Black Country Blues

[wagonbasher]

You are more likely to see an ad for a rival brewer, or so it seemed to appear back then. I do remember a Whitbreads pub that had a hoarding that was practically in the car park advertising Ind Coope beers! It may be that brewers targeted hoardings near to their rivals pubs.

I dont know about timings but I have descovered it was an Atkinson pub.  They were a Birmingham brewer ? 

 

Can any one add to that ?

 

Andy

[Mark Forrest]

I dont know about timings but I have descovered it was an Atkinson pub.  They were a Birmingham brewer ? 

 

Can any one add to that ?

 

Andy

Aston I believe.

 

Google is your friend; see here

[wagonbasher]

Aston I believe.

 

Google is your friend; see here

 

I did have a read last night... that is where I found out it was an Atkinson pub.  looking for some local first hand input.  I see it was taken over by M&B in 1959 so there is every chance we are looking at an M&B pub in our period

 

Andy

[wagonbasher]

Might need steam assistance...

for heating ????

 

Andy

[Arthur]

Backtracking very slightly to the earlier part of this thread,

Well as you mention it Phil...

 

Here’s the finished tractor unit. John Peck, of Precision Labels, was printing some white decals for some of my G scale stock, and I added to the artwork some suitable bits for the Guy. (I’ve only recently been using Johns services and I cannot recommend him highly enough, very helpful, quick and a quality product). I give you, Trafalgar Works fleet no. 12;

 

 

 

The black ‘rubber’ gasket on the headboard I made up myself, on Crafty Computer clear decal sheet, fixed it, then overlaid the white text from Johns sheet. All the white text and logos are also from John, laid out in the style of the prototype. I used Solvaset to settle them down, and hide any carrier film, followed by a blast of Dullcote to seal them.

 

The mirrors from brass wire, fuse wire and sheet. Whilst painting them, the drivers, offside, mirror pinged off the tweezers into space. As did its replacement.... Number three made it to completion. When fitting them I found that I had two drivers mirrors!!?

 

AAAaaaarrgh, seems I’d lost the nearside mirror in the first place!

 

The towing pintle is a headless brass pin with fuse wire handle, the wipers were soldered up from wire.

 

The glazing was inserted (making flush glazing crossed my mind, but I wasn’t sure that I could make a neat enough job with the curves, and at a distance the supplied glazing looks fine). Driver, fish and chips, and the interior were put in next, held with a dab of araldite. The finished cab, with some plasticard packing, was araldited to the chassis.

 

Finally, using a cocktail stick, I applied two round discs to the windscreen nearside. One, pale green for a 1975 issue Tax disc (brown, 1974 issue, would also suit,) and one light buff for the operators licence disc.

 

A comparison to the prototype;

 

 

Still need the securing chains fitting but I added some identification markings to some of the steel sections with a fine gel pen.

 

 

 

I'll add a some more photos when the DE2 is also complete.

[Mark Forrest]

Might need steam assistance...

You have something renown for their sure footed and reliable performance in mind?

[Arthur]

 

And back to the DE2,

 

The bonnet and cab assembly is straightforward, they are built on the baseplate which has been removed from the footplate. Only the roof has a curve, so just a little folding and soldering, will, do most of it. The only tricky part here is holding the pairs of door inset pieces in, whilst soldering them. The doors themselves can then be slid down half etched lines in them.

 

The roof was curved by rolling under a round bar on a soft cloth to get something like the right shape. It was then secured centrally on to the roof ‘peak’ with a dab of solder fore and aft. Each side was then slowly pressed down onto the cab front and rear etches, soldering as I went. The joint at the top of the sides had excess solder run into so that I a smooth transition could be sanded into it. There is no cab roof overhang and it fits with minimal filing back. It’s clear how the roof really needs to soldered on, and smoothed in, and how important the floorless cab feature is.

 

 

 

TBC

[2ManySpams]

Well as you mention it Phil...

 

Here’s the finished tractor unit. John Peck, of Precision Labels, was printing some white decals for some of my G scale stock, and I added to the artwork some suitable bits for the Guy. (I’ve only recently been using Johns services and I cannot recommend him highly enough, very helpful, quick and a quality product). I give you, Trafalgar Works fleet no. 12;

 

Guy Build 18 006.JPG

 

Guy Build 18 004.JPG

 

The black ‘rubber’ gasket on the headboard I made up myself, on Crafty Computer clear decal sheet, fixed it, then overlaid the white text from Johns sheet. All the white text and logos are also from John, laid out in the style of the prototype. I used Solvaset to settle them down, and hide any carrier film, followed by a blast of Dullcote to seal them.

 

The mirrors from brass wire, fuse wire and sheet. Whilst painting them, the drivers, offside, mirror pinged off the tweezers into space. As did its replacement.... Number three made it to completion. When fitting them I found that I had two drivers mirrors!!?

 

AAAaaaarrgh, seems I’d lost the nearside mirror in the first place!

 

The towing pintle is a headless brass pin with fuse wire handle, the wipers were soldered up from wire.

 

The glazing was inserted (making flush glazing crossed my mind, but I wasn’t sure that I could make a neat enough job with the curves, and at a distance the supplied glazing looks fine). Driver, fish and chips, and the interior were put in next, held with a dab of araldite. The finished cab, with some plasticard packing, was araldited to the chassis.

 

Finally, using a cocktail stick, I applied two round discs to the windscreen nearside. One, pale green for a 1975 issue Tax disc (brown, 1974 issue, would also suit,) and one light buff for the operators licence disc.

 

A comparison to the prototype;

 

Guy Comparison.jpg

 

Still need the securing chains fitting but I added some identification markings to some of the steel sections with a fine gel pen.

 

Guy Build 18 007.JPG

 

Guy Build 18 008.JPG

 

I'll add a some more photos when the DE2 is also complete.

 

Beautiful build Arthur, a real gem.

[2ManySpams]

And back to the DE2,

 

The bonnet and cab assembly is straightforward, they are built on the baseplate which has been removed from the footplate. Only the roof has a curve, so just a little folding and soldering, will, do most of it. The only tricky part here is holding the pairs of door inset pieces in, whilst soldering them. The doors themselves can then be slid down half etched lines in them.

 

The roof was curved by rolling under a round bar on a soft cloth to get something like the right shape. It was then secured centrally on to the roof ‘peak’ with a dab of solder fore and aft. Each side was then slowly pressed down onto the cab front and rear etches, soldering as I went. The joint at the top of the sides had excess solder run into so that I a smooth transition could be sanded into it. There is no cab roof overhang and it fits with minimal filing back. It’s clear how the roof really needs to soldered on, and smoothed in, and how important the floorless cab feature is.

 

DE2 Build 004.JPG

 

 

TBC

 

Think I have a lot to learn about soldering - in the meantime I'll stick to the course scale green fluffy stuff.

[wagonbasher]

feeling humbled Arthur - great builds...

 

Andy

[Stubby47]

It's now stupid'o'clock and I've finished modelling for the night.

 

Millwards now has all windows glazed, a roof and coping stones round the top of the wall. A soil pipe is ready to go on ( best fitted on arrival up north). The yard has clutter, including a small shelter for some gas canisters and a stack of pallets.

 

Meanwhile WC's has had the toilet wall fitted & painted and a drain pipe added.

 

Photos later, before I box them and send them on their way.

[wagonbasher]

After review of the buildings site(shown in Spams photos)  the depth was reduced to 100mm.  The sides have been remade.  Door frames and window frames upstairs are complete.  I need to clad the chimneys and tackle the bay windows.  

[Indomitable026]

yes, you're making this look very easy...

[2ManySpams]

Where do Stubby's loos go?

[2ManySpams]

Really excited about the pending arrival! Got the Harpic ready.

[Stubby47]

Harpic.... hmmmmm.....

 

Anyway, a couple of last minute photos...

 

William E Millward's office building..

 

 

 

A view through the gates...

 

 

 

Warner & Cholmondy's outside toilet...

 

[PhilJ W]

Your gas bottles are upside down! I don't know if the regulations applied in the 70's but about that time the locked security cages for gas bottles came into use. Don't forget the no smoking notices, they were compulsory.

[Oldddudders]

Are they upside down because they're empty? Whenever I go to exchange my gas bottle (cooking) it is placed in the cage upside down to ensure no-one tries to re-sell it.

[Stubby47]

Picky, picky, picky !

 

As it happens, the gas canisters are glued in as yet, so I can invert them.

 

I did wonder about a chain across the front, not sure that Bill was too keen on following correct procedure...

[DonB]

Your gas bottles are upside down! I don't know if the regulations applied in the 70's but about that time the locked security cages for gas bottles came into use. Don't forget the no smoking notices, they were compulsory.

Would not store that type of steel gas bottle upside-down as it would damage the brass fitting at the top.

There were /are colour coding paint bands at the top end of the cylinder to indicate the contents.

A video at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQbu1y7Gluw  is a tutorial on acetylene use. It seems to indicate that Acetylene cylinders were unpainted or uniformly black, and Oxygen ones had / have a white "collar". These are the two gases most likely at Millward's.

[Stubby47]

Thanks Don, the cylinders have been tweaked.

[SHMD]

I occasionally have cause to change these large gas cylinders – mainly Argon and Nitrogen.

You tilt it off centre and either 'walk' it from side to side or you 'roll' it (still nearly vertical though) to move them.

 

I am terrified of the full bottles falling and explosively venting via the brass valves at the top end of the bottle.

 

They ARE heavy, empty or full, and the last thing I would ever do is to turn one upside down!

 

Kev.

[Worsdell forever]

Acetylene cylinders were and indeed still are maroon, Oxygen cylinders were all over black, they now have a white collar. I think the older colours came in in 1973.

 

Old and new colours can be found here.

 

There may have been some Propane cylinders used for heating as well as cutting in place of the Acetylene. 

 

Edit, the new colour codes came in in 2004 in the UK.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Worsdell forever

[keefr2]

Wonderful buildings Stubby, you've imparted an excellent atmosphere to them, they look great! Some really inspiring building work on this layout!

 

Keith

[RANGERS]

There's a book in all these memories. So much that was 'everyday' that's now in the nearly forgotten past.

There is a book, Roundoak have recently published Britain's Lorries in the Seventies, a sequel to British Lorries of the Sixties and British Lorries of the Forties and Fifties. I've not seen it yet but the first two in the series are classics, loaded with photos, mostly by Peter Davies, reflecting the wide variety of workaday road transport which could be seen on the roads in the respective periods.