Birmingham New Street and Brettell Road in P4

[Jim S-W]

Let's talk about glass. Something Stourbridge is particularly renowned for.  It is believed that there has been glass production in the area for hundreds of years with a factory opening at the lower end of what is now Brettell Lane in the 1640s and production continuing in the area ever since.


You're going to need your imagination for this bit! Regular readers will know that Brettell Road is not an accurate model of the real Brettell lane but is inspired by it and the local area.  The above picture taken in August 2014 (that long already?) shows what was left of the goods yard at Moor Lane.  Brettell Lane is behind us. The line to Pensnett branched off on the left and the yard is petty much straight ahead of us. You can see the flood lights against the skyline. This was the view from the left hand end of the original version of Brettell Road and is now the view from the middle looking to the right. On the model the line is not an S curve but a continuous left hand bend.  Also the main line descends from this point on the layout while the real line rises as it goes away from us.

On the right, long gone now, there used to be a siding which served the Brierley Hill glassworks.  The buildings are still there and can just be seen behind the trees in the distance where the mainline disappears.


Another view from 2014 that shows the building being converted into apartments.  If you stand looking at the right hand end of the layout you would effectively be standing in this building.  The line runs behind it and you can just make out the ironwork of Moor Lane Bridge on the right of the picture above the yellow van.  This building is represented on the layout as part of the backscene.

Brierley Hill glass was more of the decorative, cut glass and crystal type than the industrial large sheets and I have a few shockvans as a nod to glass traffic but of course they could be carrying anything so only I know that. However thanks to a gift from my friend Tom i now have something a little more obvious...


I present you the ancient K's kit for the GWR Coral glass wagon. These were built in 1908, to 2 diagrams, by Swindon to carry large plate glass in crates.  BR briefly continued with these building 6 more examples before switching to the LMS design but even then only building 42 wagons (also at Swindon).

I decided to build one of the BR types with the main differences being (as far as i can tell) the shape of the ends of the frames, the GWR ones being more curvy, and the brake levers.  The model had been started by Tom's dad but was dunked in some cellulose thinners which dissolved the glue (but not the paint strangely) before it was reassembled using low melt solder. The kit had some nice brass buffers which were replaced with Lanarkshire models which better match the BR examples. The upper frames were cast in whitemetal and there were only 2 of them so they were replaced with brass section. A part of the original casting was soldered to the end of the underframe and reshaped to better match the BR design.  I used the slotted bearing and central pivot method of compensation as previously used on my lowmac.


In service on the layout.  As mentioned it's not really the sort of glass that Brierley Hill was known for but it is a nod to the industry.  Apparently some of the real wagons were transferred to the steel industry anyway so perhaps its on trial in the area for that reason instead?

Thanks go to Tom and his dad.

[End2end]

A very unique piece of eye catching rolling stock and wonderfully finished.
Very nice. Very nice indeed.
Thanks
End2end

[Bigmet]

...Apparently some of the real wagons were transferred to the steel industry anyway so perhaps its on trial in the area for that reason instead?...

That's me feeling challenged! I have collected a couple of the old Triang 'Trestrols' to enable two to be spliced into a scale length Trestrol EC, with the trestle framework for a plate steel load on it. (The 'offcuts' will go to make one of the closely related Weltrol EP.) Clearly this is far too many SCV's for most layouts, but I do have a rail served steel factor and fabrication business in my layout plan, and examples of these wagon types did occasionally turn up in my youth, all very fascinating.

[Jim S-W]

Any plastic bashing is good. Are you going to use the parkside trestles?

[Bigmet]

The trestle will be made from brass angle and strip, partly because that adds some useful weight, but mainly because my late father-in-law left a decent supply salvaged from his employer when he (as the site civil engineer) was involved in closing the place down; and there's nothing like using materials that came free!

[Jim S-W]

The Great British Locomotives Jinty.  The model that started this whole diversion into the late 50s era. When they first appeared (as part of a magazine series) they were so cheap that I brought a second one just so I could do a before and after picture.

Recently I dug it out but I didn't want to just do another Jinty so my focus has been on its predecessor, the Johnson designed Midland 2441 class. Just for a little bit of clarity before we go any further both classes were referred to as Jinty's or Jocko's so going forward, if I mention Jinty's I mean the later LMS Fowler 3f.

So the 2441 class.  The Midland built 60 of these which were considered as heavy goods tank engines.  They were later rebuilt by Fowler which made them look very similar indeed to a Jinty.  Initially there were 2 distinct types. with or without condensing apparatus. For those interested in these locos theres a good book on the subject, Midlands Engines No.5 by David Hunt, Bob Essery and Fred James (ISBN 1-874103-94-1)

The Model

Work required can be broken down into 2 areas.  Stuff you might want to do anyway and stuff you will need to do to depict the 2441 class. Let's start with the stuff you might want to do anyway.

The handrails need replacing as do the lamp irons. The Chimney is a bit naff as are the safety valves and whistle.  The coal rail is too chunky and the buffers are somewhat generic. The steps would benefit from something a little more refined.

For the 2441 specific bits the smokebox needs to be shortened and its saddle is a different shape. The Dome is also a different shape (more rounded) although I believe some had the more flattened off type. The front splashers are different too. The biggie is the tank sides which are taller and drop down by the cab area to be a little lower than a Jinty.  The bunker is also lower and squarer with no overhang. The footplate is actually a little longer on these locos and the fairing at the ends is different.


So let's start with the footplate.  The body of the model separates into 3 parts.  The footplate, tank sides and bunker. The boiler, smokebox and tank tops and the upper part of the cab. Handily everything is plastic so carving it up is easy. I believe that the Bachmann Jinty has a cast metal footplate so it might be a bit more tricky.

The tank sides and bunker are from 30thou plasticard topped with microstrip.  The coal rails come from my spares box (Brassmasters 1f etch) and the steps are from Mainly Trains.  Splashers are also from Brassmasters (1f again) and the buffers and vac pipes are from Lanarkshire models. The lamp irons are from Stenson models.  You can see at the back of the footplate where it's been lengthened.


Not a lot to do the cab. New rear spectacle plates from Mainly trains.


The Boiler.  I cut the smokebox back and remounted the front piece (which is separate).  It seems that the condenser fitted locos had the handrail below the upper hinge like a Jinty but the others has it mounted above the hinge.  Chimney is from my spares box (Brassmasters Jinty detailing kit I think) and the safety valves and whistles are from Markits. The top of the dome had been filled and blended into a new shape.

When it comes to the tank tops, the drawings show the filler caps to be more central and they certainly would need to be on the condensing locos as theres a big pipe in the way.  However pictures of the non condensing ones show what looks like the bracket at the front of the tank indicating that they might be at the front as seen on the model.


A little bit of fiddlyness for the ejectors. The moulded one is a bit clunky and I believe depicts a combined large and small Ejector. When I did my other Jinty I used a cast detailing part for this from (I think) London Road Models. Some 2441 class locos had these.  The fiddly one depicts an earlier type and is cobbled together from 0.4mm wire with 0.6 and 0.8mm tubing.


The assembled loco (so far)  The chassis is a High level Jinty with the frames altered to be shallower. Otherwise it's built as per the kit. I didn't go for working inside motion as you really cant see it at all on these locos.

[Bigmet]

Very neat, in particular the shallower frame of the 2441 gives it that 'earlier design' characteristic appearance. And the little drop in the side tank profile as it reaches the cab - well, people were shorter then.

... the buffers and vac pipes are from Lanarkshire models...

On this subject, an improvement to most of Bachmann's locos even if doing nothing else, replacing Bachmann's generic buffers with a superior model of the appropriate fitting lifts the appearance.

... I believe that the Bachmann Jinty has a cast metal footplate so it might be a bit more tricky...

In case it is useful to anyone, the Bach model has an all plastic shell, but assembled very robustly onto at least one casting. In the long ago, I bought quite a number of these models to supply a better Derby wheelbase mechanism to old whitemetal bodies, and sold on the 3F bodies. Then a purchaser complained the body wouldn't come apart, but happily I was able to direct him to an ur-RMweb post where there was an illustrated 'how-to'. Hopefully that solved the problem for him...

[manna]

G'Day Gents

Fantastic work. Far to much to praise every post. Huge Thumbs up.

manna

[Dad-1]

Impressive. Such small details amended & modified.
Without a library of prototype information all these subtle
changes are beyond my comprehension.
A delight to behold though.

Geoff T.

[Jim S-W]

My 2441 tank is now done.  Heres some images

I will need to straighten that station lamp.  It's amazing how things are so obvious in a photo but equally so invisible to the naked eye!


Crew by Modelu which is pretty much standard these days

Lurking

[Dad-1]

Jim,

Model an electric platform truck and park against the lamp post.
I'd lay money that such things just happened !!

Impressive as usual, nd that includes the photography.

Geoff T.

[glencairn]

The thing about this layout to me is, looking and admiring such a lovely layout. The beauty and charm and being drawn into each scene. Then before you know it life at home drags you back and there is no time to let Jim know.

Glencairn

[Jim S-W]

When my friend Tom kindly gave me the Ks kit for the Coral glass wagon (featured earlier) he also gave me another Ks kit for the 24.5t coal hopper.  Further investigation  showed that this was a kit that was based on the prototype B333000 which was not really like the production ones in that the ends were different.  I suppose back in the day this was your only option however now you can buy 24.5t hoppers ready to run this strange little oddity might have a little value as something different from what everyone else is doing.

B333000 was one of 2 prototypes and was built at Shildon. The other B333001 was built at Ashford and it seems to heave been this latter example that influenced the production run. I believe B333000 was later used for experimentation of the automated doors used for MGR trains but photos of it are rare as hens teeth.  Simon Bendall kindly supplied the only picture I had to work from.

So, breaking a golden rule I have had to make educated guesses about some of the details of this wagon. The underframe in Simons picture is very dark and looked to have been modified in some way. It was claimed the Shildon design was basically a taller 21 ton hopper and the lack of outer discharge doors kind of backs that up. So getting hold of a parkside 21t kit to use as a guide I set to work.



The hopper had some chunky mouldings on the inside of the corners that gave quite a positive location.  But as I wanted it to be empty they had to go.  I replaced the W Irons with Bill Bedford sprung ones (from my nearly depleted stocks) and Wizard model axle boxes.  These were soldered in place as supplied and when I was happy everything was square the centre of the w irons was cut away to give an open floor. The end platforms were replaced with a bit of brass as the moulded ones sat on top of the solebars and were too thick.  The kit had no hopper doors so these were made from plasticard using a parkside 21t hopper kit as a guide.

The finished wagon (well almost finished - I haven't added the door mechanism handles yet) is a bit of a heavyweight in that its 78 grammes.  About 50% more than my usual target of 50g.



The parkside kit built up.  This is the opposite of the Ks kit as while i added some lead overlays to the inside lower hopper its a tad light at only 38g.

Moving away from hoppers I've also finished of the construction phase of this...



A David Geen milk tank which I was told by the man himself when I brought it was the last one!  This uses a Rumney models chassis and has, to be honest, been a bit of  slow burner.  Its one of those kits that I just seemed to struggle to get any enthusiasm for but I'm pleased with it now it's done. I thought the hopper was heavy but this weighs in at 88 grammes!

[Dad-1]

Hi Jim,

To me that Milk Tank is king ! Love it, waiting to see when painted & decaled.
Very much both heavyweights, my little Ruston DS48 comes in at 76 gr.

Geoff T.

[glencairn]

Amazing work, Jim. Such a high standard. Love it.
Keep sharing your photographs. They are appreciated.

Glencairn