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Modellings tips and answers - Adding figures

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Railway song of the week

When you listen to Last Train by Allen Toussaint, you’re drawn into a relaxed, soulful groove built around his gentle piano and smooth voice. The song uses the image of a departing train to create a sense of urgency, as if you might miss your chance if you don’t move before the "last train” leaves the station. Originally released on the 1973 album Southern Nights, it has that warm New Orleans feel Toussaint was known for, mixing rhythm and blues with a subtle gospel touch. Click on the picture to listen to it:

Tool of the Week

The brush tip watercolour marker set from AMMO by MIG Jimenez is designed as a practical modelling tool focused on precision, versatility, and ease of use. The set includes 12 transparent colours selected to help reproduce realistic weathering and wear effects on locomotives and rolling stock from any era. These Missing Link Brush Tip Markers can be used for a range of applications, from subtle filters to more defined weathering effects. Each marker has a flexible, high-precision brush tip capable of producing smooth, controlled strokes, allowing both detailed work and larger surface effects without changing tools. Please note, the last time we stocked these they sold out within a few days.

This week in history

This week in history - On March 7th 1966, the former 'Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway' was closed to nearly all rail operations leaving behind only a few spurs to access local industries from the surrounding mainlines.

Picks of the Week

If you're just getting into railway modelling or looking to expand your collection without breaking the bank, pre-owned models offer tremendous value and often come with their own bit of history. These three N gauge Minitrix double-decker passenger cars are a perfect example: they're in exceptional condition, barely used and still come in their original boxes. Moving up to TT gauge, the Tri-ang Diesel Shunter is a charming little 0-6-0 in BR Green that's been given some tender loving care with hand-painted details and new badges and it runs beautifully after its service. The TT gauge Tri-ang Jinty is another gem from the same era, featuring a die-cast body that's been hand-painted in Southern Green with gold lining.

For those of you modelling American railways in HO gauge, this set of three Norfolk and Western coal hoppers offers excellent value: you get two two-bay and one three-bay hopper, with one even including a coal load. Switching to British outline in OO gauge, this rake of six Hornby Dublo 16-tonne steel coal wagons is perfect for creating an authentic goods train, with several having been weathered to add that lived-in look. If you're after motive power in OO gauge, the Lima Class 67 in EWS red and gold livery has been professionally weathered to a high standard and runs superbly after its service, making it ideal for express passenger or freight work on your layout.

Not your typical passengers

Preiser offer a fascinating assortment of character figures that can add personality humour, and storytelling opportunities to your layout. All of these figures are in HO gauge (1:87 scale), which makes them fully compatible with OO gauge layouts and they're all hand-painted plastic figures ready to use straight from the packet. You can see the full range of single figures by clicking here or read on for a few of our favourites.

If you're looking to add a touch of celebrity or historical gravitas to your layout, Preiser has created some rather intriguing options. The Winston Churchill figure captures Britain's wartime Prime Minister complete with his iconic bow tie and authoritative bearing, perfect for recreating mid-20th century scenes. For those modelling more recent times, the Donald Trump figure comes with the president's signature blue suit, red tie and distinctive hair. Meanwhile, the Pope Francis figure brings the head of the Catholic Church to your miniature world, ideal for scenes around churches or religious gatherings. These three figures demonstrate how you can incorporate recognisable personalities into your dioramas to create specific historical moments or add a bit of contemporary relevance.

For those of you creating domestic scenes within buildings or through visible windows, Preiser offers several figures depicting everyday household activities. The woman at sewing machine figure shows a lady engaged in needlework, whilst the ironing figure comes complete with an ironing board for that authentic laundry day scene. The watering the flowers set includes not just the figure but also a terracotta pot with flowers and watering can, perfect for garden scenes or allotments. These figures help bring the mundane but essential aspects of daily life to your miniature world, adding depth and realism to residential areas.

If you fancy adding some artistic flair to your layout, there are figures that capture creative pursuits beautifully. The landscape painter figure depicts an artist seated at an easel with palette in hand, perfect for countryside or park scenes. The artist's model figure shows a lady posing for an artist, ideal for recreating an art studio setting. Meanwhile, the blacksmith figure represents a traditional craftsman at work with hammer and anvil, excellent for period layouts or industrial scenes. These figures help tell stories about the various trades and hobbies that make up community life.

For those of you who appreciate a bit of drama or humour on your layout, Preiser hasn't forgotten you either. The armed robber figure is perfect for recreating a bank heist or post office hold-up, adding a touch of criminal activity to your high street. The sprayer figure comes with a section of wall and depicts a graffiti artist in action – you could even paint your own slogan or design on the included wall. The vampire holding coffin lid figure offers something completely different, ideal for adding a humorous touch to cemetery or church scenes, particularly around Halloween. These figures prove that model railways don't always have to take themselves too seriously!

Some figures capture special moments or unique scenarios that can create memorable vignettes on your layout. The happy return figure depicts a couple embracing, with the man lifting his partner in a joyful reunion – perfect for station platforms or outside homes. Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Philip figure shows the late royal couple in formal attire, ideal for royal visit scenes or ceremonial occasions. The jockey on racehorse brings the excitement of the turf to your layout, whether you're modelling a racecourse or simply a country scene with equestrian activity. These figures help you tell stories of celebration, ceremony, and sport.

Finally, Preiser offers some figures that are decidedly cheeky and perhaps not suitable for all layouts, but they're worth mentioning for those creating more adult-themed dioramas or humorous scenes. The lady undressing figure could work in beach scenes, bathroom settings or even as a streaker at a sporting event. The taking a bath figure is self-explanatory and perfect for bathroom interiors. The mermaid with mirror figure adds a touch of fantasy and whimsy, ideal for seaside scenes or just something completely different. These figures demonstrate that model railway figures can cover just about any scenario you can imagine, no matter how unconventional!

Modelling tips

We keep on adding modelling tips to our website. Here are a few:

You can read all the articles sorted by categories or from the most recent published one on our website.

Unboxing videos

You want to know what is inside the boxes of modelling products? We open them for you! Subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified before everyone else or simply click on this selection. Please note that videos are at the bottom of each page.

You can access all the unboxing videos by visiting this page or simply click on the link called "videos" on our websit e.

Do you need to order?

Send us an email or give us a call to check availability or to reserve anything, whatever scale you model in. As usual, if we do not have in stock what you are looking for, we will order it for you and you will get it fast (usually within a week if the manufacturer has it in stock). We place weekly orders with most suppliers.

Remember, you can park for free for one hour on the High Street. So no excuse not to come and visit us!

Upstairs Downstairs is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am till 4.30pm. Obviously, our website is open 24h a day and we can post to most locations, including Europe, USA and Australia.

Upstairs Downstairs
3 Pier Street
Sandown, PO36 8JR
Isle of Wight
Tel: 01983 406 616
http://www.trainshop.co.uk or find us on Facebook

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