I've been working on the railway......

[Ochoin]

Our group's annual wargaming demo game at the local Train & Hobby show will be the Mahdist Wars in the Sudan.

I've acquired a suitable train & tracks & part of the "eye candy" will be this (non-working) model.
I'd like to have the track ending mid table , surrounded by a track laying party,

Historically, this should be comprised of fellahin. I've trawled through both PSR & through various model railway sites, searching for some suitable 1/72 figures that might do. Clearly, they'd need to be swinging pick axes etc but be dressed in suitable robes etc.

AFAIK, such figures don't exist. Can you suggest any that do or possible conversions that would not be ridiculously complex?

donald

[Paul]

Blimey...tall order ...Robes and Swinging picks etc...?????

You could use the RedBox Russian War Monks...Robes and some of them are already using chains/buckets/Hammers and swopping the weapons for picks would be easy
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2142
with head swops from..er...RedBox Afghan Warriors...headwear..only cos the two sets, coming from the same Company, would hopefully (I haven´t got either set) have similar sized heads.
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1056

[Ochoin]

Paul, thank you very much.

I'll only need a half dozen or so plausible figures so definitely possibilities here.

donald

[zirrian]

You can cut off the arms of some Revell/Accurate ACW Pioneers too, they have pickaxes swinging above their heads, one handling some plans, and so on.