Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
You’re right Dave. It does need a little tweak to put a very slight curve in.
Brettell Road, 1960s black country (ish)
- Thread starter Jim S-W
- Start date
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
Been busy doing the fiddly bits of track for Brettell Road part 2.
Ok, this is just a B9 on a slight curve, not exactly fiddly.
This is a bit more entertaining though. Ive tried a slightly different approach from my usual norm by using more copper clad and building more in situ than i usually do. I normally build the crossing assembly away from the layout but decided this time to only assemble the vees themselves remotely. I think its a bit quicker and allows a little more wiggle room doing it this way.
The view from the bridge.
No matter how designed you think something is theres always some tweaks needed when you see the thing in the flesh. I never noticed how the 2 vees had ended up virtually on top of each other.
You can see here how the middle road has been realigned. The original alignment showing through under the sleepers.
Another tweak is the position of the signal box. I don't think I fully took into account the curve and the sighting lines are worse than I thought they would be where I put it originally.
By moving it to to the other platform and along to the left a bit the sighting lines are much better.
So the signal box will go here instead. I will need to move the steps to the near end an I plan to fit deeper windows so that it more like a type 3 box.
Ok, this is just a B9 on a slight curve, not exactly fiddly.
This is a bit more entertaining though. Ive tried a slightly different approach from my usual norm by using more copper clad and building more in situ than i usually do. I normally build the crossing assembly away from the layout but decided this time to only assemble the vees themselves remotely. I think its a bit quicker and allows a little more wiggle room doing it this way.
The view from the bridge.
No matter how designed you think something is theres always some tweaks needed when you see the thing in the flesh. I never noticed how the 2 vees had ended up virtually on top of each other.
You can see here how the middle road has been realigned. The original alignment showing through under the sleepers.
Another tweak is the position of the signal box. I don't think I fully took into account the curve and the sighting lines are worse than I thought they would be where I put it originally.
By moving it to to the other platform and along to the left a bit the sighting lines are much better.
So the signal box will go here instead. I will need to move the steps to the near end an I plan to fit deeper windows so that it more like a type 3 box.
Mike Garwood
Western Thunderer
Fair play Jim, you don't waste time. Looks really exciting and a lot of fun to play with.
Mike
Mike
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
With the track and wiring done on Brettell Road part 2 thoughts have turned to the landscaping of the yard.
Before I could start on the yard I needed to get the road in as this will need to be blended into the yard. The parts for this were cut out at Tim's but I did add a layer of 1mm balsa to the road and sanded a camber into it. The thing with laser cutters is they are so neat. By using 2mm mdf for the pavements i could carve away some of the slabs to make it all look a bit more scruffy. I also cut a few of the slabs out completely on the laser so that I could add plasticard instead and do a couple of raised slabs. Brettell Road is set well before the 'where theres blame theres a claim' culture. I guess people back then just looked where they were going or called themselves an idiot if they ended up on their backsides!
This is my nod to Brierley Hill's level street. Which if you've ever been there, is anything but level! At the bottom is a now abandoned level crossing (the real Level street had 2 that were part of the Round Oak system). The line it was on now forms the back siding. The road will need more work yet and weathering but this was far enough to let me move to the yard.
I've never done inlaid track before and, added to the bright idea to have different levels, I figured the easiest way would be to infill the gaps with layers of balsa The top layer is 1mm thick and is glued to various different shapes underneath as I didn't want it to be all that flat. The infill in the track is 1.5mm balsa as I figured a half mill difference between the surface and the rail would aid track cleaning and wouldn't be noticeable. I used track pins to hold it all together as well as PVA. Incidentally, I think this was the first time I've ever brought track pins!
Despite my half mil' gap idea i was still a little concerned that track cleaning would result in patches of nice fresh wood showing through. So rather than paint I decided to stain the wood black.
Time for another new (to me) product. I've used 2 colours of 'mud' from WWS Scenics. Peat and dark brown. These are like a very smooth liquidly filer. I used the peat first with the dark brown over the top. Applied with a plastic spatular and then stippled with a large brush. Ive also added some tire marks and a light sprinkle of chinchilla dust while it was still wet. More to do to it yet but I'm pleased with how it's coming along so far. Lets just say the yard at Brettell Road was somewhat agricultural!
Model Muds 100ml | WWScenics
Before I could start on the yard I needed to get the road in as this will need to be blended into the yard. The parts for this were cut out at Tim's but I did add a layer of 1mm balsa to the road and sanded a camber into it. The thing with laser cutters is they are so neat. By using 2mm mdf for the pavements i could carve away some of the slabs to make it all look a bit more scruffy. I also cut a few of the slabs out completely on the laser so that I could add plasticard instead and do a couple of raised slabs. Brettell Road is set well before the 'where theres blame theres a claim' culture. I guess people back then just looked where they were going or called themselves an idiot if they ended up on their backsides!
This is my nod to Brierley Hill's level street. Which if you've ever been there, is anything but level! At the bottom is a now abandoned level crossing (the real Level street had 2 that were part of the Round Oak system). The line it was on now forms the back siding. The road will need more work yet and weathering but this was far enough to let me move to the yard.
I've never done inlaid track before and, added to the bright idea to have different levels, I figured the easiest way would be to infill the gaps with layers of balsa The top layer is 1mm thick and is glued to various different shapes underneath as I didn't want it to be all that flat. The infill in the track is 1.5mm balsa as I figured a half mill difference between the surface and the rail would aid track cleaning and wouldn't be noticeable. I used track pins to hold it all together as well as PVA. Incidentally, I think this was the first time I've ever brought track pins!
Despite my half mil' gap idea i was still a little concerned that track cleaning would result in patches of nice fresh wood showing through. So rather than paint I decided to stain the wood black.
Time for another new (to me) product. I've used 2 colours of 'mud' from WWS Scenics. Peat and dark brown. These are like a very smooth liquidly filer. I used the peat first with the dark brown over the top. Applied with a plastic spatular and then stippled with a large brush. Ive also added some tire marks and a light sprinkle of chinchilla dust while it was still wet. More to do to it yet but I'm pleased with how it's coming along so far. Lets just say the yard at Brettell Road was somewhat agricultural!
Model Muds 100ml | WWScenics
Level Street, what an inappropriate name. Very steep, 2 level crossings as mentioned a half hump back bridge over the canal, 5 houses 3 of which where public houses, a scrap yard (still there) and the back was into the steel works. Back in the early 1960s when I worked there and the pubs closed at 10pm this way was used to fetch in the beer for the afternoon shift. Alternately if you where on good terms with the night shift they would get in by 9.45 to give you a chance.
Now just a big shopping center.
A fascinating area for railway and canals. If interested lookout for 'The Pensnett Railway' by Ned Williams
Regards
Allen
Now just a big shopping center.
A fascinating area for railway and canals. If interested lookout for 'The Pensnett Railway' by Ned Williams
Regards
Allen
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
This post kind of jumps around a little but lets start with a simple wagon as we've not had one of those for a while.
LMS diagram 1973 mineral wagon. These were a little odd as they had no end doors just side ones. The model was created by splicing 2 sections of the Dapol (ex Airfix) mineral wagon body together and mating the result with a Parkside 12 ft wheelbase chassis. The W-irons are Bill Bedford, door springs Rumney models and buffers from Accurascale.
Both the real Brettell Lane and Round Oak stations had central supports under the bridges. As this will be right at the end of the layout, under a bridge and in the dark I didn't feel I had to go mad as a silhouette is pretty much all thats needed. The main pillars are actually nothing more than a couple of Hornby gradient supports spliced together.
I mentioned in a recent post that i needed to reverse my signal box so the steps are at the opposite end. Thats ticked off now and the results can be seen above. To see the original build click here. Getting the most from older models.
Moving back to the layout itself the much modified Airfix crane has now been planted and the yard track has been ballasted and suitably 'neglected'.
Overall view of the yard so far.
LMS diagram 1973 mineral wagon. These were a little odd as they had no end doors just side ones. The model was created by splicing 2 sections of the Dapol (ex Airfix) mineral wagon body together and mating the result with a Parkside 12 ft wheelbase chassis. The W-irons are Bill Bedford, door springs Rumney models and buffers from Accurascale.
Both the real Brettell Lane and Round Oak stations had central supports under the bridges. As this will be right at the end of the layout, under a bridge and in the dark I didn't feel I had to go mad as a silhouette is pretty much all thats needed. The main pillars are actually nothing more than a couple of Hornby gradient supports spliced together.
I mentioned in a recent post that i needed to reverse my signal box so the steps are at the opposite end. Thats ticked off now and the results can be seen above. To see the original build click here. Getting the most from older models.
Moving back to the layout itself the much modified Airfix crane has now been planted and the yard track has been ballasted and suitably 'neglected'.
Overall view of the yard so far.
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
Ive been a bit busy. All the track is not ballasted and the first stage of weathering in complete. I have also put the platforms in.
The sides and tops were cut when I was over at Tims. The brick platform edges are something Tim developed and they do look really smart.
Overview from the Stourbridge end.
And from the Dudley end
Co-Bo lurks in the weeds.
Up until now i have resisted the urge to plonk the building in place but my resistance has now caved.
View from under the bridge. This gives a good idea of the elevation changes in the yard. And before anyone says anything, doing the point rodding was probably a bit of a pointless exercise if I'm honest!
The sides and tops were cut when I was over at Tims. The brick platform edges are something Tim developed and they do look really smart.
Overview from the Stourbridge end.
And from the Dudley end
Co-Bo lurks in the weeds.
Up until now i have resisted the urge to plonk the building in place but my resistance has now caved.
View from under the bridge. This gives a good idea of the elevation changes in the yard. And before anyone says anything, doing the point rodding was probably a bit of a pointless exercise if I'm honest!
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
I've reached the stage where all the significant greenery is pretty much done and I can move on to some titivating of parts of the layout.
I've made a basic wooden fence to block off the line that crossed the road originally. The rudimentary gate (which looks like it hasn't been actually used for years) is simply a few bits of 1x1mm brass soldered together.
Proverbially walking up the road a little we come to the station signs. These are based on a photo I found somewhere. The fading on the signs themselves was actually an accident. The result of me handling the printout a little too early.
Continuing our walk we come to this. What can be more of a model railway cliché than the good old bus on a bridge? Well since I am not going to be doing any buses for this layout I have gone for a midlands style bus stop instead. The main column was something I had in my spares box. The rain on the layout is always going to be going left to right as you look at it, so it makes sense that the autumn leaves and litter do the same. The top of the bridge is particularity known by the locals as being a bit blustery. (Theres actually a real location nearby known locally as 'windy corner')
Peering over the bridge we see the lower end of the station footpath. The Midland style fencing and wire fencing posts both come from Scale Model Scenery as does the little beware of trains sign.
Looking back at the bridge we just walked over. The girder is 2 of my previously designed etches combined together. I still need to add the top capping to the sloping walls yet.
Overview looking towards Stourbridge. The 2 buildings are still just loosely placed at this stage.
... and towards Dudley. You'll have to use your imagination for the moment for fill in the bridge and the wall on the left.
Old warning sign from Ambis Engineering
A train! Remember those?
I've made a basic wooden fence to block off the line that crossed the road originally. The rudimentary gate (which looks like it hasn't been actually used for years) is simply a few bits of 1x1mm brass soldered together.
Proverbially walking up the road a little we come to the station signs. These are based on a photo I found somewhere. The fading on the signs themselves was actually an accident. The result of me handling the printout a little too early.
Continuing our walk we come to this. What can be more of a model railway cliché than the good old bus on a bridge? Well since I am not going to be doing any buses for this layout I have gone for a midlands style bus stop instead. The main column was something I had in my spares box. The rain on the layout is always going to be going left to right as you look at it, so it makes sense that the autumn leaves and litter do the same. The top of the bridge is particularity known by the locals as being a bit blustery. (Theres actually a real location nearby known locally as 'windy corner')
Peering over the bridge we see the lower end of the station footpath. The Midland style fencing and wire fencing posts both come from Scale Model Scenery as does the little beware of trains sign.
Looking back at the bridge we just walked over. The girder is 2 of my previously designed etches combined together. I still need to add the top capping to the sloping walls yet.
Overview looking towards Stourbridge. The 2 buildings are still just loosely placed at this stage.
... and towards Dudley. You'll have to use your imagination for the moment for fill in the bridge and the wall on the left.
Old warning sign from Ambis Engineering
A train! Remember those?
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
With the Stourbridge end of the layout looking half decent attention has turned to the Dudley end of the new boards or the middle of the layout. Theres a few things that jarred about this scene now that it's more open. Before you couldn't really see them. The pavement doesn't flow properly and there are big gaps at the end of the bridge girder. Also the lower part wasn't finished. When I designed the bridge I did have the foresight to include a half etch to allow the rivets on this side to be punched through. However when I built it i didn't bother! Ive already pulled up the road.
So the road and pavements have been redone. I made an overlay for the bridge from paper. The pub sign is from Model scenics and features our much missed cat Moo. The figures are from Modelu.
The bridge from track level. Ive added the retaining walls with some nifty top capping that Tim kindly cut for me.
Turning around we see an overview of the somewhat neglected platforms.
An overview of progress so far.
I've added a scattering of people from Modelu and Airfix. I thought the lady with the umbrella was particularly suitable. I still need to do more work to bed this end of the building in. Considering this is the rush hour theres not many people about.
The station has 2 cats. The sensible one is Shadow while the mischievous one who wants to play is comet They are more interested in chasing each other than the local rat population!
On the other platform a couple of elder ladies discuss the immanent closure of the station with the station master.
A gent waits for the bus. It's late as usual!
Now that the some of the lighting is in place a few evening shots.
Mike Garwood
Western Thunderer
Absolutely fabulous work Jim!
Mike
Mike
As your are in the early 1960s have you got a train of condemned wood body wagons to be shunted onto the Pensnet Railway at Wallows Road. There the bodies would be burnt then the metal cut up to go into the (normally) arc furnaces.
Alas I remember it (sort of) well.
Regards
Allen Morgan
Alas I remember it (sort of) well.
Regards
Allen Morgan
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
No but that’s not a bad idea at all
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
With my first demo in a few years (my first exhibition in any form in a few years actually) coming up in a few weeks*, I thought it an idea to do a couple of in progress lorries as a change to all the finished stuff I usually drag along to this sort of thing.
Both are Langley kits and were chosen for absolutely no other reason than they popped up cheaply on ebay! OK they were a little interesting anyway and i thought the dumpy little Dodge 5 ton tipper truck was kinda cute. The Milk tanker is a Leyland Beaver and both hail from the end of the 40s so they would likely be pretty tired by the time they reach Brettell Road. The make do and mend attitude of the Black Country would mean they might soldier on for that long but the impending Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations of 1960 must mean their days are likely numbered!
*see here News – P4NewStreet
Both are Langley kits and were chosen for absolutely no other reason than they popped up cheaply on ebay! OK they were a little interesting anyway and i thought the dumpy little Dodge 5 ton tipper truck was kinda cute. The Milk tanker is a Leyland Beaver and both hail from the end of the 40s so they would likely be pretty tired by the time they reach Brettell Road. The make do and mend attitude of the Black Country would mean they might soldier on for that long but the impending Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations of 1960 must mean their days are likely numbered!
*see here News – P4NewStreet
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
Remember the diagram 1973 mineral wagon I posted a few entries ago? As pointed out at the time I missed some of the reinforcing bits that were added after they were built. Im not sure how as they were in the prototype pictures I was looking at! Anyway thats been corrected now
Ive finished off a few Bachmann RTR wagons too.
The steel high-fit was actually already done. Ive just added a container to it. The other 2 are actually 2 of the 3 vans I first brought for the layout. Discounted in Modellers Mecca bargain bin! The tarpaulin is black latex cut from a surgical glove.
When I built the retaining wall for this side of the bridge I did intend to do something a little more substantial but decided that It would look weird if the wall was 2 different designs. However a friend mentioned that the buttresses looked a little too puny so I reverted to what i should have done originally and modified the existing wall to match. I admit I did want something more grandiose than this but for where it is it wouldn't have made a lot of sense to have something to elaborate. I definitely don't subscribe to that inane 'rule 1' idea of its your layout do what you want. There has to be some degree of plausibility in there somewhere.
Clutter - What is a yard if it doesn't have some clutter in it? Much like the retaining walls though you don't want to go too mad. At the end of the day this is someones product and they aren't all that likely to leave it lying around on the floor.
So I opted for 3 small groups of stuff as can be seen above.
I always wanted some coal facility and I had this in mind when I built my tractor. Again nothing too posh, no coal staithes or anything like that - just a few piles and some more clutter. The steps, scales and the conveyor (behind the tractor) are 3D prints kindly donated by my friend John.
Finally a couple more evening shots.
Ive finished off a few Bachmann RTR wagons too.
The steel high-fit was actually already done. Ive just added a container to it. The other 2 are actually 2 of the 3 vans I first brought for the layout. Discounted in Modellers Mecca bargain bin! The tarpaulin is black latex cut from a surgical glove.
When I built the retaining wall for this side of the bridge I did intend to do something a little more substantial but decided that It would look weird if the wall was 2 different designs. However a friend mentioned that the buttresses looked a little too puny so I reverted to what i should have done originally and modified the existing wall to match. I admit I did want something more grandiose than this but for where it is it wouldn't have made a lot of sense to have something to elaborate. I definitely don't subscribe to that inane 'rule 1' idea of its your layout do what you want. There has to be some degree of plausibility in there somewhere.
Clutter - What is a yard if it doesn't have some clutter in it? Much like the retaining walls though you don't want to go too mad. At the end of the day this is someones product and they aren't all that likely to leave it lying around on the floor.
So I opted for 3 small groups of stuff as can be seen above.
I always wanted some coal facility and I had this in mind when I built my tractor. Again nothing too posh, no coal staithes or anything like that - just a few piles and some more clutter. The steps, scales and the conveyor (behind the tractor) are 3D prints kindly donated by my friend John.
Finally a couple more evening shots.
Overseer
Western Thunderer
Jim,
I hope you don't mind me commenting on the D1973 mineral wagon after you have reworked it. The 'reinforcing bits' were to allow the wagons to be used in mechanised coaling towers and rotary tipplers - the added corner angles and extra angles on the side T irons all protruded the same distance and were parallel with the wagon side to support the wagon as it was tipped over sideways in the tippler, along with the added angle along the top of the wagon side. The wagon looks a bit odd with them sloping in to the top. From looking back to the earlier photo of the model I realise the model you used has sloping or diminishing T irons but the D1973 wagons had only a short diminishing section at the top of the T irons, which the added angles stopped short of.
Don't feel you have to change it again, not many people will know the function of the extra steelwork. The layout is looking great btw.
Edit: The date of introduction in the mid 1930s coincides with LMS building wagon hoist mechanised coaling towers. Anyone seen a photo of a D1973 wagon actually being lifted?
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michael mott
Western Thunderer
This brings back so many memories of my childhood, watching the workmen from the Acton County Council working on leveling the pavement slabs on Twyford Road where I grew up. Probably one of the reasons I didn't become a champion roller skater Those pavements were brutal with the old steel wheeled strap on skates.
Lovely work on the track by the way.
Michael