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Black Country Blues


Indomitable026

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As the base for our cabin has five windows, two of which face directly towards the front of the layout and a third which will be visible to show punters, I'm giving some thought to how to portray show of the frame detail which might be visible if you peer in through the windows. Most basic approach would be 25 lengths of evergreen strip spaced along the inside of the structure - but should we aim for a little more detail than this? Having borrowed Old Gringo's copy of LNWR Signalling I wonder whether I should also include some representation of the girders which support the frame and horizontal strips to represent the locking bars. Is this getting OTT for something which will be barely visible at normal viewing distance?

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In the period modelled would the lower windows have been cleaned or remained completely grimy? If the latter would you be able to see inside anyway?

 

And would you be able to see what is inside without a fairly strong internal light on?

Edited by Coombe Barton
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In the period modelled would the lower windows have been cleaned or remained completely grimy? If the latter would you be able to see inside anyway?

 

And would you be able to see what is inside without a fairly strong internal light on?

 

I'd go for this, mucky windows, certainly the boxes I went under needed extra light to be able to see anything, and at model viewing distances I doubt you would see anything anyway

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PGH,

 

I'm sorry for causing you upset with the copying of your photo.

 

My only intention was to highlight that it looked like there was possibly two gates present on each side, not to deface your image.

With this intention of purely helping the BCB team progress, I did mistakenly reproduce your image without your permission.

Again, sorry for this action.

 

Dave

 

OK, point taken, thanks for that. You must appreciate that posting photos from old negatives (sometimes of indifferent quality) can involve considerably more time and effort than from a digital camera, and its thus all the more annoying when they are misused.

 

Since posting the photo and having absolutely no idea about the layout of the gates, I’ve been wondering – why are the cast iron posts nearer the track, especially on the right side, than the timber posts on the far side of the roadway ? Now I think I’ve come up with a solution – immediately behind the camera is the start of Astley Green Colliery Yard and the cast iron posts probably mark the boundary of the yard. In the distant past there would have been gates on these posts, which would have been closed across the track when the railway was not operating and thus they really have nothing to do with the operation of the crossing. The timber posts on the far side were probably once used for field or similar type gates across the roadway. With regard to the provision of a separate gate for pedestrians, in this case its unlikely as the roadway only served a couple of farms. I would think that pedestrian gates would only have been provided where the crossing was a regular walking route, e.g. if there was a public right of way (footpath) along the private road.

 

One factor perhaps to be considered in the operation of such a crossing is visibility. In the example illustrated the area is flat and relatively open so that approaching trains can be readily seen by road users approaching the crossing, and probably vice versa, and therefore the absence through disuse or otherwise of gates would make no difference. If visibility was more restricted it would perhaps be more likely that gates would be provided and maintained in use.

 

Finally, thanks Arthur for getting me into this subject !!!!

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If you look carefully at the cast iron posts on the nearest gate you will see that the thicker one (with the finial on it) is the carrying post and is mounted into the ground, whilst the left hand one (with the "horns") is part of the gate itself and rotates with the wooden parts which are in fact hanging off it.

 

The carrier post has a pair of horizontal brackets with vertical pins attached on to which the other post is placed using other brackets with holes in them attached to it to form the hinge of the gate. Also attached to the carrier post are two strap hinges which support a side or pedestrian gate which fills the gap between the carrier post and the concrete strainer for the boundary fence visible on the extreme right hand side of the photo. This gate will give access to the inside (railway side) of the main road gate as this is where the locks and catches would be fitted to stop unauthorised operation of the gates.

 

The gate pivot post as I stated rotates as an integral part of the gate and this is why the horns have the strainers attached the sheer bulk of this setup is to carry the great weight of the gate assembly whilst it is moving, indeed longer gates will be fitted wit supporting wheels and possibly tracks at their outer ends to assist in this matter. On mechanically operated gate setups this post will extend below ground level to terminate in in a quadrant gear worked by a worm gear driven from the big hand wheel in the adjacent signal box.

 

Wally

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Damian,

 

You got the recessed, roadie approved handles by the look of it...

 

By the way, what would, in your opinion, be the barest minimum of power tools to own to build baseboards such as yours?

 

I think some people are lacking confidence to build sturdy but light baseboards.

 

Best, Pete.

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Damian,

 

You got the recessed, roadie approved handles by the look of it...

 

By the way, what would, in your opinion, be the barest minimum of power tools to own to build baseboards such as yours?

 

I think some people are lacking confidence to build sturdy but light baseboards.

 

Best, Pete.

 

Interesting question.

 

You actually don't need a lot and shouldn't be put off.

 

If I was going to buy two items, they would be a drill and a chop saw.

 

If you're streching to a third then that would be a handheld circular saw, however with some planning you can get the wood yard to to do all the long cuts, just leaving the cross cuts for the chop saw.

 

If you don't want the expense of the chop saw, then how about a hand mitre saw or a mitre block?

 

All you need then is a drill and you can get hand drills if required.

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Interesting question.

 

You actually don't need a lot and shouldn't be put off.

 

If I was going to buy two items, they would be a drill and a chop saw.

 

If you're streching to a third then that would be a handheld circular saw, however with some planning you can get the wood yard to to do all the long cuts, just leaving the cross cuts for the chop saw.

 

If you don't want the expense of the chop saw, then how about a hand mitre saw or a mitre block?

 

All you need then is a drill and you can get hand drills if required.

 

How about a rule and the patience to use it?

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My opinion would favour the derilect mine type scenario over the wheathy land owners house.

 

Its not that there arn't any, clearly there were (just look at the village of Knowle) but to me it is not what the Black Counrty is known for (personal opinion I know)

 

But... I do have a problem with the industrial pumping engine , fan house being on top of the hill.

 

Driving around today I did see a number of those classic brick built victorian schools, decorated, girls entrance and boys entrance, walled playground. How would that work ? A school on the edge of an unseen village / town. I went to one such school in the 1970's and other than the portacabin in the playground it was unchanged from the day it was built including the outside loos - one for Stubby....

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What size is the foot print on the model?

 

We're all coming up with some great ideas, but just realized that I hadn't really thought to ask what size!

 

Dave

 

Edit for spelling

Edited by Shadow
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During one of the Warley RMWeb meet ups, some of the BCB team and I discussed the Oldbury Road building and we agreed that an illuminated office interior should be added to the structure. Given that BCB is set in the 70s an erudite discussion then took place on the topic of who would be the pin-up adorning the walls of the Oldbury Road Building's Office (given that we are in pre-PC days). Unfortunately, none of us had an idea of which young lady would correctly grace the office wall (but many suggestions were mooted).

 

Perhaps the membership can assist?

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During one of the Warley RMWeb meet ups, some of the BCB team and I discussed the Oldbury Road building and we agreed that an illuminated office interior should be added to the structure. Given that BCB is set in the 70s an erudite discussion then took place on the topic of who would be the pin-up adorning the walls of the Oldbury Road Building's Office (given that we are in pre-PC days). Unfortunately, none of us had an idea of which young lady would correctly grace the office wall (but many suggestions were mooted).

 

Perhaps the membership can assist?

The most common form of adornment - and one that made it simply more difficult for the female staff to object, no doubt - was the supplier's calendar. These would display the ample charms of professional models (above the waist only, of course, in those days) taken by professional snappers, but with Bloggs and Co's address and sales message in - er - support. Only male bastions like the mail room might have the massed centre-folds from top-shelf magazines.
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Sorry if that is how this will come across, It may seem that I'm "pushing" the Coseley Hall as a contender for the Shadow build --. It is right alongside a Rail line, there's an OH or signal gantry in the linked Google satellite image. Which came first Rail or house? I suspect Rail first, Dudley archives have a raft of land purchase details for the 1890s to 1910.

But the (satellite?) pictures of the "Dudley's House" made me wonder how one gets alternative viewpoints, to see all sides of the building?

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