Zerogee
Clencher's Bogleman
For the last couple of years Preiser have been promising three packs of all-new European steam loco crews, to provide Euro-profile G scalers with some alternatives to the classic (but only) pair that have been available from them up till now.
Well, two of the three new sets are finally available - I noticed them start to be listed on eBay.de a week or so ago, found the cheapest German supplier and ordered myself a pack of each. There is a third variant listed, but for some reason no-one seems to have any yet and Preiser's own website is showing it as unavailable - maybe they had some moulding difficulties with them...?
Anyway, here are the two that are available, just arrived in the post this morning: Preiser codes are 44918 for the left-hand pack, 44919 for those on the right. They are all well up to what you'd expect from preiser - great design and moulding quality, well-applied paint and details, and well sized for most G-scale uses. The figures are all just a shade over 70mm tall, so will fit comfortably in most loco cabs.
The poses are usefully designed, my only negative point being the Fireman in the 44918 pack who is walking with an oilcan - great for placing on the ground in a Loco Depot, but slightly less useful as footplate crew. His walking pose also means he will not easily stand up, and he will have to be securely glued or pegged in place wherever you want to use him (all the figures will need this, of course, but he will need special care). His driver may well get paired with a different fireman on whatever loco I use him for!
Other than that, all excellent figures, and it will be nice to see some more variety on my loco footplates!
I'm sure they will be in stock very soon with UK suppliers, if they're not already.
Jon.
Well, two of the three new sets are finally available - I noticed them start to be listed on eBay.de a week or so ago, found the cheapest German supplier and ordered myself a pack of each. There is a third variant listed, but for some reason no-one seems to have any yet and Preiser's own website is showing it as unavailable - maybe they had some moulding difficulties with them...?
Anyway, here are the two that are available, just arrived in the post this morning: Preiser codes are 44918 for the left-hand pack, 44919 for those on the right. They are all well up to what you'd expect from preiser - great design and moulding quality, well-applied paint and details, and well sized for most G-scale uses. The figures are all just a shade over 70mm tall, so will fit comfortably in most loco cabs.
The poses are usefully designed, my only negative point being the Fireman in the 44918 pack who is walking with an oilcan - great for placing on the ground in a Loco Depot, but slightly less useful as footplate crew. His walking pose also means he will not easily stand up, and he will have to be securely glued or pegged in place wherever you want to use him (all the figures will need this, of course, but he will need special care). His driver may well get paired with a different fireman on whatever loco I use him for!
Other than that, all excellent figures, and it will be nice to see some more variety on my loco footplates!
I'm sure they will be in stock very soon with UK suppliers, if they're not already.
Jon.
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