Is it me but, to my eyes, the majority of plastic figures, whilst being more or less the same height as white metal characters seem a little on the "thin" side.

I've been comparing the figure that comes with the Wills signal box interior against a plastic (Peco I think) figure and he seems to be a good 50% broader - too many pies maybe?

From what I've seen of both materials Ian, I think the white metal figures, although excellent in detail and poses, are a little on the  fat side. :roll::roll:

Maybe it's to do with the moulding.  I'd guess you can get a much finer mould from plastic than from white metal.  I still think white metal figures are superb. thumbs

I think it depends on the moulding and who makes them.  

I like Bachmann/Woodland Scenics prepainted figures (plastic) which look well proportioned to me.

There are some really poor figures out there.

In whitemetal, those by Monty's Models available from Dart Castings are very good indeed.

John

I'll check out the Bachmann/Woodland Scenics range - I am aiming for 1930's period wise and it does look as though the Monty's models figures fir reasonably well into this.

I have just received a few Bachmann pre painted station staff.   A bit disapointed to find they  have shiny clothes ,the mouldings are nice, so may have to put a touch of matt varnish on the uniforms.:roll:

Indeed Reg, I applied a thin black wash to my figures which really brought them to life.

John

[user=1466]IanHarman[/user] wrote:

Is it me but, to my eyes, the majority of plastic figures, whilst being more or less the same height as white metal characters seem a little on the "thin" side.

Bit like their real life counterparts really, come in all shapes and sizes.

Thanks for that John.  A thin black wash seems the way to go.  Ta.

White metal crews from Dart Castings, undercoat, paint then black wash, final matt varnish.

They look excellent Chris thumbs

Enamels or acrylics ?

hear hear.

When I trawl (must spell that right) the net it looks like the "craftsman" made stuff is slightly more circumferentially challenged but this seems to allow more expressive faces and better poses. As we will only be buying small numbers of them for specific situations this is acceptable as the difference will serve to highlight whatever scene we put them in.

Regards
The Bankie

To my mind, plastic figures, especially the Dapol range have one great advantage over white metal in that they are readily re-worked and adapted to suit your situation.

LH drive or RH drive loco? Is your driver waving to the platform maggots or holding the regulator? Is your fireman shoveling coal into the firebox [surely not inside the station under the canopy!!!!] or throwing it across the cab?

Easily solved in plastic, heat 'em up and bend them, chop 'em up and re-glue them to suit yourself.

I haven't heard of the same being done with white metal figures, mind you at the price they are I'd hate to risk messing them up!

Some ideas/examples here   https://www.model-railways-live.co.uk/Articles/274-17/Modelling_Help_and_Advice/Painting_Dapol_Figures_by_Doug_Dickson/

As mofre bits and pieces have been acquired for my layout (Particularly vehicles) I'm changing my mind on this thread and have switched to thinking that maybe it is the fact that the white metal figures are rather "portly" When stood next to vehicles it does seem that the plastic figures are more in proportion. So I think I will adopt a policy of using both (because there are some very interesting metal figures out there) but restricting the use of metal figures to locations where it's more difficult to directly compare them to items of known scale (if that makes sense) so not standing against the side of a car and so on but using them in the more isolated areas.