Black Country Blues

[andymozza]

Hi, just a quick note on the photos above, pic2 is the next location south, Kingswinford Junction (for Pensnett Branch and into the Brierley Hill Steel Terminal) and pic3 shows n03 home signal, the up starter was round the curve out of sight and also had K'ford Jct. distant on it. There was another ex GWR lower Quad signal beyond the bridge which was the down home, all the rest of the signals at Round Oak were replacement upper quads but on the original ex GWR steel posts. All bar one of the Ground Signals were replacement as well, chhers Andy.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Thanks for picking me up on that, memories from 30 years ago are sometimes not quite accurate. When I put on the original post I couldn't find the index sheet, but have now got it. It shows December 1982, and later shots I know were taken on 11th and 16th. Judging by our normal schedule for inspection tours I would say they were taken on either 1st or 8th December. There are some more shots on the film of Dudley, Eagle Crossing and Wednesbury, but by the end the street lamps were on so I don't know if I can make anything of them.

 

Regarding the signal name, I think it would possibly have been Starter in GW parlance, with the one on the station being Advance Starter. It was controlled by lever 3 before the layout alterations in the 1970s, but I don't remember what it became after that.

[Mark Forrest]

Fantastic stuff, thanks for the photos. Don't suppose you know the number of the Rat - I have one in similar condition which needs renumbering as a local machine. Come to think of it, an inspection saloon would look good on the layout too.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Just tried a mega-resolution scan - the saloon and Rat was about 25mb. These are the clips of the numbers, TDM45026 and 25051 by the look of it. Nice dent on the corner of the Rat

 

 

[Mark Forrest]

This photo on Derby Sulzers shows a close up of the scar on the cab; although she suffered worse a few years earlier

[Mark Forrest]

While we are on the subject of Rats, I'll just drop this link to a photo of 25102 and 25025 here for future reference/as a reminder to self.....

[Mark Forrest]

Although showing Kingswinford Junction (and therefore ex-GWR practice) this photo might be useful for placing speed restriction signs and other small details

Waiting for the road by geoff7918, on Flickr

[TheSignalEngineer]

Continuing on the Saloon tour, I've tried to recover something from the remaining negatives.

 

All photos Copyright C E Steele

 

Dudley and Eagle Crossing Signal Boxes. Not much of interest here, both LMR Standard design from 1970-72 period, although Eagle crossing seems to have acquired a name board from the old box.

 

A nice brick cabin at Eagle Crossing, plus LMS style ground disc with BR standard yellow arm. The cabin was typical of the area, so would be an ideal feature.

 

A view of the crossing at Eagle Lane showing typical industrial scene of 30 years ago. Taken from the signalbox.

 

Potters Lane crossing at Wednesbury. By this time it was almost dark as shown by the flare of the street light.

 

A nice 'Woody' passing Wednesbury Signal Box. The bank in the background was the GWR line.

 

Apologies for the quality, it was dark and cold all day.

Edited July 30, 2012 by TheSignalEngineer

[Mark Forrest]

More great stuff, thanks again for sharing them. I think I can visualise a location where that brick cabin might fit nicely too.

[Old Gringo]

Whilst at Kidderminster last week, I picked up a copy of this book, because it has some really good steam era photographs of the eastern edge of the Black Country.

"D.J.Norton's Railways in the West Midlands, Part One", R.J. Essery & Mark Norton, Wild Swan, 2008, 144 pages.

Apparently, this is the first of a series of books using Dennis Norton's photographs and Part One concentrates on the LMS Western Division Lines. The book has a fine selection of LNWR lines photographs taken between 1947 and 1965 (and even for Midland enthusiasts is worth buying for the bibliography by Bob Essery).

The other volumes listed are;

Part Two - LMS Midland Division, Former Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway.
Part Three - LMS Midland Division, Former Birmingham & Gloucester Railway.

I know "Wagonbasher" has one of the books in this series; Part Two, I think, which contains some photographs of one of his favourite locations - Camp Hill.

All the best,

John.

[Mark Forrest]

See also http://www.photobydjnorton.com Which also has some of the photos from this collection

[2ManySpams]

More great stuff, thanks again for sharing them. I think I can visualise a location where that brick cabin might fit nicely too.

 

Where are you thinking of Mark? I saw the phot and thought of a couple of locations...

[wagonbasher]

Mark

 

Steel train on the licky! what are the bolsters.

 

You mentioned that the Bachmann GW design bogie bolster (ex mailnline) would work well for the mid 70's but they seam to have sold through in most places. Nervouse about bidding on the odd one in ebay in case your bidding !!!

 

A

[Fat Controller]

Mark

 

Steel train on the licky! what are the bolsters.

 

You mentioned that the Bachmann GW design bogie bolster (ex mailnline) would work well for the mid 70's but they seam to have sold through in most places. Nervouse about bidding on the odd one in ebay in case your bidding !!!

 

A

Bogie Bolster E; currently only available by reverse-engineering a Cambrian Turbot.

[DonB]

Post #87 http://www.flickr.co...043/6709983427/ shows a GUY Motors Tractor unit, made in W'ton. Don't know when the practice stopped, but It was a regular sight to see a GUY chassis being driven though the centre of W'ton., not sure if on test, or on their way to have a cab fitted elsewhere, I saw them being driven past the High-level station frontage, and disappearing towards Dudley. The driver sat in a bucket seat wearing a great-coat and aero-pilot style goggles and helmet, totally exposed to the elements. I used to visit the Grand Theatre with my Mother regularly (in the days of the "Rep." company) between 1950 and '55. and saw them then.

[DonB]

a nice shot of a concrete lamp post "survivor" here:-

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8050359@N07/3873345885/in/set-72157602561833909/

 

How widespread were this type?

[Fat Controller]

Post #87 http://www.flickr.co...043/6709983427/ shows a GUY Motors Tractor unit, made in W'ton. Don't know when the practice stopped, but It was a regular sight to see a GUY chassis being driven though the centre of W'ton., not sure if on test, or on their way to have a cab fitted elsewhere, I saw them being driven past the High-level station frontage, and disappearing towards Dudley. The driver sat in a bucket seat wearing a great-coat and aero-pilot style goggles and helmet, totally exposed to the elements. I used to visit the Grand Theatre with my Mother regularly (in the days of the "Rep." company) between 1950 and '55. and saw them then.

I don't know if there were Guys amongst them, but I do remember seeing lorry and bus chassis being driven on the M5 between Birmingham and Bristol into the mid-1970s. These would presumably be heading to specialist coach-builders to have cabs and bodies fitted; the traffic still exists, but these days the transfer (from factories in mainland Europe) is done using specialised vehicle transporters, carrying several chassis at a time.

[Mark Forrest]

Bogie Bolster E; currently only available by reverse-engineering a Cambrian Turbot.

and I now have 4 of them as work in progress on my workbench.....

 

Must admit on first seeing that photo I had assumed they were BCV, but given that they appear to be much shorter than the loco I think you are right with BEV.

[Mark Forrest]

Where are you thinking of Mark? I saw the phot and thought of a couple of locations...

Was thinking at the left hand end of the yard, by the single slip, standing on the triangle of ground between the mainline and the industrial line, if it would fit. Where were you thinking?

[The Stationmaster]

 

Regarding the signal name, I think it would possibly have been Starter in GW parlance, with the one on the station being Advance Starter. It was controlled by lever 3 before the layout alterations in the 1970s, but I don't remember what it became after that.

Sorry SE - I missed this yesterday. No.3 would indeed have been the Starter in Western parlance as it is in advance of the signalbox and thus the one on the station was - as you say - the Advance Starter.

[Mark Forrest]

Mark

 

Steel train on the licky! what are the bolsters.

 

You mentioned that the Bachmann GW design bogie bolster (ex mailnline) would work well for the mid 70's but they seam to have sold through in most places. Nervouse about bidding on the odd one in ebay in case your bidding !!!

 

A

 

Showing as in stock at a certain Liverpool based shop; 8 pack for £62 is less than I have seen some go for on ebay!

 

Changing the brake lever and vee hanger to the BR type, should (I think) give us a fair represtation of one of the first couple of diagrams (1/471 and 1/473). These will be the ones of interest to you for your other project too being built between 1948 and '54.

 

I've made a start on one of the later diagram 1/477 vacuum braked wagons, which is a slightly more indepth conversion requiring replacment of the bolsters which are (inconveniently) moulded as part of the body:

 

Currently looking into the options for the replacement handbrake levers.

[Mark Forrest]

Another view of railway, canal and blue bricks:

[Dukedog]

This Black Country lark seems to be expanding at a rate of knots, wasn't sure where to put this link but I guess here's as good as anywhere else...

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldpix/sets/72157628010750073/

 

I had no idea Round Oak Steelworks covered such a large area...!

 

This lot will take some wading through with 223 sets of photos, best bung it in yer faves and take yer pick...!

 

http://www.flickr.co...amahapaul/sets/

 

What a super set of slides!

being "dragged up" in Brierley Hill and then working at Round Oak Steel works as an Instrument Tech for 14 years it has bought back some real good memories.

Thanks for posting.

Cheers

Frank

[The Evil Bus Driver]

Muck - back in the days when it still was the real industrial (or declining industrial) Black Country it struck me as 'grubby', the view from the train window was of a grubby indiustry, grubby housebacks and a grubby railway. So to me if it isn't grubby it won't be real (and if it includes a station that should have a special grubbiness all of its own. Look at some examples in here (I know they're not all proper Black Country but look at Spon Lane and Vauxhall & Duddeston to get a feel of what I'm rabbiting on about.

http://www.photobydj...ationsPtoZ.html

 

You HAVE to have a chippy on the corner of one of the rows of houses. I can imagine those would have been very popular at that time

[DonB]

Any one got pictures of the chippie at the Black Country Museum at Dudley?

That, and the "spit and sawdust" pub at the same location, must be candidates for inclusion.

My aunt ran such a pub in Wednesbury virtually alongside the Garrington metal-stamping works called "The Fortune of War". I never understood where the name came from!

 

 

EDIT

I have, since the above, found "A History of Wednesbury" http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/articles/Wednesbury/Contents.htm#contents

In the "Railways and Canals" section there is a nice picture of the GWR station.

Strangely, my Aunt's pub is not mentioned! I am checking with my extended family to see if we can find a Photo.

Also the above link seems to ignore the period between about 1925 and the 1980s. My Grandfather had a Bespoke Tailors shop (in the house front room, which was also his work-room!) almost opposite the Town Hall and adjacent to the War Memorial until the 1950s.

Edited August 6, 2012 by DonB