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.

Saturday 30 November 2019

Dogs, Cats, Swans, Geese and Ducks

Today I added some more dogs.









And some cats





Some swans.



Some geese.


And some ducks.


Keith.

Friday 29 November 2019

Mourners and Towpath Walkers

Today I have painted some more figures, some I have added to the existing mourners in the churchyard.



Also some more towpath walkers.



And some inquisitive gongoozlers at the narrowboats carrying coal.


Keith.

Thursday 28 November 2019

Horse and Rider and Cyclists

Today I acquired and added this horse and rider.


Also these 2 cyclists.

Keith.

Wednesday 27 November 2019

Chickens and Pigs

This morning I strew some straw in the pig sty, and fixed Christmas & New Year the 2 pigs in place.
I also fixed in place the chickens around the chicken coop that I painted recently. 

Keith.

Sunday 24 November 2019

Carriage Transfers Part 2

Today I added the recently acquired crests to the coaching stock.



I also repainted the rail-motor to match the coaching stock, and then added the transfers.

Keith.

Wednesday 20 November 2019

More Farm Animals

Recently I purchased a set of the Airfix Farm Stock. I selected the ones I wanted, and resold the others on eBay.
These are the ones I kept, a shire horse, 4 cows, 2 rams, 12 sheep and a sheepdog.
I painted them, and the sprue of chickens which had come with the chicken coop kit.


The shire horse is now with the other horses in the cow field, the cows are in the cowshed. 
The chickens I will put on the layout tomorrow.
The sheep have replaced the very thin Modelscene ones at the front of the layout along with the sheepdog.

Keith.

Towpath Walkers

Today I painted and fixed in place these towpath walkers.



Keith.

Tuesday 19 November 2019

Carriage Transfers

This afternoon I attached the various transfers to the carriages.


Keith.

Road Signs

Today I created and fixed in place these road signs.






Keith.

Monday 18 November 2019

Weathering

You know when you are getting close to completing a model railway when you start using the weathering powders.

Farmyard suitably weathered.

Keith.

Sunday 17 November 2019

Greenhouse Contents

Today I converted some leftover strawberry plants at the rear of the foam, into tomato plants at the front.


Some of them I fixed to the floor of one greenhouse.


Put the floor and tomato plants into the greenhouse.


Refitted the greenhouse behind the cowshed.


Then I added some more to another greenhouse, along with some stored pumpkins.


And refitted the greenhouse in the grounds of Hadarford Lodge.

Keith.

Station Name-boards.

Today I made 2 name-boards for the station.
As I wasn't sure what size to make the letters I printed out a sheet of different sized names.
From these I selected and cut out the 4mm ones, which I thought would be the correct size.


I then glued each one to a piece of card.


I then added the white frame around each board.


I then added the posts, I have used T-section girder.


Then I glued them in place.



Keith.