Black Country Blues

[Indomitable026]

When have OG, Damian and Chris every been seen giving away pies? Can you imagine the tantrums if this was required of them

 

Good point, its not been thought through

[2ManySpams]

Good point, its not been thought through

 

Obviously a bad day for thinking.

[Mark Forrest]

This evening's modelling has been focused on adding these triangular brackets to the underframes of the twin bolsters:

 

Each bracket is made of three bits of strip. There are three on each sole bar, so (allowing for a few lost to the floor) that's over 150 bits of strip material to cut for the four pairs of wagons. Thankfully a NorthWest Short Line "Chopper" made light work of cutting the (Evergreen) strip to size. Actually fitting them was however a different matter altogether

 

Meanwhile another Parkside Tube and another class 20 look to be heading my way thanks to a certain internet auction site.

[Mark Forrest]

You may recall that sometime ago Paul (aka Worsdell forever) gave the BCB team a hoss & cart to feature on the layout. We're delighted to say that he has volunteered to have a look at a few other road vehicles for the layout, in particular a few commercial vehicles to serve the industries on the layout.

 

Watch this space.......

[colin penfold]

I see what you mean about the top. No wonder you're a civil engineer.....

 

He doesn't seem all that civil..........

[Coombe Barton]

Like the old Yellow Pages entry heading

 

Boring - see Civil Engineers

[2ManySpams]

Nutter!

[Wizard of the Moor]

If ever there was a handy little etch to have it would be for those solebar brackets. I also chopped dozens of similar bits for my Grampus rake recently and swore that I would learn Autocad as a result. Still waiting

[Worsdell forever]

Thanks Mark,

 

Yes, I seem to have volunteered to have a go at some road vehicles, mostly commercials.

Although I have quite an interest in commercial vehicles of this period (many were still running when I wer' a lad) I've never modelled any as they don't fit into any of the periods that I model. This seemed a great opportunity to build/detail some that won't be left on a shelf to gather dust.

 

My first choice is the ubiquitous Bedford TK, the reason for this is I regularly drove one in a previous job, although only around the farm but quite a few miles as a passenger on the road. I also like the look of the Leyland/Albion/AEC 'Ergomatic' cab. One of each of these was bought at the Wakefield show yesterday along with some detailing parts and something else that will interest many of those reading this - more of this later. I have quite a list of alterations and detailing that I will go through later.

 

First the Bedford. An Oxford Commercials model of a horsebox, the body will be removed (it will be available to stand in the corner of any waste ground if necessary) and either a flat or dropside body fitted, I originally wanted to paint it dark blue as the one I drove was but I kind of like the green.

 

 

The second is an EFE AEC Mercury, it will remain blue but will be re-lettered 'Millwards' for Stubby's business.

 

 

Finally a couple of photos of the Hoss 'Ol Shanks'.

 

 

The scrap load is made up from all sorts of spare plastic bits, there's various bits from Wills detailing packs, some plastic GWR platform seat ends, a Wills bicycle, some offcuts of chain, some champagne bottle foil cut up to look like bits of lead and an 8 stone weight made from a bit of plasticard, a cuddly toy. Great fun to put together!

[Stubby47]

Paul,

Love the blue lorry - can you make the lettering "W E Millward Ltd" ?

Not sure a vehicle this size would fit in the yard, plus I'll need some method of loading it...

[Worsdell forever]

Hi Stu,

No problem. They would probably load and unload from the road, possibly by hand or we need to find a suitable sized and period forklift. I'm assuming from reading your thread that your factory is only part of their empire and that it wouldn't be based there.

[Guest Phil]

I have been trying to bridge the gap between reality and the Black Country Blues layout using information I have gleaned from research from my project. You could argue that it is pointless, and I accept that, but the Darlaston loop, the Patent Shaft and the local operations around Wednesbury are fascinating to me. Unfortunately, my stuff predates BCB by anything up to a decade, but it is still interesting to me.

 

There were two "Roses" jobs for Bescot men, and these involved working a trip engine from Bescot to Wednesbury, then to the Roses sidings and return. I'm not sure when the Roses jobs finished, but probably a couple of years after steam finished in 1966. I am going to offer a few snippets here of 1960s factual working if you'll kindly indulge me.

 

First of all in 1965 the Darlaston Green and Roses trips were practically solid Ivatt 2MT "Mickey Mouse" moguls, an exception being 30th October 1965 when 48477 worked the Patent shaft trip. Another unusual loco for the Darlaston Green job was 10th July 1965 when 44188 was turned out instead of the usual 2MT. One other to slip through the net was Br Std 76088 on 21st May working T69 the "Roses" job.

 

5th November 1965 12091 appeared on the Darlaston Green job instead of the usual steam engine.

 

13th and 14th January 1966 the Patent shaft trip target 39 was 48680 and 12077

The next two weeks my source worked T61 to the Patent shaft in the first week with 48752 43002 48752 43002, the next week to Darlaston Green with 12013 48656 48724 48105 and D3867

 

1st, 2nd and 5th July 1968 3G29 "Dudley parcels" was an EE type 1 D8044, D8042 and D8134 respectively.

 

23rd August 1968 D5406+D5381 worked Bescot-Spring Vale-Burton with a BS 2nd man and Burton driver.

 

15th December 1968 D7612 worked ballast Item 16 Bescot-Wednesbury-Spring Vale

 

7th January 1969 D1716 was in charge of the saloon running as 1Z01 New St-Nuneaton-Stourbridge-Kidderminster-Walsall-New St

 

13th January 1969 D1663 worked an 8L06 Spring Vale-Wednesbury special, then a 5Z06 special to Gloucester

 

9th February 1969 D1718 worked up to Wednesbury, then to Norton Junction with the steam lance (unfreezing points).

 

4th March 1969 D3982 on the "Wednesbury banker" Target 5 derailed and was replaced by D3192

 

On nine random days between March and April Target 6 the Great Bridge banker was D8134, one of the days off D7614 substituted.

 

20th April 1969 there was a "jocko swap" BS-Spring Vale-BS D3191 and D3978

 

6th June 1969 D1943 ran as 8T00 and is recorded as Wednesbury-Dudley Port-Wednesbury via New St, then 8T00 Patent Shaft-Bescot.

 

 

 

As i said, this information predates your layout's intentions, but is a fascinating look at the kind of workings which may well have worked over your layout in a "twist of fate", but also up to a decade prior. In my view there was considerably more interest in the 1960s operations, but it is your trainset guys !!!!

 

 

Hope this is of some interest

Edited December 3, 2012 by Phil

[Mark Forrest]

Some great info there Phil, thanks very much. Although we are initially focusing on the '70s, future intentions are that we can model other eras too so this is very much of interest and paints a very tempting picture (even for me!)

 

If possible, I'd like to include a block train of either oil or cement passing by; any thoughts on how we could twist reality to get either of those along our line?

From memory I think there was oil for Ocker Hill, but not sure on the dates.

[Mark Forrest]

Nutter!

Come on you'd do the same if it was a can of spam

 

 

If ever there was a handy little etch to have it would be for those solebar brackets. I also chopped dozens of similar bits for my Grampus rake recently and swore that I would learn Autocad as a result. Still waiting

I know what you mean; I've been weighing up the "time taken to chop plastic" versus "time taken to learn to use CAD and get the bits etched" too. One day......

[28XX]

Ron Heggs wouldn't make such a fuss. ;o)

[DonB]

Saw this and thought of you Stu...

 

http://www.flickr.co...85134/lightbox/

What a fascinating set of pictures! amazing that in 2010 there was (and still is?) so much dereliction waiting to be demolished.

[DonB]

I'm nowhere near Oldbury, but I would expect an industrial building of that size to have 6" gutters and down-pipes. There's a big surface area to collect rain water from.

Having said that, 2mm sections meet the requirement on the 4mm/ft model.

[Flood]

Any more joy on the brakegear for the 1/434 diagram Plates, Mark?

 

I'd like to be able to model the rake linked below but I will not only need quite a few KRV and KSV conversions (not bogie bolsters as the caption says) I'll also need a lot of BR clasp brake gear. I already have lots of spare Parkside clasp brakes, it's just the longer brake levers that are the problem.

 

http://andygibbs.zenfolio.com/p488229174/h31CEC477#h31cec477

[DonB]

In CB's video list above "Forgotten country" there's a very short view of Andy Y's Lock Keepers cottages at about 4 mins 15 seconds in.

Edited December 3, 2012 by DonB

[TheSignalEngineer]

7th January 1969 D1716 was in charge of the saloon running as 1Z01 New St-Nuneaton-Stourbridge-Kidderminster-Walsall-New St

 

Saloons were always good for an unusual sight. We had a DS&TE who liked to go everywhere the driver would take us. One day we took a 45 into Hams Hall PS at the Coleshill end and ran straight through to Whitacre.

[Oldddudders]

When have OG, Damian and Chris every been seen giving away pies?

In fairness, when I saw Treneglos I was plied with tea and cake!

[The Stationmaster]

Saloons were always good for an unusual sight. We had a DS&TE who liked to go everywhere the driver would take us. One day we took a 45 into Hams Hall PS at the Coleshill end and ran straight through to Whitacre.

Our TLF saloon trips on the Western usually had an itinerary devised by a chap who in the past had worked out railtour itineraries for one the societies which was keen on such things. So whilst we went to places which needed to be visited for various reasons we also had some interesting ways of getting there plus we'd arrange to 'pop in' to other places which happened to be enroute. And I'm quite sure that we weren't the first to do things that way although unlike earlier saloon workings we didn't pick nice spots for our meal breaks - but that latter point could give a good reason for a saloon spending a bit of time in the yard or nearby.

[28XX]

Good point and I see what you mean about how it would look too - must admit I had it in mind that this signal would be quite close to the cabin, but hadn't considered the need for something shunting to get inside. Think we have to be careful with sighting due to the road bridge at the right hand end of the layout; but we can have a look to see how far we can push it.

 

Blocking back outside the home signal. Covered by the rules if allowed by the sectional appendix.

[Stubby47]

Were there special instructions to allow shunting with persons on board ?

 

 

[Oldddudders]

Special Instructions could and would be issued to cover any pre-programmed need. The guy in the Special Traffic, asked to devise a running schedule for a special of any sort, would know whether particular movements were normal or exceptional. He would confer with a colleague in Rules & Signalling, who would examine the appendices and box instructions - which he had helped draft, probably - to see whether a special instruction was now needed for this movement.