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 18 September 2018

Modified Top Lock Gates

Today I have modified the 2 top lock gates for the canal lock. I realised after close inspection of the photo below of a real GU top gate that having added the extra paddle gear which was missing I now had 4 posts, and should only have 3, the one at the windlass winding end, and 2 paddle gear posts. This was because I had added a spare set of paddle gear as supplied. I also noticed that as supplied the hand rails on top gates are attached to the paddle gear and not the other side of the gate as I had done according to the kit.


IMG_0367b

I have removed the excess post, added an extra section of rod to replace where the extra post was, and fixed the handrails on the correct side of the gate, actually attached to the paddle gear posts. If you look closely you can see in the photo of the unpainted gates the extra post, which is now removed, and the handrails on the wrong side of the gate.

IMG_0387b

The photo of a real GU top lock gate is how they should look.

GU Lock 17

I think this is about as close as I will get as there are variations so not too fussed. For example, some top gate handrails do not have the curve but are square as in this photo, so there is definitely some leeway allowable.

GU Lock 16b

Keith.

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