HADARFORD

From when my Parents gave me my first train set for a Christmas present as a child, I have had an interest in model railways. I originally started in "OO" gauge, but have also built in "N" and "O" gauge. The last layout I built was my exhibition layout "Holmehurst" which was in "O" gauge, and I exhibited it around the country. Photos of it can be seen by following this link.

I inherited some "OO9" rolling stock from my late father, including a loco I built from a white metal kit for him, and ever since living on our working narrowboat Hadar I have been thinking about building a "OO9" layout.

For those who do not know, "OO9" is "OO" scale, which is 4mm to 1ft, but the track and rolling stock are narrow gauge, equivalent to 2ft gauge in real life. Modelling-wise this means that I can used standard "OO" scale buildings, people, scenery etc. of which there is a far greater range of ready built items and kits to choose from, but it has the advantage that the reduced size of the track and rolling stock means that curves can be tighter than for standard gauge, without losing a realistic look within a restricted layout size.

I had thought about building a layout in our garden alongside our mooring at the Saltisford Canal Centre, but after much thought decided that this would not be practical. However I built a small layout (now dismantled) which sat on the shelf above the display cabinet, in our saloon, which houses my "O" gauge rolling stock. Having finished it, my wife Jo suggested that when we stop selling coal I could build a layout in the hold. As we stopped selling coal at the end of 2016, I am now building the layout. This will be an ongoing record of the building of this layout.

Please feel free to leave comments, I am always interested in suggestions or questions.

Sunday, 9 May 2021

Added Weight for 2 of the Baldwin Locos

To fit the crew members in the cabs of the 2 Bachmann Baldwins recently, I had to remove the lead weight I had glued underneath the cab roofs.

Today I have been exploring the possibilities of replacing it, and discovered that the coal bunkers on the rear of the locos contained redundant loudspeakers used in the DCC versions of these locos, so I removed the speakers and their associated PCBs and filled the bunkers and the space underneath the floor with Liquid Gravity 😊

This counteracts the Liquid Gravity I previously fitted in the smokeboxes and front of the tanks. 😊

Keith

Saturday, 8 May 2021

3 More Locos Part 9

This afternoon I fitted couplings to these two locos.

Keith

3 More Locos Part 8

With the chassis' for the 3 new locos arriving yesterday, I was able to glue some "Liquid Gravity" (proprietary name for small steel shot which can easily fill very small spaces), in the smoke box end of the double Fairlie.

This morning I was able to glue some in the other end and in the other 2 new locos.

Keith

Friday, 7 May 2021

3 More Locos Part 7

All 3 Kato chassis' arrived this morning, I can now start to add some weight and couplings.

Keith

Thursday, 6 May 2021

Diesel Fuel Delivery

A much needed supply of diesel has arrived at the maintenance yard, whilst the logging loco rumbles past with a train of fully loaded coal wagons.

Keith

Wednesday, 5 May 2021

Crews for the 3 Baldwin Locos

Close-up details of the new crews in the 3 Baldwin locos. 😊

Keith

Monday, 3 May 2021

Baldwins Double-heading

A pair of Baldwins double-heading a down passenger service passing below the castle retaining wall.

It wasn't very clear in the above photo that both engines now have crew, this photo should clear that up.

All 3 Baldwins now have crew onboard. 😊

Keith

Sunday, 2 May 2021

The Double Fairlie on Sunday Passenger Duty

Keith

Saturday, 1 May 2021

3 More Locos Part 6

I temporarily fitted the caricature double Fairlie body onto a chassis from one of my diesels, I have to order a chassis for it and the other 2 locos.

Also awaiting nameplates to finish 😊

Definitely looks better with the coupling painted black.

Keith

Friday, 30 April 2021

3 More Locos Part 5

Spent quite a bit of time today creating a sieve with 2mm holes.

Then crushed up some coal in a plastic bag and then hitting with a hammer.

Then sifted through the new sieve.

Then sifted through a tea strainer to remove the finer dust to leave pieces of coal of a suitable size.

Then carefully placed pieces in all the coal bunkers on all 3 locos before dropping in a touch of diluted PVA glue.

Keith

Wednesday, 28 April 2021

3 More Locos Part 4

Coat of matt black, then touched up the green, then touched up the black, then touched up the green, and finally touched up the black.

Some very awkward places to paint especially where green and black meet where only the longest very narrow paintbrush can reach.

Keith

Tuesday, 27 April 2021

3 More Locos Part 3

Coat of Brunswick green applied this morning.

Keith

Monday, 26 April 2021

3 More Locos Part 2

All 3 locos primered, will leave them overnight to dry.

Keith

3 More Locos

Friday the double Fairlie loco arrived (the white loco on the right), called a double Fairlie because it is basically built as 2 locos joined together with a common cab in the centre, designed so it did not need turning when it reached each end of the railway.

The other 2 locos arrived this morning.

They are all now soaking in caustic soda prior to spraying with primer paint.

Keith

Saturday, 24 April 2021

Mouse Watching

Megan Wright's cat Blacky has a good spot for watching for mice in Megan's veg patch.

But to me it looks like he has fallen asleep in the warm sunshine.

Keith

Wednesday, 21 April 2021

Resident Cat

Rose Radcliffe's white cat is strutting home atop the newsagents yard wall despite an unsuccessful mouse hunt :( I have come up with names for the human residents of Hadarford, guess I will have to think about doing the same for their pets. :)