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Black Country Blues


Indomitable026
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I'm sure there was a box called Spon Lane, so while New St had its PSB, there were traditional boxes aplenty

 

An LNWR Type 5 iirc.

 

New Street took quite a lot, as did Walsall (and of course Saltley), having colour lights with the appropriate prefix would also be a big pointer for those of us with slightly obsessive interests if the colour light route were to be adopted, or correct semaphores of course (if any signalling is to be on the layout)

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An LNWR Type 5 iirc.

 

New Street took quite a lot, as did Walsall (and of course Saltley), having colour lights with the appropriate prefix would also be a big pointer for those of us with slightly obsessive interests if the colour light route were to be adopted, or correct semaphores of course (if any signalling is to be on the layout)

And I think one or two 'old' 'boxes were retained as shunt frames although I'm not sure if any of them survive.

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And I think one or two 'old' 'boxes were retained as shunt frames although I'm not sure if any of them survive.

 

Stetchford, the next block post, being an example.

 

Plenty of opportunities for some nice signalling / structures - apparently even the GWR had some around the general area :P

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There is a sketch 'Structures worth modelling No.4' in MRJ No. 36 page 171, which shows an area apparently near BNS. It depicts a variety of brick buildings & slate roofs. The buildings have been added to in a variety of building materials. There are lots of broken windows.& patched timber.

 

It is based on a photo c1880 which shows an LNWR 2-4-0T with a train of 4-wheelers, with these buildings in the background. They seem to be derelict, yet they lasted to 1961!

 

Photo appears in Model Railway Constructor December 1972, page 457.

 

Also here.

 

http://www.warwicksh.../lnwrml2186.htm

 

I do hope this scene is going to be modelled.

 

 

Kevin Martin

Edited by kevinlms
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Absolutley essential!

Just been looking at your Black Country Museum photos on Flickr, it particular the Bottle & Glass

Card kit of the Bottle and Glass available from Alphagraphix.

 

To be totally different you must have a Shay loco as used at Bilston - the only one in UK?

http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/23/Shay.htm

http://www.shaylocomotives.com/data/lima/sn-618.htm

 

Plenty more ideas in the Industrial Railway Record Archives

http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/back_issues.htm

 

Mike

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Enoch and Eli made a rare trip to Birmingham and were standing in front of an imposing building.

"What they call this place, then", says Enoch.

"It's the Council House", says Eli.

"Bostin' innit. I got me name down fer one'na them!"

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Alphabet song reminds me of A is for 'orses, B for mutton, F for vescence, M for sis, and can't remember the rest.

 

 

E for brick

 

My first job in the mid-70s involved visiting much of what was left of the heavy industry, derelict sites and landfills in the Black Country - including some truly spectacular pollution from phenolic foundry sand and pickling works that the EA now would never believe ("it's grayt this, ewe pour it all dan this moinshaft and it all disappears loike").

 

Before the Black Country Museum was ever thought about I remember a session helping to walk (along the roof that is) a narrowboat through the Dudley Tunnel - jaysus!

 

Do they still do 'Black Country Nights Out' in the pubs?

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Stetchford, the next block post, being an example.

 

Plenty of opportunities for some nice signalling / structures - apparently even the GWR had some around the general area :P

A good point that - don't forget the Black Country was as much GWR territory as that of any other Railway so there's plenty of good reason for traces of GW influence showing through.

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A good point that - don't forget the Black Country was as much GWR territory as that of any other Railway so there's plenty of good reason for traces of GW influence showing through.

That's what I keep telling the rest of the group - but I'm very much outnumbered :O

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An LNWR Type 5 iirc.

 

New Street took quite a lot, as did Walsall (and of course Saltley), having colour lights with the appropriate prefix would also be a big pointer for those of us with slightly obsessive interests if the colour light route were to be adopted, or correct semaphores of course (if any signalling is to be on the layout)

 

Signalling will be required, our current leaning is towards semaphores. Probably a small ex-LNWR 'box too; although we would probably benefit from some advice on how to signal it correctly.

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There is a sketch 'Structures worth modelling No.4' in MRJ No. 36 page 171, which shows an area apparently near BNS. It depicts a variety of brick buildings & slate roofs. The buildings have been added to in a variety of building materials. There are lots of broken windows.& patched timber.

 

It is based on a photo c1880 which shows an LNWR 2-4-0T with a train of 4-wheelers, with these buildings in the background. They seem to be derelict, yet they lasted to 1961!

 

Photo appears in Model Railway Constructor December 1972, page 457.

 

Also here.

 

http://www.warwicksh.../lnwrml2186.htm

 

Technicaly Brum-a-jum rather than Black Country, but we won't split hairs; it's a cracking photo and interesting to see that the dereliction we think of as being more recent has been around for longer than we might expect!

Will have to dig out a copy of that MRJ too, thanks.

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If it is possible for AndyY tp access it, in the Archive there is a series of posts on Fiddlestick Yard, which will give you ideas about how to get the Hazy Background so obvious in the photos that have been displayed - basically by starting with a very slightly greenish, off white sky, then distant outlines, sprayed in pale grey using a stencil, over-spraying a very light coating of white, then another series of outlines through another stencil, over- spraying again, and repeating this a couple more times - the distant background items fade slowly with each light overspray of the white - hope it helps

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http://www.flickr.co...9@N03/lightbox/ has to be one of my favourite photographs.

 

 

That brings back a few memories, the traction is well before my time (I was born in 1974) but I used to 'spot from that very location in the mid 80s. It was mainly 37s and 20s then IIRC and I think the bridge carrying the old GWR main line had been demolished by then. I also remember watching the Ocker HIll power station cooling towers being blown up in the 80s.

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A policeman was walking along a canal in Wednesbury and sees a young boy sat on the towpath crying.

 

Policeman – Are you okay?

Boy – No I ay, me mate’s fell in the cut

 

The policeman immediately dives in the water but after a few minutes searching is unable to find anyone

 

Policeman – I’m sorry I can’t find him, when did your friend fall in?

Boy – What yow gooin on about? Arv lost me mate off me sandwich!

Edited by 89001
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Forgot - what is the difference between a buffalo and a bison? You can wash your hands in a bison in the black country!

 

PS As well as a railway enthusiast I also happen to be the historian for the "arriers" and proud Life Member.

Edited by Baloo The Bear
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Here you go - Bumble Hole, Dudley, plenty of roving bridges here, that in back ground is Cob's Engine house oh and the GWR ran from left to right on a bridge just in front of the one at the back!

 

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Landscapesandplaces-1/Cobs/18643602_RRrJ6t#!i=1440993875&k=9p8zsB7&lb=1&s=A

 

It was the line from Dudley to Old Hill and Windmill End Halt was to the right of the picture the other side of the right hand bridge. There's a good volunteer run visitors centre here with a 3d model which shows what a hive of activity it was. Railways, collieries, tram lines, canals, steel works etc and now a nature reserve!

 

http://www.dudley.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/liveability/bumble-hole-and-warrens-hall-local-nature-res/

 

Here's another shot showing the engine house, on the right is the spoil heap from Warrens hall colliery, behind me the canal and the otherside of that was the railway and Windmill End Halt.

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Just been looking at your Black Country Museum photos on Flickr, it particular the Bottle & Glass

 

Thanks for that,seems as tho' I aint the only one building a Black Country based layout, but the pics will be helpful as I plan to build a townscene diorama at one end, and an industrial one at the other, on my 'roundy-roundy' layout.

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And that isn't all of them!

 

You can just make out the blue brick bridge through the trees which carried a tram line and road from the mine to a wharf on the canal and beyond that is the entrance to the Netherton tunnel, you can also make out the bridge abutments of the GWR line better in this picture

 

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Landscapesandplaces-1/Cobs/18643602_RRrJ6t#!i=1440993611&k=gbVczDn&lb=1&s=A

 

and in this one you can see the road bridge that ran behind the roving bridge on the right!

 

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Landscapesandplaces-1/Cobs/18643602_RRrJ6t#!i=1440993899&k=7npGxCg

 

Mister loud voice pointy finger is now on the verge of exploding.

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