Black Country Blues

[wagonbasher]

I was going on the few bits I could find on t' Internet, not a great lot of sites giving prices of fish & chips in 1975! these prices are just below what was quoted, the chip van that came to our village when Ah wer' a lad (Tuesday night, 8 o'clock) was priced about the same as most chip shops.

 

According to one site the price went up from 50p to 60p between 75 & 76!

 

Yes, it will get a chimney and it will be lettered, just not sure exactly how it will look yet.

 

Orange chips?

 

Our 'Pop Man' had a Transit pick-up with a canopy over the back. It was from Lowcocks in Middlesbrough, I think this is an earlier one.

If I take a canal side walk of a lunchtime at Ettingshall which is very near Bilston I sometimes have a tray of chips..  just 1/4 of a mile from the site of the Bilston Steel works I am eating orange chips ???  

 

They are nice but I don't get it..   If they are battered, and you do see signs for battered chips, the batter is very very thin...

 

But orange and crispy they are

 

Andy

[Worsdell forever]

Had a bit of a Google and they must be these?

 

 

 

 

 

Of course we don't need gimmicks to sell F & C round here, we just sell the best...

 

[Mark Forrest]

In my (misspent) youth Gulliver's in Worcester Street W'ton was a favourite for battered chips after a few beers in town

[Stubby47]

WC progress today :

Two roof trusses painted

Rear of rear wall painted

R/h end wall - old toilet roof line support added, wall painted (whitewash within toilet )

Rear toilet wall fitted

Toilet floor tiles fitted

Front wall/ door frame of toilet fitted

Sink & waste pipe painted & fitted

Toilet pan drilled, toilet painted & fitted

Upper edges of walls painted

Metal supports on front wall added

Edited January 5, 2013 by Stubby47

[Stubby47]

Millwards progress :

Rear of gates painted

Tops of gate posts painted

Fire escape part painted

Roller door fitted

Workbench fitted into workshop

Band saw machine fitted into workshop

Upper floor left room inner walls & floor painted

Upper floor right room floor painted

[KevinWalsh]

Stu,

Will you be adding graffiti to the WC cubicle walls?

[Stubby47]

Stu,

Will you be adding graffiti to the WC cubicle walls?

I don't think I could write small enough !

[RANGERS]

Did Davenports ever have any pubs, or were they strictly a beer-at-home service? I remember their depot for North Staffs used to be behind the Sheet Anchor at Whitmore (landlord- Geoff Hurst- at least for a while), but I don't recollect the Sheet serving their beer.

They did have pubs, 123 in 1985, The Phoenix in Corby was one and I believe the most easterly of their empire. They merged with Greenall Whitley in 1986 and the Davenport brand disappeared, It was revived about ten years ago by the independent Highgate brewery and still exists but I don't know the recent history which has been a bit chequered.

 

As a kid, we'd a neighbour who had deliveries from the familiar red Commer drays every Thursday afternoon.'Not sure how much he had delivered but although he quite an unassuming character, he managed to quaff a fair amount of ale every week.

[wombatofludham]

Orange chips are indeed battered chips.  Not to be taken lightly if you suffer from indigestion as they seem to absorb cooking oil like a sponge.  They do seem to be peculiar to the Black Country, particularly in and around Wolverhampton and surrounding areas.  I've certainly had them in Willenhall.

[Sasquatch]

Battered chips?? Oh how I miss the NHS!

[wagonbasher]

They did have pubs, 123 in 1985, The Phoenix in Corby was one and I believe the most easterly of their empire. They merged with Greenall Whitley in 1986 and the Davenport brand disappeared, It was revived about ten years ago by the independent Highgate brewery and still exists but I don't know the recent history which has been a bit chequered.

 

As a kid, we'd a neighbour who had deliveries from the familiar red Commer drays every Thursday afternoon.'Not sure how much he had delivered but although he quite an unassuming character, he managed to quaff a fair amount of ale every week.

I don't really understand how:

 

Beer bought to your door.......   could fail as a business model

 

If I can dial a Pizza, why wouldn't I want beer and pies on the end of a phone ?

 

A

[2ManySpams]

A couple of videos from yesterday:

 

Layout fly-through

 

We start at the tunnel end on the viewing side and run to the far end along the front to the site of the pub. We then go around the back of the pub and do a run along the rear of the layout. Then a helicopter ride along the mainline, followed by a run down the canal and across the valley. I only noticed after the video that John had already packed away his tunnel mouth. For the shoot the layout was temporarily erected on low tables.

 

The team...

 

Also present for the day were my son, (who also videoed the layout on his DS!) and father-in-law Mike. Mike has recently started modelling (Towcester Station in LMS days) and I'm sure he was amused at the antics of the 'professionals' and left wondering how on earth we manage to get anything done, built or finished!!

[2ManySpams]

Stu, a video to place your buildings in context.

[2ManySpams]

Jason, a video to place your building in context

[2ManySpams]

Flavio, a video to place your buildings in context

[2ManySpams]

Looks like a good day, sorry not to be their.  looking forward to a post meet briefing.

 

Some great photos, including a few that Andy York can use.

 

Andy

 

John 'volunteered' to be secretary and ran through your agenda. He took notes and then spent an hour or so re-writing them so that he can then type them up for you...

 

Strangely all actions were for an A Banks who raised no objection to these allocations!

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

...very impressive chaps....the railway sits well in its landscape....the height variations in terms of embankments, cuttings etc work well too.

 

ATB

 

Dave

[2ManySpams]

It seems to get vey steep as you've panned along the back...

 

I'm guessing the rectangular shapes are the place holders for the buildings - looks a nice little scene in the corner.

 

You're also going to need an awful lot of green flock powder !

Which end / bit do you think is steep Stu?

 

Yes, the cut-outs are the building footprints - although a couple seem to have drifted slightly from their marker-pen outlines on the board.

 

Yes, lots and lots, and a big tube of glue too!

[Guest Phil]

Orange chips are indeed battered chips.  Not to be taken lightly if you suffer from indigestion as they seem to absorb cooking oil like a sponge.  They do seem to be peculiar to the Black Country, particularly in and around Wolverhampton and surrounding areas.  I've certainly had them in Willenhall.

Very much an orange chip area Walsall / Bloxwich etc. Our local chippy in Great Wyrley asks if you want battered or plain chips.

[keefr2]

Even in its raw state the layout looks tremendous! I'm really enjoying reading all the threads on it coming together!

 

Thanks to the team & the 'outworkers' for such excellent entertainment & inspiration - great stuff!! (the plans for my 'in progress' layout seem to be morphing from another twee country station to something rather more grotty!)

 

Cheers

Keith

[Stubby47]

Paul / Chris,

Please can I put in a request for an old, battered builder's lorry ?

 

I want to add some clearance labourers to the inside of WC's, and a suitable vehicle should be parked outside.

 

I'm thinking something like Greengrass's old red lorry ( from Heartbeat ) or similar - a low dropside, old, battered, with brushes, wheel barrows, etc.

 

Ta

 

Stu

[Oldddudders]

Don't forget the graffiti is always better in the ladies' loos - they have both hands free!

Edited January 6, 2013 by Oldddudders

[Fat Controller]

Paul / Chris,

Please can I put in a request for an old, battered builder's lorry ?

 

I want to add some clearance labourers to the inside of WC's, and a suitable vehicle should be parked outside.

 

I'm thinking something like Greengrass's old red lorry ( from Heartbeat ) or similar - a low dropside, old, battered, with brushes, wheel barrows, etc.

 

Ta

 

Stu

At this time, my dad's outfit would have been still using the old long-nose Bedford- a bit like the one Coopercraft sell. Ex-Army, I think, and so probably 20 years. Went like the clappers, but cable brakes ment it lacked stopping power; replaced it with an FG, which spent most of its time being towed by our Standard Vanguard..

[Rugd1022]

Next on the ramps is the Rover P6, it is basically a model of the last one off the production line and so needed a new identity, it has taken the identity of this one even though it is of a different engine type it is at least a shade of green (who said research was boring...)

 

IMGP5513.JPG

 

IMGP5514.JPG

 

The number plates are printed on plain paper and the lettering is 4pt Arial using Serif PagePlus. I also did the ones for the Bedford van at the same time.

 

IMGP5512.JPG

 

IMGP5515.JPG

 

Cracking thread this, how have I missed it...?!!!

 

Paul, the Avocado Green on the P6 was quite a rare colour choice back in the day, although there are several still around now which turn up at classic car shows. The sill covers below the doors were all painted black when these Series 2 cars were new, to make them look a bit sleeker than the earlier Series 1s, although some restored cars had them painted the body colour. Here's a  late 2200TC seen at Shepton Mallett a while back, still with it's original factory finish and 'satin black' sill covers...

 

 

Andy Y - how are those little Mk1 Minis coming along...?

 

 

EDIT : Paul, I've just remembered something else - I'm pretty sure Avocado Green wasn't introced until late 1973-ish, which means your K' plate might need changing to an M' onwards... the last one (a 3500 V8 'VVC 700S') coming off the line in March '77.

 

And further to the number of Rovers on the roads in the West Mids area... when the 'face lift' Series 2 P6 was launched at the end of 1970, a lot of 3500 V8s were purchased brand new by retiring Managing Director / Army Colonel types, there are an awful lot of them surviving now from the 1971 to 74 period, usually with all the optional extras ticked on the list like vinyl roof, 'Captian Scarlet' 3500S wheel trims, boot mounted spare wheel etc. The most common body colour was Almond Yellow (mustard!) accompanied by a brown vinyl roof and matching rear pillars. A similar thing occcured with the outgoing Rover P5B Saloons and Coupes, a lot of which were bought as retirement presents from about 1970 onwards, until the last few rolled off the line at Solihull in June '73. I'm not sure if anyone does a 00 model of these fine cars though.

Edited January 6, 2013 by Rugd1022

[PhilJ W]

Paul / Chris,

Please can I put in a request for an old, battered builder's lorry ?

 

I want to add some clearance labourers to the inside of WC's, and a suitable vehicle should be parked outside.

 

I'm thinking something like Greengrass's old red lorry ( from Heartbeat ) or similar - a low dropside, old, battered, with brushes, wheel barrows, etc.

 

Ta

 

Stu

The Transit's the first of which would be approaching 10 years old in the mid 70's were favourites with small builders. The new Transit car carrier from Oxford could be adapted by shortening the wheelbase and scratch building the dropside body. A few builders also used the Volkswagen Transporter pick up as made by Oxford.