Black Country Blues

[wagonbasher]

Hi

 

Black Country Blues is a privately owned layout, it was created by a group of friends collectively referred to as The Staffordshire Finescale Group.  Its concept, design and construction was documented widely on Rmweb and In the 'British Railway Modelling' magazine.   As such it does have an extended group of friends, many who have produced rolling stock, scenic items or have contributed technically or culturally.  BCB is on show on the 8th July 2017 in Gnosall in Staffordshire in a special showcase event held by the Staffordshire Finescale Group.  Why not come and say hi.

 

Hopefully this link takes you to our showcase page.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/119176-staffordshire-finescale-group-modelling-showcase-8th-july-2017/?p=2587795

 

 

Andy

[DonB]

Again from the W'ton Civic Society A talk at their HQ :-

 

The Old School, 73 Dudley Rd, Wolverhampton WV2 3BY
 

Wednesday 17th May 7.30pm Brief Encounter - The History of Tettenhall Railway Station

Speaker: Ned Williams

 

Probably a small charge for entry to this event.

 

Ned is / was a prolific photographer of railways, with a number of books to his name. 

 

Should be of interest to all you with Black Country at heart!

 

(I'm not a member but am accidentally on their emailing list) 

[wagonbasher]

Tonight Old Gringo backed down my drive with a hire van to load up the mighty Black County Blues.  Mark Forrest had already arrived in some inappropriate mountain biking attire.   

 

A few hours earlier the thought of navigating a path through my garage from BCB's lair at the back was beyond imagination..  The layout Tackeroo occupied the middle ground and the debris of intense layout construction was all around.  My youngest daughter was a star helping me move boards and tidying up.

 

Anyway all packed up and shipped out.  We don't get into the venue until the morning and at least the layout will be in striking distance of the venue.

 

Please come and say hi.  It should be a relaxed and chatty sort of experience (well we hope the visitors are relaxed)

 

Its just a one day  show, a massive effort for our little group, there are almost as many layouts as people in the group so finding operators has been is challenging.

 

Andy

[Mark Forrest]

Tonight Old Gringo backed down my drive with a hire van to load up the mighty Black County Blues. Mark Forrest had already arrived in some inappropriate mountain biking attire.

 

Inappropriate? You should be thankful I don't ride a road bike.

[queensquare]

Can't make it but hope you have a great day and look forward to seeing pictures of the event

 

Jerry

[Liam]

I'd love to come but I'm away in Scandinavia currently and not back until next week. Any other future outings for BCB?

[Andy Y]

Look at the state of my steel viaduct!

 

It's still growing!

 

Real-time weathering.

 

[Stubby47]

The cottages still look as good as ever.

[Stubby47]

Despite not being able to get to the Gnosall extravaganza myself, it was both pleasing and encouraging to see BCB can be successfully brought to a one day show...

 

... so I extend an invite to BCB to the 2019 SWAG Members Day in Taunton.

[Mark Forrest]

Despite not being able to get to the Gnosall extravaganza myself, it was both pleasing and encouraging to see BCB can be successfully brought to a one day show...

 

... so I extend an invite to BCB to the 2019 SWAG Members Day in Taunton.

Shouldn't be a problem; as long as you hold the 2019 Taunton show within a 20 minute drive of the BCB Cave at the back of Andy's garage I'm sure it will be possible.

[wagonbasher]

Shouldn't be a problem; as long as you hold the 2019 Taunton show within a 20 minute drive of the BCB Cave at the back if Andy's garage I'm sure it will be possible.

 

Let me know, I could suggest some venues

 

Andy

[Stubby47]

Shouldn't be a problem; as long as you hold the 2019 Taunton show within a 20 minute drive of the BCB Cave at the back if Andy's garage I'm sure it will be possible.

Will Andy be moving to Somerset then ? That would help.

[wagonbasher]

Will Andy be moving to Somerset then ? That would help.

 

The ravens will leave the tower before I move out of Stafford.

 

Its not that we Staffordians don't like travel, we just like to be back in the borough before dark

 

Andy

[Alister_G]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post this, so Andy / Mods please move it if required.

 

I had the opportunity to visit the Black Country Living Museum, today, and I thought I'd share a few photos.

 

Travelling from sunny Derbyshire, this morning, we arrived on site at about 10:15. It was immediately obvious to us why this is called the Black Country...

 

 

However, in true British fashion, we donned our waterproofs, and undaunted, sallied out to look at the sights.

 

We first visited the vehicles in the Bradburn and Wedge car showrooms, an eclectic mix from car manufacturers from the area, including Sunbeam, Westfield, AJS, Guy and many others.

 

 

 

 

We then took the bus down into the village:

 

 

 

The weather was still fulfilling its promise:

 

 

 

So in an effort to cheer ourselves up, we sampled the beef dripping fried chips from Hobbs Fish and Chip shop:

 

 

Curiously, this made everything feel much brighter:

 

 

Here's just a sample of the real reason for the Black Country's name. A juxtaposition of the pleasant, green landscape of today, and the smoke and steam from the engine house of the coal mine:

 

 

One can imagine this magnified a hundredfold, and the effect it would produce. It is worth noting that throughout the site, most of the footpaths and roads had a scattering of coal dust, mixed with what can only be described as "coal gravel", which lent both a smell and a visual reminder of the industrial heritage of the area.

 

Moving on, here's a quintessential Black Country view - a canalside wharf and buildings:

 

 

And speaking of coal, here's the coalyard:

 

 

A lump of this may have unintentionally fallen into a plastic bag in my pocket, for future locomotive use...

 

At the canalside, there were some interesting piles of scrap metal, including bullhead and flat-bottomed rail, a blank pressing for a connecting rod, all sorts of bar and wire stock, and this remains of an industrial wagon of some sort:

 

 

There was also a nice dockside crane:

 

 

I could go on, and on, but I won't.

 

It was a fascinating and enjoyable day, despite the weather... (A hailstorm in August! Really!)

 

There is far more to look at than the brief glimpse I have outlined, and to be truthful, we could have happily spent longer than the five hours we were there, visiting the shops, the houses, the industrial workshops, all of which are open for the public to view and wander round.

 

It gave an absorbing insight into the culture of the Black Country in the period when it was the heartland of British manufacturing.

 

I would thoroughly recommend it as a place to go for an entertaining and educational day out.

 

And I leave you with this, to prove that the sun does shine in the Black Country...

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Al.

 

[bike2steam]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post this, so Andy / Mods please move it if required

And why not ?? Thanks for that, a place I don't visit as often as I'd like. In an old man it invokes so many happy childhood memories from times visiting relations in my 'maternal homeland'. The 'Black Country' has changed so much over the last 5 or 6 decades.

[PhilH]

Excellent pics of the museum, looks like a visit is in order soon. I've often thought about an extended visit to the Black Country / Birmingham to have a nose round any extant sites which give a flavour of its industrial and engineering history but have fallen short in trying to compile a list of places to visit (not necessarily museums).

 

Hint,hint....

[Alister_G]

And why not ?? Thanks for that, a place I don't visit as often as I'd like. In an old man it invokes so many happy childhood memories from times visiting relations in my 'maternal homeland'. The 'Black Country' has changed so much over the last 5 or 6 decades.

 

Thanks Paul.

 

In a not quite so old man it was still fascinating, and not a little bit scary to see items posed in the kitchens and living rooms of the houses, to illustrate "the old days"  which are still in regular use at home...

 

And your quote in your signature "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain" was most apt, I thought

 

Al.

[Andy Y]

Excellent pics of the museum, looks like a visit is in order soon. I've often thought about an extended visit to the Black Country / Birmingham to have a nose round any extant sites which give a flavour of its industrial and engineering history but have fallen short in trying to compile a list of places to visit (not necessarily museums).

 

Hint,hint....

 

 

Hint taken...

 

Black Country & Birmingham for beginners:

 

Museums worth a look in addition to the Black Country Museum (allow a full day for that) which give a taste of the history:

 

Birmingham back-to-backs - https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/birmingham-back-to-backs

Pen Museum - http://penmuseum.org.uk/

The Coffin Museum - http://www.coffinworks.org/

Galton Valley Pumping station - http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/info/200265/museums_and_art_gallery/10/our_museums_and_sites/2

Red House Glass Cone - http://www.dudley.gov.uk/see-and-do/museums/red-house-glass-cone/plan-your-visit/

 

To dig around still existing sites can involve a lot of legwork but for sheer grimness plonk yourself around Bordesley https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.474876,-1.8800595,3a,60y,318.62h,86.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqMsi-3iyEOX4jBjmbV-5CQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656or use the canals as roads and you'll see more old stuff - this is now listed - https://www.haraldjoergens.com/panoramas/chillington/index.php

 

Although it's not the Black Country if you have never been spending a couple of days around Ironbridge is great for industrial heritage; a ticket to these will take you a couple of days to get through - https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/

 

Of course, you will need some sustenance on your travels.

 

The Crooked House - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crooked_House

Ma Pardoes - http://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/worcestershire/netherton/old-swan-inn.htm

[PhilJ W]

Thanks Paul.

 

In a not quite so old man it was still fascinating, and not a little bit scary to see items posed in the kitchens and living rooms of the houses, to illustrate "the old days"  which are still in regular use at home...

 

And your quote in your signature "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain" was most apt, I thought

 

Al.

Me too, theres still a lot of stuff in use at home that came from my grandparents.

[Alister_G]

Thanks for the great response.

 

Here's some more photos from yesterday, please feel free to use them as modelling inspiration if you wish.

 

 

 

 

A working gas light, with three mantles:

 

 

 

A nice lean-too shed:

 

 

I don't know what the official Black Country term for this is, here in Derbyshire it would be a gennel (pronounced "jinnel")

 

 

The Backs:

 

 

One for Stubby...

 

 

A proper man shed:

 

 

 

Here's some shop fronts:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And some interiors:

 

First, the Chemist / Drugstore:

 

 

 

The ironmongers:

 

 

 

A wireless repair shop:

 

 

My daughter (16) said "Ooh what funny light bulbs!"

 

It took some explaining, to convince her they were the forerunner of the transistor, and silicon chips!

 

 

One for Andy Y...

 

 

 

and finally, someone's kitchen. A frightening amount of stuff is easily recognisable from home...

 

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Al.

[PhilH]

Hint taken...

 

Black Country & Birmingham for beginners:

 

Museums worth a look in addition to the Black Country Museum (allow a full day for that) which give a taste of the history:

 

Birmingham back-to-backs - https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/birmingham-back-to-backs

Pen Museum - http://penmuseum.org.uk/

The Coffin Museum - http://www.coffinworks.org/

Galton Valley Pumping station - http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/info/200265/museums_and_art_gallery/10/our_museums_and_sites/2

Red House Glass Cone - http://www.dudley.gov.uk/see-and-do/museums/red-house-glass-cone/plan-your-visit/

 

To dig around still existing sites can involve a lot of legwork but for sheer grimness plonk yourself around Bordesley https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.474876,-1.8800595,3a,60y,318.62h,86.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqMsi-3iyEOX4jBjmbV-5CQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656or use the canals as roads and you'll see more old stuff - this is now listed - https://www.haraldjoergens.com/panoramas/chillington/index.php

 

Although it's not the Black Country if you have never been spending a couple of days around Ironbridge is great for industrial heritage; a ticket to these will take you a couple of days to get through - https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/

 

Of course, you will need some sustenance on your travels.

 

The Crooked House - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crooked_House

Ma Pardoes - http://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/worcestershire/netherton/old-swan-inn.htm

Thanks for the list Andy, filed away for future reference.....if ever I can escape grandad duties!

[melmerby]

Thanks for the list Andy, filed away for future reference.....if ever I can escape grandad duties!

Another one to add to the list:

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter http://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/jewellery

 

It's near the Pen Museum

Keith

Edited August 6, 2017 by melmerby

[28XX]

Given that this thread had to be created because the Black Country Blues thread got overloaded, is there an appetite amongst the members for a get together at the BCM, perhaps a group discount could be arranged? If there is, might I be allowed to arrange it?

[PhilH]

Given that this thread had to be created because the Black Country Blues thread got overloaded, is there an appetite amongst the members for a get together at the BCM, perhaps a group discount could be arranged? If there is, might I be allowed to arrange it?

Depending on dates (obviously, being a pensioner I'm busier now than at any other time in my life...) I'd be up for that.

[28XX]

A quick look at the website reveals that we need a party of 15 (or more) to qualify for discount.

 

So 2 so far. I need 13 more names )