7mm On Heather's Workbench - wider and longer

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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Slow progress. The E3 insideses, both of them, were all checked for fit, marked up more carefully as to where they went, and some details scribed in as required. Blutacked to some scrap card, they’ve been sprayed with grey primer (as they were black styrene) and I shall now begin to paint the proper colours on them. It may take a while, as it seems we are in for some extremes of temperature and humidity over the next couple of days. Operation Stay Cool is in full swing.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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Well, that’s all the interiors fitted. Things still to do: fit couplings and buffer heads, make safety chains and fit them, retouch any paintwork necessary, and paint the passengers so they can be placed in somewhat sensible positions.

Once those tasks are done, it’ll be off to the official photographer, off the bench and into storage while we work out how to ship them Down Under, and I can get in with another build.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Well, doesn’t time fly?

Having reached a natural break point in the build, the four coaches have lingered up on the shelf since the last post here. In fact, their owner and his wife travelled all the way to Blighty from Down Under and saw them himself - and then a pandemic struck, personal illness messed things up, and who knows what was supposed to happen next.

Anyway, it seems likely, with as many digits crossed as can be mustered, the coaches might be able to hitch a lift back to Melbourne with member of the client's family towards the end of this year. So, it’s time to get them properly finished.

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To that end, six pairs of identical cast metal twins have been prepared for a bath of primer. I’ll set about daubing various colours on them, and they can find their seats in the coaches. The late Victorian period, as far as model figures and seated ones at that is concerned, is not terribly well served. Six figures from the Phoenix range will have to suffice, hoping that different fabric colours on the ladies' attire will help. Mind you, there’s plenty of social distancing potential in the vehicles themselves, so we will get away with it.

More, soon, I hope.

The latest MRJ offers some hope for seated tiddley peeps, as I note Modelu has added a range of Edwardian figures recently. Some of them look almost suitable for an earlier period, like the early 1880s.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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The coaches were dragged down from their shelf. Apart from requiring a light dusting I was pleased to note the interiors had remained more or less intact. The styrene compartment walls have been glued to the brass with Copydex, and it’s shown to be remarkably stable. The roofs, the bane of my life, have also shown themselves to be quite solid.

Anyway, the passengers are trying out their new forever homes. I could possibly do with three or four more figures, but it was agreed a long time ago that things shouldn’t look too busy. I may yet shuffle one or two about until I’m happy and feel safe to glue them in place. Then I can weather the bodywork a little - grimy, but reasonably tidy - before thinking about photos and then sorting out the travelling arrangements.
 

Peter Insole

Western Thunderer
Heather, I hope you don't mind me making a comment about your passengers - especially as it might at first sound like a gripe..?!!

One of the things that really grates on me is what might be termed "Accepted wisdom". This is something that (so called, and mostly self appointed) railway historians seem to be frequently guilty of - and sorry, but I make no apologies for that statement.

One of those confounded and compounded errors is that the "coming of the railways enabled ordinary folk to travel widely and regularly, for the first time in history".

Anyone reading that and wondering why I am making such a fuss, might like to consider this:

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Here is an 1865 waybill, showing "CHEAP" excursion fares - in other words, not even the usual, standard, ordinary, THIRD CLASS tariff.

The journey, at two bob, was only a local, less than twenty miles either way trip.

Here is my point:

In 1865, the average wage paid in the district was less than Eight shillings per week!!

Go compare !!!

Yes, I know that there were the weekday "Parliamentaries", while of course many factory workers, and Sunday school children went on jamborees to the seaside by train, but it should be noted that in the latter two cases, the trains were chartered by the businesses or the church - then filled to capacity by those organisations.

All of this begs the question; during the heyday of the railways, who the hell was actually travelling in those carriages ????

I am not here considering Lord Muck - and any of his entourage, for whom the first class fare was perhaps "small change", but during the day, the third class occupants would have inevitably, and exclusively only been "businessmen", travelling reps or salesmen - presumably claiming "Expenses"!

Back then - and at least until the very dawn of emancipation, it would very, very unlikely to see any women travelling - and more particularly one on her own - at any time whatsoever !!!

Sadly, there is nothing new about the fear of the "Bogey man", let alone complaining about the cost of season tickets !!!

All the best,

Pete.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Peter, that is very much appreciated. You are correct, of course, but the absolute dearth of suitable seated figures for the period rather stymies me.

I have, in the past, tried to ensure ladies were paired up or had a male partner. With only a dozen figures to spread amongst the four coaches, I’ve had to spread things a little thinner than I’d like.

Happily, with the roofs famously being detachable, the client can add more passengers to their own liking.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Much potential for things to go wrong…

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Daubing a thin mix of matt black and a dark brown over panels, then patiently wiping most of it off again. The aim is to leave grime in corners and crevices, as if a porter wiped a damp mop down the coach side to get the worst dirt off.

I note a missing door handle on a first class door. I wonder when that disappeared. :confused:
 

Wagonman

Western Thunderer
Heather, I hope you don't mind me making a comment about your passengers - especially as it might at first sound like a gripe..?!!

One of the things that really grates on me is what might be termed "Accepted wisdom". This is something that (so called, and mostly self appointed) railway historians seem to be frequently guilty of - and sorry, but I make no apologies for that statement.

One of those confounded and compounded errors is that the "coming of the railways enabled ordinary folk to travel widely and regularly, for the first time in history".

Anyone reading that and wondering why I am making such a fuss, might like to consider this:

View attachment 147351

Here is an 1865 waybill, showing "CHEAP" excursion fares - in other words, not even the usual, standard, ordinary, THIRD CLASS tariff.

The journey, at two bob, was only a local, less than twenty miles either way trip.

Here is my point:

In 1865, the average wage paid in the district was less than Eight shillings per week!!

Go compare !!!

Yes, I know that there were the weekday "Parliamentaries", while of course many factory workers, and Sunday school children went on jamborees to the seaside by train, but it should be noted that in the latter two cases, the trains were chartered by the businesses or the church - then filled to capacity by those organisations.

All of this begs the question; during the heyday of the railways, who the hell was actually travelling in those carriages ????

I am not here considering Lord Muck - and any of his entourage, for whom the first class fare was perhaps "small change", but during the day, the third class occupants would have inevitably, and exclusively only been "businessmen", travelling reps or salesmen - presumably claiming "Expenses"!

Back then - and at least until the very dawn of emancipation, it would very, very unlikely to see any women travelling - and more particularly one on her own - at any time whatsoever !!!

Sadly, there is nothing new about the fear of the "Bogey man", let alone complaining about the cost of season tickets !!!

All the best,

Pete.

Pete has a very good point. As late as the mid-20th century rural working class people rarely if ever travelled more the 15 miles from home – except to go to war and for that their fares were paid, one way only in too many cases...

Richard
 
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