Gone For A Burton

[Woebegone-by-sea]

       As a child from Burton on Trent, Beer and brewing was all around me! My family worked in the brewing industry, little did I know later in life i would be fall the same fate. As a child I would often visit the Bass Museum of brewing of a weekend for something to do, the two main attractions as a child were the shire horses on site and the Model of Burton, this was a superb and stunning N gauge Model built to show the three breweries of Bass in the town centre. They Also included other breweries, including Worthingtons, Allsopps, and Eadies. At the time it made a big impression on me and was something I was to see at least once a month throughout my childhood. Fast forward a few years and at the age of about 9 I started to show an interest in cars and historic vehicles. A friend of my dad got me involved in some volunteer work at the museum, assisting in the looking after of the large collection of historic vehicles. During My time there I got to know the curator, who found out that I and My dad had an interest in model railways, It was at this point he asked us would we be willing to look after the museums Model, which by this point had suffered some neglect.This was a task we gladly undertook and still do to this day. 

 

My Interest was sparked and I continued to learn more and research/ look into the history of the breweries and their railway systems. My interest continued as I continued to gain an apprenticeship and later work as an Engineer for a brewery. 

 

I decided a few years ago I wanted to capture some of this past, in two of my interests, in classic vehicles I restored a Vehicle into Bass, Ratcliff and Gretton Livery. In railways approximately 2 years ago aged 24 I wanted to build a model of a small part of the railways Just to catch a snapshot!

 

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My first point was to build some of the locos, these were a combination of ready to run adaptions, 3d prints and scratch builds. Once I'd built up a large quantity I needed somewhere to run them on!

 

 

I looked for suitable self contained small pockets to base my layout on. Fairly early on I decided this should be Worthingtons. Worthingtons was still largely visible in burton and was retained in the Coors brand portfolio, I found the beer featured quite allot in my life for one reason or another. Anyway, Worthingtons was a nicely contained unit and could be built in a small area. From pictures it certainly looked as though it was achievable. Later from the track plans I found it was more difficult than I first thought. the points would have to be completely constructed from scratch, as this was the first time I had laid track on a base board for myself I decided against this and thought I would use pre manufactured Peco points.

 

 

I was happy with the resulting track layout and found it worked quite well. Once constructed I built and adapted the buildings to suit, as best possible I attempted to match these to the photographs of Worthingtons I had. This resulted i think in a worthington like feel.

 

I had to decide a name and how to display it. Appropriately over a Beer I sat with a friend and told him about my model, and discussed names. He suggested Gone for a Burton after the famous phrase when Burton was responsible for 1/4 of Britains Beer! I drew out a few Ideas of how to display it. I wanted to display it in something beer beer related, my first thoughts were based on a barrel but found the resulting barrel would need to be huge to encase it, then I looked at making it look like a stack of crates but this looked to cumbersome. I had seen some ideas used before as though the viewer was looking into a picture frame, which i thought was a great idea! I looked around the Pub we were in and could see nothing suitable, so I thought id sleep on it. As I left the pub and I looked up, there it was a ready made picture frame, the Pub Sign. So I imitated that as the frame.

 

   

 

I thought now was a good time to show the model as it nears completion, and its first outing will be next weekend where Ive been asked to bring it to the Chasewater brewery day. Well worth a visit if you enjoy industrial railways! 

 

Hope to show you some more on the construction soon, also on my curiosities about how to go about showing it and how to book it into shows?!

 

   Thanks Joe

 

 

[aussiebrfan]

All I can say is woweee! Great looking locos and loving the presentation of the layout, well done.

 

Any chance of going into a bit more detail on your locos. Liking the look of Nos. 5 and 11. Are they 3D printed?

 

Regards G.

[Andrew P]

Superb, I look forward to seeing this little beauty.

[ikks]

Brilliant!! When we were on our way to Crewe on the train in the late fifties, we saw a number of these colourful little locos pottering around. Later in the early sixties, cycling to Lichfield, we would stop in Burton and watch the movements on the Brewery lines..absolutely fascinating, you have captured the look and atmosphere very very well.

I also remember the taste of a certain brew "Worthington E" very nice indeed in those days, although the memory became rather blurred after a few  

 

Rgds..........Mike

[Woebegone-by-sea]

All I can say is woweee! Great looking locos and loving the presentation of the layout, well done.

 

Any chance of going into a bit more detail on your locos. Liking the look of Nos. 5 and 11. Are they 3D printed?

 

Regards G.

 

 

Hi G, Number 5 is scratch built but uses a tenshodo chassis, Number 11 is a Lilliput loco heavily bashed into No11. Thanks Joe

[Edwardian]

Superb.

 

More information on the layout and those lovely little saddle tanks would be of interest.

 

Oh, and as many pictures as you feel like posting

[Wigan Wallgate OO Gauge]

Wowzer!

[5050]

That's lovely!  I too would like to see some more detailed photos. A late friend and clubmate worked and lived in Burton while the railways were still very active and he often told of traffic chaos due to the multitude of level crossings.

 

It's a long time since Mrs 5050 and I went to the museum but it was very interesting I recall, especially the N gauge model.

 

I have a very old book about the railways called 'Our Model Railway' or similar.  Published by Bass I think?  I'll dig it out and check.

[Pete Goss]

Gone For A Burton at Chasewater Industrial Engine Brewery Day today.  I caught up with Joe in the carriage shed at Brownhills West station this morning as he was in full exhibiting flow with a small crowd of enthusiasts bustling him as he was trying to eat a sausage sandwich!.  This is the first outing for the layout and mighty fine it looked as well.  Full of atmosphere and little cameo details which held peoples attention.

[DLT]

What a beauty!  I love the ideas, and love the way its displayed.  

Showing everything at an angle like that is very refreshing, and highly suitable for the location its portraying.  We traditionally think on straight lines when we design layouts.

Would love to see it one day, and I'm sure you will get plenty of exhibition invites.

All the best, Dave.

[Woebegone-by-sea]

So I've had the layout up for the first time in a while, which has allowed me to take a few pictures. As it goes to its first model railway show at burton (November 5th). I'm no photographer, but some of you have previously asked for more pics so I've done my best with the tools I have.

Edited October 21, 2017 by Woebegone-by-sea

[Pete Goss]

So I've had the layout up for the first time in a while, which has allowed me to take a few pictures. As it goes to its first model railway show at burton (November 5th). I'm no photographer, but some of you have previously asked for more pics so I've done my best with the tools I have.

 

Joe,  eye level shots make such a difference. Brings it all into perspective.  well done.

[Woebegone-by-sea]

Working in the brewery Pipe bridges and gantries are fairly common place. So I have decided to build one for the model. I have utilised a Faller model which is quite a handy model with lots of pipework which can be used elsewhere. I can highly recommend this kit to anyone doing a model based on an industrial setting.

[brianusa]

 

Gone For A Burton. Often wondered the origins of this phrase; AFAIK it was an RAF term describing the loss of one of the pilots. My Dad used it frequently sadly!

 

Brian.

[Woebegone-by-sea]

'Gone for a burton' is a phrase that has a few different meanings Brian, in the RAF it is most certainly referring to a death in service. This came from a pilot crash landing in the sea or 'in the drink'. But in general terms it often meant going to the pub. In its hey day Burton produced a quarter of all the beer in Britain and with 36 breweries at its peak. Most companies had Burton on the label. Other connotations included 'go for a burton' as in getting a new suit. However most people locally know it as going to the pub.

[richard.h]

Just found this, a lovely little layout packed with detail and beautifully observed cameos.

I bet there's usually a crowd jostling around for a good view at exhibitions

[Woebegone-by-sea]

I have built the directors coach adapted from a narrow gauge kit. The directors coach was the only specialist passenger vehicle on the system I was used for the board of directors and even royal visits. In later years it was used for railtours as I've showed with mine. Here's the real thing and mine for comparison.

[The Cable Guy]

Have you got any exhibitions lined up the layout this year?

[Woebegone-by-sea]

Two this year, Burton Model railex (November 4th), and Chasewater Brewery Weekend, both of which I did last year. I'd certainly like to do more but not totally sure how it all works. I've only done these as I knew organisers.

[The Cable Guy]

Thanks, hopefully I will be able to visit both events

[Woebegone-by-sea]

Another unusual wagon I have chosen to model both in the bass and worthington colours are these 3 plank general use wagons, generally used by the maintenance dept for rubble or tools etc.

[Woebegone-by-sea]

Another unusual wagon seen on the system was the De-mountable tank, which was used to send beer in bulk.

Also an unusual addition is this water tank. When many breweries chose to move to burton for the water. Some breweries chose a different method and brought the water to them. Magee Marshal was one such brewery. They used to draw water from wells in burton and tank it back to there brewery.

[7APT7]

Hi

 

Great name, and pun... play on words! The old Bass complex, owed by Marston's now isn't it, last time I past Burton on the A38 on my way to Total and Doncaster for a days railway viewing, it had a great museum you could go round does that still exists do you know...? I'm talking back in the early 1990's...

 

Great little layout.

 

Regards

Jamie

[Woebegone-by-sea]

Hi

 

Great name, and pun... play on words! The old Bass complex, owed by Marston's now isn't it, last time I past Burton on the A38 on my way to Total and Doncaster for a days railway viewing, it had a great museum you could go round does that still exists do you know...? I'm talking back in the early 1990's...

 

Great little layout.

 

Regards

Jamie

Hi Jamie, Bass' brewery is now owned by molson Coors. The Museum you spoke of is now the national brewery centre and is still open to the public. Sadly you've just missed the burton railex which is held there once a year! However it's still worth a visit. Thanks Joe

[Joseph_Pestell]

Missed this till now. Agree with others. It's a very cleverly designed and presented model. I am sure that lots of exhibition managers would want to invite it.

 

This is the sort of thing that GMRC should  be doing.

 

PS: I once drew up a 6 x 4 plan to represent the Burton system.