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.

Tuesday 8 August 2017

Coaling Stage / Fuelling Stage

Having bought a ready made coaling stage, I have decided to convert the one I built, along with the engine shed, to a fuelling stage for the diesel engines.

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I have finished painting the stonework and painted and attached a fuel storage tank to it. It will need further work on it to finish it, such as pipelines from the tank via some sort of pump and thence to the locos, but I need to think about how I am going to achieve this.

Keith..

Thursday 3 August 2017

Cattle Dock 5

Cattle dock finished today with the posts, railings and gates painted.

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Keith.

Wednesday 2 August 2017

Cottage Kit 8

Today I repainted the cottage I built recently as I was not happy with it white, it didn’t look right to me, so I have painted it cream.

The top 2 pictures on the top are the repainted cream colour and the 2 on the bottom are the original white colour.

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Keith.

Cattle Dock 4

Today I painted the stonework of the cattle dock.

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Keith.