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Mining in the Black Country.


The Earl of Dudley Wallows Pit Number 29 Brierley Hill. An 0 gauge micro layout.


 


The mining subsidence, open shafts, cinder tips, heaps of slag and waves of black smoke made the Hill a very unappetising place to live on, so much so that a rhyme was composed comparing it to Hell.


When Satan stood on Brierley Hill


And far around it gazed,


He said, “I never more shall feel


At hell’s fierce flames amazed.”


 


As far as the eye can reach, on all sides, tall chimneys vomit forth clouds of black smoke, and the sulphurous flames of the fiery furnaces are observed in all directions.


From ancient times it was known that Staffordshire was rich in ironstone and coal. In fact, during the Roman occupation iron was manufactured in the Dudley area by primitive means. During the 19th century the Earl of Dudley was to own the ground under which lay the coal seam 10-15 yards thick which would provide the fuel for the ironmaking and the industries that would make the Black Country the industrial heartland of Britain. There is a simple formula: (Coal + Iron ore) + (limestone + clay + sand) = Black Country industrial development.


One of the last working pits was on Burton Road in Upper Gornal, worked until about 1950. True to form, I have massaged history for the Wallows Pit Number 29 (often referred to as Nine Locks) to be still working around the same time.


The model, my tenth in a series of Black Country themed layouts, is purely a snapshot of one of the Earls Mines. More than 40 such mines are shown on old plans and this model represents a typical small pit. Small scale, rough and ready. Track work is code 125bh rail soldered on copper clad sleepers. overall size is 2 metres x 21 inches. The n gauge track in the photos will be 0:9 narrow gauge. 


 


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Mike when are you thinking of showing this little gem of the the general public?

 

Marc

 

The plan is November: Solihull and then NEC.

I presume you've got the book "The Pensnett railway" ?

 

It sounds a wonderful area to model, and some of the early Rastrick and Foster ? engines would look incredible, and be nicely compact

Yes I have and the other books by Ned Williams. On the plus side, I was born in the area and spent the first 10 years of our married life in Wordsley and Kingswinford. I am also old enough to remember the railways before Nationalisation.

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  • RMweb Gold

Hi Mike, nice to see your next layout! :good:

 

But we want a working winding gear please, with the cage going up'n'down in the prototypical manner, if you don't mind? :yes: ;) :jester:

 

 

Ooh, yes, that's a great idea...

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The plan is November: Solihull and then NEC.

Yes I have and the other books by Ned Williams. On the plus side, I was born in the area and spent the first 10 years of our married life in Wordsley and Kingswinford. I am also old enough to remember the railways before Nationalisation.

See you at the NEC as we will be there with our slightly bigger layout in its "Lowick" guise.

Marc

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wiring all complete, electromagnets fitted and tested operating my Lincs couplings. Pit shaft fitted and cage can now descend and rise to ground level. Head frame and winding house loseley placed in position. Next job is to complete the control panel and folding desk for the Morley Controller. Photos via my phone looking from the front.

 

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Keeping it simple, control box: feeds for 2 controllers and 12 volt for electromagnets, switches are centre off and feed the track that the switch lever faces. Narrow gauge track just placed for effect. Controller Morley Vector controller 1 main board and 2 narrow gauge. Really must add the short board to the other end all 1ft 4" of it.

 

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Edited by Mike
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Things not to do on a wet afternoon, don't take your eyes off a loco when running towards the unfinished baseboard end. Result, loco off the end of the layout and on to the floor. Fortunately no serious damage other than dislodged buffer shank and the driver diving off the footplate. Tomorrow it will be off to the timber yard and the extension built. :cry:

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Things not to do on a wet afternoon, don't take your eyes off a loco when running towards the unfinished baseboard end. Result, loco off the end of the layout and on to the floor. Fortunately no serious damage other than dislodged buffer shank and the driver diving off the footplate. 

Sounds like you got off lightly with such little damage, Mike!!

 

Years ago now, I had a similar 'mishap' with my lad (5 at the time) operating. The loco didn't move, so he cranked up the juice. I realised it was due to a self-isolating point, and threw it without thinking, so the loco suddenly had full power, and as Sod's Law would have it, in the 'wrong' direction!!. No end-stop on layout meant loco meeting concrete shed floor at Terminal Velocity. :shout:

 

'Fortunately', it was a cheap old Atlas/Roco Plymouth, in a bogus livery, and a replacement body was soon found - via this Forum if I remember right!

 

post-704-0-74276000-1522668971_thumb.jpg

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Mike,

 

How are the sheeve wheels holding out ?  I bought a couple of the same ones (for Treamble) and was told there were for decoration only - they weren't strong enough for actual use.

 

Stu

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Mike,

 

How are the sheeve wheels holding out ?  I bought a couple of the same ones (for Treamble) and was told there were for decoration only - they weren't strong enough for actual use.

 

Stu

Hi Stu, they are not that strong and even with s bit of beefing up not really any more than decoration. I'm having a re-think as to what may be a better alternative..

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I thought that may be the case.

 

I've not yet found a suitable alternative.

 

Severn Models make a complete head gear kit, in brass, but only in 2mm.

 

Lego spoked wheels could be used, but are quite wide in profile.

 

I'm looking for cheap ( tacky) bicycle ornaments, but have found nothing.

 

I've thought about using the cameo cutter and making them myself, but the strength needs to be in the spokes and the number of laminations needed would make them bulky.

 

If I find anything, I'll let you know.

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Hello Mike, found you again with another great build full of atmosphere, intrigue  & interest.

 

I hadn't seen any posts recently and wondered how things were with you fortunately I had somehow not tagged this as one to follow, now sorted.

 

I've been a little quiet here with gardening and golf getting in the way.

 

Happy 0 Gauge Micros.

 

 

Best

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