated ones, and the two Mike Pett ladies. There will be the odd figure from other sources (including Monty's, Dapol and Preiser), but the mainstay will be the Stadden range.
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Edwardian  United Kingdom
 
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Posted by Edwardian on 15 Mar 2017, 13:08

So far as I know, Mike Pett's figures are still available, it is just that the (rather limited) website he had is no longer available.

I was hoping to purchase a few more, so I will let you know what comes of that.

His contact details are:

12 Chatham Street, Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 7PP, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1843 593417 Mobile: +44 (0)7976 724225
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Edwardian  United Kingdom
 
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Posted by Edwardian on 20 Mar 2017, 13:41

Edwardian wrote:So far as I know, Mike Pett's figures are still available, it is just that the (rather limited) website he had is no longer available.

I was hoping to purchase a few more, so I will let you know what comes of that.

His contact details are:

12 Chatham Street, Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 7PP, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1843 593417 Mobile: +44 (0)7976 724225



Update: Mike Pett, as I suspected, is still going strong. He has an advert in this months model railway press. When I have a moment I will scan or photograph the ad for anyone interested.

In the meantime, I can confirm that the website, still quoted in the advert, remains defunct, though I suppose it might get fixed: www: http://www.modelrailwayfigures00.co.uk, but, in addition to the information above, the advert gives an email - mikepettphotos@btconnect.com - so I suggest anyone interested drops him a line.
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Posted by Peter on 01 May 2017, 20:37

A famous detective? I can't find Poirrot! :eh:

Great to see these figures and you did a fantastic paintjob on them! :thumbup:
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Peter  Belgium

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Posted by Marvin on 03 May 2017, 18:51

Peter wrote:A famous detective? I can't find Poirrot! :eh:

Great to see these figures and you did a fantastic paintjob on them! :thumbup:


Poirot? A famous Belgian detective that would be?! ;-)
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