British cavalry in Home service uniform?

[traveller]

I am gathering forces for a Victorian London setup around 1880. Think riots where the police cannot handle the situation and call for army support. I would like to add some cavalry from the Empress Zulu British range but I wonder which, if any, that could fit. I assume they should have spike helmets so maybe Natal Carabiniers or Natal Mounted Police could be used? I would be grateful for any comments or suggestions.

[fastolfrus]

How about mounted Metropolitan Police?
They were equipped with revolvers and swords anyway.

[Sterling Moose]

Was there a Home Service uniform for cavalry?  Lead Boiler Suit Company used to do a bunch of Victorian cavalry, Lifeguards, Hussars, Lancers etc but AFAIK they have been discontinued and were sculpted in dress uniforms, nothing specifically designated as being 'Home Service'.

I'm not aware of anyone sculpting cavalry figures with the small pillbox hat which may be construed as 'Home Service' other than RAFM and they would be too small to fit in with any other range of 28-32mm figures.

http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RAF&Product_Code=RAF06720&Category_Code=RR

[Mors]

Pretty sure that the AZw figures from Empress are your best bet for home service looking cavalry from current ranges available, all my uniform info is on my dead (unbacked up  ) desktop computer, but I have Richard Simkins cavalry book so I can check what regiments would be closest to the AZW minis, although most of his work was dress uniform, something Im not too bothered about..more pretty.
I bought a whole load of the HLBS cavalry when Richard did a production run a few years ago, here are some pics
(if I can remember how to do it)

Life Guards



Scots Greys



17th Lancers in the background


They are a bit smaller and not such clean sculpts as we are used to now, but I like them. I also have Hussars, Dragoons and Caribiniers, if you think they will do for your project pm me as I have plenty of spares.

[Malamute]

Nice work on those figures Mors.

Perry Miniatures Sudan Wars have British cavalry in a spiked sun helmet wielding sabres that might do the trick.

[psyberwyche]

I reckon if you asked about Home Service uniforms at the Victorian Wars forum, you'd get a comprehensive answer: http://www.victorianwars.com/

They've helped me out a lot with research in the past.

[former user]

wow, that's a cool link THX
here is an interesting statement
http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7847

[The Gray Ghost]

wow, that's a cool link THX
here is an interesting statement
http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7847

That is a good post I had always wondered what the British would wear in a European war.

[traveller]

Thanks for your comments!
Those Perry Sudan Hussars look good but they have an annoying pagri around the helmet which to some extent disqualify them. Seems Empress is the best route available, if I omöy could figure out if the Natal jackets are close enough to the British stuff or not 

[former user]

the problem You have are the patrol jackets
if bandoliers won't bother You, both Carbineers and Mounted Police should be OK

But what if You use imperial mounted infantry or dragoon guards and put spikes on top?

[argsilverson]

You might use some of theseQ
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/glenn.turner/ceremonial.htm

[traveller]

How about mounted Metropolitan Police?
They were equipped with revolvers and swords anyway.

I have only seen these available from Foundry, overpriced and mediocre sculpts... Any other sources out there?

I reckon if you asked about Home Service uniforms at the Victorian Wars forum, you'd get a comprehensive answer: http://www.victorianwars.com/

They've helped me out a lot with research in the past.

I am waiting for my membership to be accepted 

the problem You have are the patrol jackets
if bandoliers won't bother You, both Carbineers and Mounted Police should be OK

But what if You use imperial mounted infantry or dragoon guards and put spikes on top?

Not a bad idea, but these troops do not display the brass plate on the helmet, which I assume was present on the Home Service helmets (?). I think the Natal troopers might therefore be the better option

[former user]

Empress have replacement heads with brass plates, although this is an additional effort

[traveller]

Empress have replacement heads with brass plates, although this is an additional effort

Well spotted! I wonder how those heads would look on the Perry Sudan cavalry 

[zerostate]

Lancers wore czapkas; hussars busbies; and dragoons helmets (of a metal variety), with exceptions like the Scot's Grey, who wore bearskins.

In undress pill-box caps were usually worn.

Foreign service helmets with or without spikes won't be quite right, even for dragoons.