Black Country Blues

[Jason T]

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

 

I'd love to know that too

Seriously though, looking at Damian's photos of the boards in their storage unit, it doesn't look like there is a huge amount of space between the industrial branch and the back of the layout.

 

If you want me to take on something else, I do notice that there are a couple of rows of terraced houses to build, and I have previous with those......

[iL Dottore]

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 ...

You sound like you have extensive, in-depth, knowledge of this subject, please enlighten us further.

[Stubby47]

... with pictures...

[DonB]

tut, tut, lowering the tone of RMweb! ... Now I know that I really fit in!!!

[Stubby47]

tut, tut, lowering the tone of RMweb! ... Now I know that I really fit in!!!

 

Sorry, toilet humor...

[Stubby47]

Some great photos there Chris - I'm assuming we'll be having a sunken joey somewhere ???

 

Meanwhile, some photos of my progress, as mentioned above.

 

The gate posts are still waiting for the milliput to dry - storing them in a tupperware is not conducive to them setting !! The wall's soldier course of bricks need toning down and the door needs a handle.

 

 

The bench needs tools & equipment, maybe something like a vice and a pillar drill. I've still to make the coat hooks & coat. I'll also need a compound in the yard to store the gas canisters. You can see where I've cut some of the stones away to allow the ramp to fit and to help blend the cobbles into the concrete.

 

[Siberian Snooper]

Wasn't Linda Lusardi one of the Sun page 3 girles back then? Of course if it had been a garage or tyre fitters it would have been the Pirrelli calender. :sungum:

 

SS

[Mark Forrest]

As I mentioned a few days ago, I've made up a chimney for the stove. Initially I did this using plastic rod but was concerned about its strength under exhibition conditions, so my second attempt was in brass tube:

 

To prevent the tube deforming when I bent it to shape a length of florists wire was inserted down the tube.

[2ManySpams]

Andy,

 

I can only give you the dimensions of the left hand side embankments for the wingwalls - something to do with the right hand ones not being on this board!

 

Tricky to give sizes as I'm not sure where the walls are going...chicken and egg. The slopes are measured 100mm back from the where the main bridge unit goes.

 

The slopes measured 100mm back along the track from the main structure - bigger measure is the horizontal distance and the smaller number the drop from track datum to the toe of the embankment

 

For completeness I've measured the depth of the scenic sockets at each of the viaduct footings.

 

 

[Mark Forrest]

While the rest of the railway modelling world were off at Warley, I made a little more progress on the bolsters (got lazy and took one photo of them all this time!):

 

Including developing the mk 2 version of the bar coupling:

As before it uses cheap and cheerful materials - a heavy duty staple was a left over bit of brass fret soldered to one end to form a T. Spring fitted as before, then the end bent over to retain. A bit of trial and error to get the bend in the right place. Make it too long and there is a visible gap between the wagons; too short and the inner axles lift off the rails!

 

You can hardly tell from the photo (need better lighting to take photos!) but I've started to made up the bolsters; still a lot of the small details to add though:

[Oldddudders]

You sound like you have extensive, in-depth, knowledge of this subject, please enlighten us further.

Oi! I resemble this suggestion! In the early '70s I was actually Area 4 Controller, Central Division, so never invited into such dens of iniquity as the building in question. On the other hand, Croydon College of Art, just across the road from my window, held life classes......

[2ManySpams]

Aww, gord, more spot the difference for the kids....

[2ManySpams]

Sorry guys, been quiet for a bit. Two reasons:

 

1. I was interested in what the great and good came up with as ideas without too much steering

2. I'm overdue finishing the industrial viaduct (after being ill) and Geoff needs the board for track laying - therefore I've been modelling... (poor excuse)

 

I've still got stuff to finish for Wednesday so will be quiet until then - too easy to get distracted typing on here or doing more research!

 

However, I do like the idea someone had (unless I'm making it up) for some run-down farm buildings. Could be filled at a later stage with lots of rubbish and decaying machinery.

 

Right, the area is (quickly) outlined in red on the photo below with the private road in blue.

 

 

The unedited photo is also attached below.

 

 

And below a scan of the 'masterplan' - each blue square is 50mm x 50mm.

 

[5 C]

Wasn't Linda Lusardi one of the Sun page 3 girles back then? Of course if it had been a garage or tyre fitters it would have been the Pirrelli calender. :sungum:

 

SS

 

I confess to being one of the (guilty) parties to this conversation. Linda Lusardi's name was mentioned, but was discounted on the basis she was more 1980's and after consulting Andy Y, BCB is set in 1975, so too early for this period. My suggestion was Jilly Johnson, who was probably the leading Page 3 girl of the day but as I would have been around 8 or 9 in 1975, I really shouldn't have any knowledge of such things.

 

Old Dudder's suggestion of a supplier's calendar is quite appropriate and was certainly a tradition being continued at least into the 1990's in the car dealer workshops and parts departments I was visiting. The Pirelli calendar became something of a collector's item in its own right and it was rare to ever see one actually in use!

 

Not having to rely on a work based connection I spent some time today trawling the internet for some "appropriate" images (honest guv'). Of all the weird and wonderful collections you can find on the internet, no one it seems has posted a collection of period calendars in our desired style. Surely someone must have a collection somewhere?!

 

I'll keep looking.

 

Purely in the interests of research you understand.

 

Andy

[Stubby47]

As the blue line represents a track ( presumeably single) not a main road, then I think the embankment on the south ( front) of the bridge is over engineered. As the main line was cut through the hillside, then the bridge would have only been built with the minimum of cost. I accept that the track would have been used by Ol' Shanks & his cart ( maybe going to the farm) but I think the slope would have been steeper than you have it.

[wagonbasher]

Intresting view .......................................

[wagonbasher]

As I mentioned a few days ago, I've made up a chimney for the stove. Initially I did this using plastic rod but was concerned about its strength under exhibition conditions, so my second attempt was in brass tube:

 

To prevent the tube deforming when I bent it to shape a length of florists wire was inserted down the tube.

 

Mark....

 

A small tear has come to my eye............

 

A

[Debs.]

Mark....

 

A small tear has come to my eye............

 

A

 

[beast66606]

A big one came to mine ..

[2ManySpams]

As the blue line represents a track ( presumeably single) not a main road, then I think the embankment on the south ( front) of the bridge is over engineered. As the main line was cut through the hillside, then the bridge would have only been built with the minimum of cost. I accept that the track would have been used by Ol' Shanks & his cart ( maybe going to the farm) but I think the slope would have been steeper than you have it.

 

I refer the honorable gentleman to page 59 of the December 2012 BRM regarding the Railway Clauses Act: "Overline bridges for a private road should have a minimum width of 12' and approaches of 1 in 16".

 

The approach on the actual board is currently oversize and 'raw' polystyrene waiting for the final treatment once the height of the road over the bridge is set. Well spotted though, Stu, glad you're paying attention now. The embankment side slopes would also depend on two other things: the amount of excavated material the contractor wanted to 'loose' and the material used. Again these are currently in draft.

 

I took the approach of 'it's easier to cut more off than to add back on'.

[KevinWalsh]

If you are using 1975 as the base year for BCB then it wouldn't be Pirelli as it wasn't produced between 1974 and 1983 (Wiki is my source), but there are some images here http://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A7x9Qb2c9bNQJEsAvzlLBQx.?p=1974+pirelli+calendar&fr=yfp-t-702-s&fr2=piv-web for possible inclusion into the wall scene.

 

Hope this helps and doesn't give me a dodgy web-surfing reputation

 

Kev

[2ManySpams]

Oooer, missus.

[Mark Forrest]

:scare: :scare:

[iL Dottore]

If you are using 1975 as the base year for BCB then it wouldn't be Pirelli as it wasn't produced between 1974 and 1983 (Wiki is my source), but there are some images here http://uk.images.sea...2-s&fr2=piv-web for possible inclusion into the wall scene....

Hmm, something to check when I'm back home (probably not quite SFW). Thanks for the link.

 

Oi! I resemble this suggestion! In the early '70s I was actually Area 4 Controller, Central Division, so never invited into such dens of iniquity as the building in question...

Alas, Ian, your denial rings hollow. How can you pronounce on such "dens of iniquity" without first hand experience of such malfeasance?

 

On the other hand, Croydon College of Art, just across the road from my window, held life classes......

I am disappointed though that Olddudders has (so far) not shared his extensive knowledge with us. Life classes? How did he know? Was this direct observation?

[Oldddudders]

Alas, Ian, your denial rings hollow. How can you pronounce on such "dens of iniquity" without first hand experience of such malfeasance?

 

I am disappointed though that Olddudders has (so far) not shared his extensive knowledge with us. Life classes? How did he know? Was this direct observation?

Because I was a customer at car-parts emporia and the like, where you certainly saw a few pics of grinning bimbos with the goods on display(!). As for the life classes, yes, of course, but they carefully positioned the model seated with her back to the window before disrobing - i.e. at the same height as we were, so no chance of a crafty glimpse. And on those days, there would always be a chap or two between me and the window monitoring the situation! Clearly it was more interesting than monitoring rolling stock formations or the order of trains over Windmill Bridge Junction!