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 have now built the layout. This is now a full record of the building of this layout and any new additions along the way.

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

Monday 2 January 2017

Version 5 Model almost finished

I have been busy painting the 5th version of the model of my model railway Hadarford today.

SAM_7666bSAM_7668

It is not quite complete, I still have to add some of the buildings to it, and the areas of trees, similar to what I did on version 4. In this version I have represented the rail track with the silver colour. The wider section between the station platforms is double track allowing me to have trains, in opposite directions, to pass each other. In comparison to the previous version there is a lot less rail track and it cuts out the large amount which was hidden underneath scenery. I am a bit worried that the road sections, especially along the rear of the layout crossing the canal at the canal bridge, are a bit straight, but I can vary this with the actual layout. By having only the one canal lock in this version, because there is no rail track underneath, it means the canal does not dominate the layout and I am able to create a more complex station area. I may replace these photos with ones taken outside tomorrow, but by the time I had finished today it was too dark outside to take photos.

Keith.

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