From the bench at Humberston

When I built my 'Humberston' diorama I always intended to go back and a little more, including a bench on the platform and a couple of suitable posed figures to bring a little more life into the scene. Looking at photos of the real LCLR revealed that the benches were most likely ex-LNER ones with a mixture of two and three support variations, seen to advantage in this picture of South Sea Lane and in the background of this North Sea Lane picture.

Looking at available 4mm scale benches I couldn't see anything that quite matched, at least something that wasn't going to either leave a lot of spare benches and be easily obtained. The Cooper Craft GWR bench kit looked like it had potential if de-Westernised, but getting hold of one is a tricky business due to supply issues. Luckily a plea on the NGRM Online forum turned up a pair of spare ends and from these I could build a reasonable representation of an LNER bench.

The seat itself is 30 thou styrene scribed into two planks and rounded on the edges, the back pieces are 30x40 and 30x80 strip. Underneath lengths of 30x40 strip sit under the join in the planking. The Cooper Craft ends have lost their GWR scrollwork to become a passable representation of the LNER supports

The bench was red oxide primed and then several attempts were made to get the colour right, a light maroon but not too, well, maroon... With some dry brushing of a lighter shade on the edges it looks about right. It has been joined by some new figures for 'Humberston'. Ironically none of them want to sit on the bench!

The figures are an assortment of Dapol ones, chosen to be a little "timeless" in style and to have the look of figures riding a seaside railway rather than being 1960s commuters. Modifications are few, the lady with the umbrella has had her hat removed and blended into her hair, and the little boy has lost his long socks and had his cap rounded to look less schoolboy-like. Positioned on the diorama they tell a little tale, the boy seems keen to watch the Simplex depart whilst his mum and sister look on waiting (no doubt in despair). The railwayman waits for departure time...

I will try and get some pictures of the complete diorama in due course. I have also been working on a few changes to another diorama, but that will have to wait for another day!

Colin