I see a fair few photographs on the forum featuring steam locomotives with either driver or fireman or both.
Adding crew greatly enhances a photograph to my eyes but whenever I've attempted it myself it never really works out.
So, does anyone have any tips for adding little figures to the footplate?
Are people using blu tak or tackwax or something more permanent and how do you manage to get the figures to fit, especially if room is limited eg Dapol panniers ?
Cheers
Martin
Generally superglue gel to attach.
quite common for the crew to be legless to fit...
Quote from: PLD on December 31, 2020, 05:58:09 PM
Generally superglue gel to attach.
quite common for the crew to be legless to fit...
I'm fairly confident that the railway companies had rules about inebriated footplate crews.
:beers:
On a more serious note, I'm in the superglue camp too - I prefer my stuff not to fall apart.
To date, however, I've only staffed my tender locos (well, most of them) and haven't yet looked into butchering some plastic people for tank locos.
I use superglue, and cut the crew about if necessary to fit. The Farish Jinty has a top torso crew only, sat on the pcb unit, as an example. I also use some of the non-driving figures in the more enclosed cabs such as the Dapol Britannia, where you can just about make out that someone is in there!
Dave
I use Deluxe glue&glaze. A small blob on the feet holds well and dries reasonably fast. And crucially can be pulled off with no damage if it goes horribly wrong.
Yes same here I use a quick drying superglue gel, like Dave I have half a crew in my Jinty's fixed over the top of the decoder.
What are the best loco crew for the steam era? Is there any good alternatives to the Graham Farish painted plastic figures?
Theres modelu3d.co.uk and pdmarshmodels.com A146 plus
https://peco-uk.com/products/loco-crew-and-guard . I use farish products one my 1 steam loco
Quote from: crewearpley40 on January 01, 2021, 10:29:10 AM
https://peco-uk.com/products/loco-crew-and-guard .
One might have a spot of bother fitting those into an n-gauge loco cab :P
Quote from: chrism on January 01, 2021, 10:33:19 AM
Quote from: crewearpley40 on January 01, 2021, 10:29:10 AM
https://peco-uk.com/products/loco-crew-and-guard .
was just a thought. I use tweezers once I've dabbed the base with superglue
One might have a spot of bother fitting those into an n-gauge loco cab :P
Quote from: crewearpley40 on January 01, 2021, 10:38:25 AM
Quote from: chrism on January 01, 2021, 10:33:19 AM
Quote from: crewearpley40 on January 01, 2021, 10:29:10 AM
https://peco-uk.com/products/loco-crew-and-guard .
One might have a spot of bother fitting those into an n-gauge loco cab :P
was just a thought. I use tweezers once I've dabbed the base with superglue
Yes, but how many loco crew are 10-12' tall?
Not many. As I cut legs off too
Quote from: Coyote on January 01, 2021, 10:19:43 AM
What are the best loco crew for the steam era? Is there any good alternatives to the Graham Farish painted plastic figures?
As mentioned , modelu3d are nice but expensive at £4.50 per unpainted figure, also Hardys hobbies do similar at £2.50 each, although Hardys have stopped doing figures with shovels in N due go their machines having trouble with the fine detail.
I now think the Farish sets of 5-6 pre painted figures are actually better value than the resin ones.
I think they look a bit big-headed to me!
For anyone like me who is/was ignorant of which side drive locos were, that wonderful chap John @Train Waiting (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=6222) made a list for me which I hope helps some others.
PDF attached
On tender engines, I look for the linkage at the side of the boiler from the reverser screw in the can.
Yeah - the reversing rod is usually the giveaway.
Thanks for that list, it looks like I have my driver on the wrong side in my Jinty then, mind you he is only half a man anyway....lol
Quote from: lil chris on January 01, 2021, 05:14:02 PM
Thanks for that list, it looks like I have my driver on the wrong side in my Jinty then, mind you he is only half a man anyway....lol
You're all right, that's the fireman keeping a good lookout.
They were allowed to stop shovelling when the firebox was full, you know :D
Quote from: Coyote on January 01, 2021, 10:19:43 AM
What are the best loco crew for the steam era? Is there any good alternatives to the Graham Farish painted plastic figures?
I normally use the P & D Marsh white metal figures. You can buy them in bare metal, or ready painted. The ready pantied ones are well executed and last time I bought some they were about £8.50 for two engines' worth of crew figures. I use a dab of superglue gel on the bottom of each foot to fix them firmly in place.