Sunday 28 July 2013

Norman Train (strelets)

Nope, not the "choo choo" Train but the bagage one.
I´ve not put together or painted the wagons...I prefer to build my own and anyway, the 4 wheeled "Ladder" wagon in the set apparently didn´t really come into existance until the early 15th century so it wouldn´t fit into a norman set anyway. (Source - The Art, Science, and Technology of Medieval Travel by David H.Kennett 2008)
The 2 mules are also not to be seen, they´ve wandered off due to the Psaltery musik.
All the bods from the set having a rest. What could be better, a nice rest whilst having a Story with Musical accompliment.
The bod stting on the box. It Looks like he´s playing a Psaltery,  that or it´s an Abacus.
The wagon Drivers. What the bod on the lfet has got in his left Hand I don´t really know but it could be some type  of lute
The female characters
 The crazy old sheep hurder, Spike of Milligan  and "no further sir!" the norman Train guard.


The dray horses. This pair are very nice sculpts...probably among the best nags produced by Strelets.The question is, would htey have used such horses to pull wagons?
The origin of the Shire Horse dates back to a cold blooded heavy horse first mentioned in around 1066 probably brought into England after the Norman Conquest. From this developed the "English Great Horse" of the Middle Ages often spoken of by Medieval writers.
These are not for the lowly task of pulling wagons, this was only really started in the 16th century.
 They were more likely to have been used as war horses  and not drays.