Black Country Blues

[2ManySpams]

Don't worry about the LHS Phil, it will be a lot more semi-urban grit when we've refinished. The majority of the current green was mainly to hide a sea of plaster. The area around the cart shed will be very derelict and loads of old junk. There's going to be a scrap yard at the front between the canal and stream.

 

Now that we've all seen the layout up in one place with the backscene it's easier to work out 'what's next'.

[Guest Phil]

Don't worry about the LHS Phil, it will be a lot more semi-urban grit when we've refinished. The majority of the current green was mainly to hide a sea of plaster. The area around the cart shed will be very derelict and loads of old junk. There's going to be a scrap yard at the front between the canal and stream.

 

Now that we've all seen the layout up in one place with the backscene it's easier to work out 'what's next'.

That is great news Chris. Looking forward to the evolution then.

[wagonbasher]

That is great news Chris. Looking forward to the evolution then.

 

No offence taken, you are leaning on an open door....

 

Cacking of the viaduct is very much on the cards but first it needs some wing walls. I've had a couple of goes at making the rather complicated geometrical structures off layout without success. The viaduct boards are to spend some time at my place so I can build them in situ.  After that, the mortar needs dirtying for the whole structure and further dry brushing on those bricks to bring the brickwork to the darker colours seen on the canal bridge and the tunnel.  Then as you recognise that stonework needs over a 100 years adding before those wall plates (added in the early 1970's get knocked down with some grey dry brushing). 

 

This was, and still is one of the problems that our group has, there is no clubroom to leave things set up and work on and measure at will our  boards are scattered over the country, only occasionally together and the projects critical path was always 'correctly' governed by P way and electrics for obvious reasons. 

 

Next time we are out is months away and we met last Wednesday night (at least all that could did) to agree the work programme.

 

 

The only point you make that I take slight exception with although we are both heading in the same direction is the comments about the greenery to the left.

 

There were large areas of 'green' the M6 corridor is one example and Ned Williams book 'Railways of the Black Country' shows many such scene however I agree they were not 'rural' and our green half of the layout should show the scars of the previous industrial use. As Chris says there are plans.

 

Andy

[Mark Forrest]

Need more 'osses:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/6615469529/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/8020844547/

 

and maybe a few cows:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/6379341673/

 

And how about a visiting celebrity at the other end of the layout:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/6344907819/in/photostream/

 

The juxtaposition of industrial and rural that (for me) epitomises the region:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/8409802430/

[Shadow]

Need more 'osses:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/6615469529/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/8020844547/

 

and maybe a few cows:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/6379341673/

 

And how about a visiting celebrity at the other end of the layout:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/6344907819/in/photostream/

 

The juxtaposition of industrial and rural that (for me) epitomises the region:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/8409802430/

That last photo made me think of the three bears house in Goldilocks,

 

Daddy Bears house,

Mummy Bears house,

and baby Bears house on the end!

[wagonbasher]

Hi

 

The plan is to build a scrap yard at the front of the layout between the canal junction and the river (stream).

 

The definition of scrap has caused some debate amongst the team.

 

Can we mix girders with cars and lorries with copper water tanks in the 1970's ??

 

There are not too many pictures of Black Country 1970's scrap yards - why would there be?

 

What do you know ? Please share!

 

Andy

[APOLLO]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0OO3sa1LKLg/TaIiFAIFVqI/AAAAAAAAABo/HcKdilkJ8BM/s1600/P1000996.JPG

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/7761606528/in/set-72157631943939396

 

There never seemed to be a standard scrapyard. Back in the 70's some did only cars, some specialised in the then dying and closing heavy industry (machine parts etc), some did anything & everything. Having old cars back then I frequented quite a few in the Wigan area, the variation of content was amazing. Being Wigan alot of colliery mining equipment, mill looms etc. Tailor the yard to the industry in the surrounding area that was being decimated at that time (i.e everything !!!!!).

 

Don't overdo the red rust - not everything scrapped was old & rusty. Also don't forget the alert, thin, hungry, oil stained scrapyard dog. Usually an Alsatian (or two) !!

 

I love model scrapyards. Especially those with a railway connection. Looking forward to seeing yours.

 

Brit15

[wagonbasher]

Need more 'osses:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/6615469529/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/8020844547/

 

and maybe a few cows:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/6379341673/

 

And how about a visiting celebrity at the other end of the layout:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/6344907819/in/photostream/The juxtaposition of industrial and rural that (for me) epitomises the region:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/8409802430/

~I want just one scruffy oss, tied up by the river. I don't mind the one towing the cart but an apparently unowned horse on any old bit of grass was quintessential black country in the 1950, 60's 70's and still is today

 

Andy

[Stubby47]

Rather than a metal scrapyard, why not have a building reclamation yard ? Lots of old doors, windows, chimney pots, fireplaces, stacks of bricks and tiles.

 

Edit:

And, of course, rows and rows of toilets...

Edited April 1, 2013 by Stubby47

[wagonbasher]

Rather than a metal scrapyard, why not have a building reclamation yard ? Lots of old doors, windows, chimney pots, fireplaces, stacks of bricks and tiles.

I like the idea and if I was modelling current day it would work well but the 70's ?

 

Surely it was out with the old. some of the greatest architectural properties were butchered in that period under the banner of modern design. I don't think they kept anything.

 

If we were looking for an alternative a builders merchants would work

 

Andy

[Mark Forrest]

Rather than a metal scrapyard, why not have a building reclamation yard ? Lots of old doors, windows, chimney pots, fireplaces, stacks of bricks and tiles.

Were there many of those around back then?

 

 

I like the way that in the background of this photo you can't really identify anything in particular, just random metal objects:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/7798094576/

[Stubby47]

Ok, so maybe not, but I just think a scrap yard is a bit cliched and a simple filler idea. I'd like to see something a bit different...

Edited April 1, 2013 by Stubby47

[Mark Forrest]

Ok, so maybe not, but I just think a scrap yard is a bit cliched and a simple filler idea. I'd like to see aomething a bit different...

How about:

Pre-fabs and 46056 by geoff7918, on Flickr

[Stubby47]

Brilliant !!

[Indomitable026]

How about:

Pre-fabs and 46056 by geoff7918, on Flickr

hmmmm nice.

 

perhaps they could go along the back in front of the backscene?

[Stubby47]

Is the river going to be made wider ( a five arch viaduct for a little stream is possibly excessive) -would a boat yard ( river or barge ) be an alternative ?

[Fat Controller]

As far as I know the only time a car would end up in a "proper" scrapyard was after the dismantling yard had taken everything off it.......Did they crush cars back in the 70s?

When Fred McGuinnesses' yard in Stoke got one in the mid-1970s, it was front-page news in the Evening Sentinel- the pile of doorless shells soon disappeared.

We used to get baled scrap (including bits of car) at Landore in the early 1970s, so someone must have had balers. What has happened in recent years, with the replacement of coke-fired furnaces by electric arc or induction ones, is that most scrap is now shredded rather than baled.

[shortliner]

That photo on flicker is just about right - although there were a surprising number of "white goods" near the "office caravan" in one I used to visit near Uppingham, set in an old railway goods yard - you went in and dug about in the piles, and they got a mobile baler/crusher in, about every two years, and had a clearout.

Edited April 1, 2013 by shortliner

[wagonbasher]

Were there many of those around back then?

 

 

I like the way that in the background of this photo you can't really identify anything in particular, just random metal objects:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/7798094576/

I can vouch for 1970's builders merchants although different to today. We would go with my Dad to Sandyfords trading in Stafford (Now Travis Perkins) here you bagged your own sand and gravel out of bays.

 

Andy

[Worsdell forever]

I can vouch for 1970's builders merchants although different to today. We would go with my Dad to Sandyfords trading in Stafford (Now Travis Perkins) here you bagged your own sand and gravel out of bays.

 

Andy

I used to go with my dad, usually to Crossleys in Whitby and was regularly sent down the yard with 10 fertilizer bags to find Ted, who would then proceed to take my knuckles off with the shovel! 7 shovels was a full bag, normally soft (yellow) sand, they were never weighed, they were always right! 

[Arthur]

Here's an aerial photo, not great quality, circa 1960's, showing Chepstow and Lydney Builders Merchants. The three red roofed buildings, and the bins and ground around, are the merchants. It was then still rail served. The running line is still there, part of the Forest of Dean Railway. It's now a Travis Perkins.

 

 

 

I'll post some scrap related photos and info. later. Just about to take my wife and the 'oss to an equestrian event!

Edited April 1, 2013 by Arthur

[R A Watson]

I'll post some scrap related photos and info. later. Just about to take my wife and the 'oss to an equestrian event!

Is he still tied to the cart?

[southern42]

Is the river going to be made wider ( a five arch viaduct for a little stream is possibly excessive) -would a boat yard ( river or barge ) be an alternative ?

 

I would have thought that viaducts were more dependent on the width of the valley they had to cross than the width of the stream.  Of course, it could be a dry summer in which case water levels might be a bit low.

 

What about some aspect of preservation? Most preservation sites I've seen have their 'junk/scrap/waiting to be preserved' areas.  The Black Country Living Museum may be a starting point.

Plenty of possibilities on this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Country_Living_Museum

 

I hope you indeed find something different.

 

Polly

[kernowtim]

One scrapyard I frequented some years ago used a crane with a large steel weight to flatten cars before they were loaded onto artic trucks,the weight was just lifted then dropped onto the car.this photo  was their other yard which dealt with non ferrous scrap,I took old car batteries there,and bags of rags!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28083135@N06/5985811852/

Just inside the gate was an ancient lorry surrounded by scrap, yard closed in the early 90s

Edited April 1, 2013 by kernowtim

[Mark Forrest]

hmmmm nice.

 

perhaps they could go along the back in front of the backscene?

yes, that thought had crossed my mind too