Durham Show and Eagle Figures

Today was the Durham Show. I’ve missed the last couple as it always seems to clash with either a holiday or my lads birthday party. I was determined to make it this year and despite many things conspiring against me (wife working, having to get daughter to friends and bringing my five year old lad with me!) I made it there for 10am!

It’s a small show. Basically two main rooms and the bring and buy (in the bowling pavilion this year) but has a good little range of traders. There were only three (I think) demo games but they were all nicely done (especially the modern game from Andy of Old Glory) and a rather nicely presented Colonial game in the Bring and Buy room. As I had my lad with me (his first show) I gave up on the idea of taking photos so if you want to see a few pics pop along to Richard (Herybird)’s blog here.

I picked up a Halo figure for my lad (he’s just turned five so had birthday money) and a Batman Shadow Assault game on the Bring and Buy. I was also meeting Robbie to return some RSM figures and pick up a bag of RSM Cossacks. I didn’t really have anything definite on my buy list but was pleased to spot, just in the entrance, Eagle Figures. Now I’d walked passed several times and glanced at the display stand and seem Napoleonics so kept walking! But finally I spotted tricorns and went for a little investigate…

Eagle Figures

The range has been around for a few years and was (according to the website) run by Stewart Black and Alan Mercer and based ‘down south’. The range has now been moved north and taken over by Ian McCulloch as of 1st June and, being based in Middlesbrough, the Durham show was his first outing! It was also the first time he’d really seen the show stock so was still finding his way round the trays! The ranges offered are mostly 28mm Napoleonic and SYW but also some ECW, HYW, Crimea and Moghul as well as some 15mm FPW and Naps. I only really looked at the SYW but there are some lovely figures there, especially the Prussian firing line seen here. A little search on TMP finds some nice reviews of the ranges. There seem to have been a few sculptors used over the years and some figures look a little ‘rougher’ then others but the detail and poses are good and there are some really nice figures! What really caught my eye are the SYW Armed Civilians( Codes SYWCIV1-5) and I thought straightaway that my ImagiNation of Altefritzenburg needs the loyal townsfolk to take up arms! So I just bought enough for a company to see how they paint.

The scultps are really nice and slim (and are the same style as their new Spanish Napoleonics) and I hoped they would fit in with the RSM and Minden that I use. Ian has a nice little comparison on the stand of the main manufacturers (Front Rank, Foundry etc.) but none of my regular staples. So…

The Eagle have quite think bases but I think they will mix rather well. I wanted to grab an officer to go with them but kept picking the ones out of stock so may go with a Minden chap. It’s nice to have some militia types that aren’t just AWI militia so if they paint up well they are likely to get brought up to the 36 figure full strength!

I’ve also been looking at dismounts for my RSM Dragoons and although I’ve ID’d a Hinchliffe horse for this I did find one here as well:

The horse is a little chunky but has the right furniture so this may be an option…

Overall I’m quite pleased to find the range and chatting to Ian he seems to have plans to expand the range so I’ll be keeping an eye open and wish him all the best with the venture. And being in Middlesbrough I can hopefully save on postage as he should be attending the northern shows I go to!