Strings rather than a hand up their nethers?

Mercifully, yes :-)

I've often thought that being part of one of the crews making Thunderbirds or Captain Scarlett (especially TBirds) would have been a remarkable experience. A model-makers dream job.

Captain Scarlett was kind of a dark show. Since he couldn't be permanently killed, they sliced, diced and julian-fried him pretty much every week. Needless to say, he was a bit of a moody character. If I recall correctly, some of his deaths were rather disturbing. Great stuff for a developing mind! :-)

Of course all true fans know that a Thunderbirds movie is in the works, directed by Jonathan (First Contact) Frakes. I think Tom and maybe a few others here have posted some links. Cross your fingers and keep an eye on the countdown clock :-)