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 thislink.
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 SaltisfordCanal 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.
This is a full record of the building of the original layout, and having moved into a flat in Warwick and sold our narrowboat, this will now cover the building of the New Hadarford in our flat.
Please feel free to leave comments, I am always interested in suggestions or questions.
Wednesday, 6 November 2019
Ferns, Elder-flower, Cow Parsley and a Visitor.
This afternoon I completed making the remaining ferns and fixed them, and the ready made ones, on the layout.
The visitor had me intrigued; initial thought was 'snake', but that didn't seem correct, so I copied the picture into Photoshop. When magnified to 600% I decided 'Otter on a piece of fallen wood' seemed most likely, although by now the outline was a little blurred. What I was surprised about was how well the other elements in the picture stood up to close study. The grass, shorter and slightly muddy along the walked line of the tow path; the bushes, and the concrete pilings, with their retaining bar.
The visitor had me intrigued; initial thought was 'snake', but that didn't seem correct, so I copied the picture into Photoshop. When magnified to 600% I decided 'Otter on a piece of fallen wood' seemed most likely, although by now the outline was a little blurred.
ReplyDeleteWhat I was surprised about was how well the other elements in the picture stood up to close study. The grass, shorter and slightly muddy along the walked line of the tow path; the bushes, and the concrete pilings, with their retaining bar.
Really very good!
Wrong, it is a stoat.
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