Repainting figures from the old Hornby range.

The trick with the old polythene figures is to wash them in detergent to remove the grease. Before painting them cover the figures with a thin coat of pva glue (ideally non water based). This bonds to the plastic and provides a base for your paint. If they are to be handled a lot, paint a final layer of pva on the figures after they have been painted. This will be slightly shiny, so finish off with a coat of matt varnish.

Having said all of that I believe Airfix produced many of these figures in hard plastic under their trackside range, and may even have been produced by Dapol early on.

Bob