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 27 June 2020

Brickwork around the Lift-Out Bridges

Having applied brick paper to the 2 lift-out bridges yesterday, today I have added some finishing touches either side of each bridge.
This is the saloon side of the shorter bridge.



The same bridge from the railway room side.



I have extended the walling to the corner section.


This is the longer bridge.


Keith

Friday 26 June 2020

Brickwork on Lift-Out Bridge

I have applied some brick paper to one side of one of the lift-out bridges.
Although technically not part of the layout I think it looks better. 


The other lift-out bridge has had the same treatment as well.


Keith

Ice Cream Anyone?

Keith

Wednesday 24 June 2020

Smallest Diesel Hauling Freight Through Hadarford

A little bit of weight (there wasn't a lot of room inside) added to my smallest 0-4-0 diesel loco makes a lot of difference to its tractive effort hauling these 32 wagons up a 1:70 gradient through Hadarford.


Managed to get the same train to run a lot slower and a more realistic speed.


Keith

Adding Weight to Locos

Today I have been adding weight to some of my locos to give them more traction.
Every space is used in all the locos.





Keith

Monday 22 June 2020

Converting 2 Triang TT Gauge Fruit Vans into 009

The set of 10 underframes arrived today.
I am going to use 4 of them on the 2 Triang TT gauge fruit vans.


Each pair of underframes was cut to fit the length of the vans.


The protrusions on the undersides of the 2 vans were removed.


Each pair of underframes were glued to underneath each van.


Wheels and couplings added.


Just need painting.


This evening I painted them.


Transfers applied.


Including the very small tonnage markings. (bottom left corner)

Keith.

Thursday 18 June 2020

35ft Box Van Part 3

This morning I painted the box van and removed the Peco couplings and fitted Greenwich couplings.



This afternoon I applied the transfers, which now completes the model.


Pictured next to the 25ft box van. 

Keith

Wednesday 17 June 2020

35ft Box Van Part 3

Good progress with the new box van today, door frames and bracing fitted.


Underframe constructed.


All ready for painting.



Compared with the previous van and 1 of my bogie carriages.


Primered, ready for final painting.


Keith

Tuesday 16 June 2020

Brace of Baldwin's double-heading through Hadarford.

Keith

Sorting out the last Problem With the Track

Since getting trains running on Hadarford I have had one or two problems with derailments and uncoupling. I have slowly been working through these problems.

Yesterday I fitted Greenwich couplings to the 5 Peco L&B carriages which have been giving me the most problems with uncoupling.

1st test train with all 5 carriages was almost successful, in that there is now no uncoupling, but they still keep derailing at one joint of the long lift-out bridge. There is no obvious reason for this, as the rails align perfectly, and the track gauge is correct.

I know they say you shouldn't use a spirit level on a boat, but having placed it on the lift-out bridge it had become obvious that the bridge should be lower on the right end due to the rise of the boat, but it is higher.


Not by much, but add this to the baseboard of the fiddleyard which does have a natural slope, there is peak at the bridge joint. Closer inspection has shown a gap has appeared between the baseboard and the timber frame of the fiddleyard. The 1st thing to do was to remove this gap.


I have added some screws to pull the baseboard back down onto the framework.


This of course means the bridge is higher than the fiddleyard baseboard.


However for some reason, which I cannot remember why I did it, I added a thin strip of wood to raise the bridge up to meet the baseboard which can be seen in this photo.


Removing this strip of wood has brought the bridge down to the same level as the baseboard.


New positioning piece added.


The track height on bridges needs adjusting a bit before I can run a test train.

Track height has been adjusted and a test rain ran for half an hour and no derailments. 😊

Keith.

Sunday 14 June 2020

35ft Box Van Part 2

Doors added.


End wall beams added.


This is as far as I can go at the moment  as I am awaiting a delivery of more plastic strips.

Keith

Saturday 13 June 2020

35ft Box Van

Today I have made a start on another scratch-built box van. 
This one is longer, at 140mm equivalent to 35', which is the same length of my bogie carriages.
The floor, 2 sides, 2 ends, 2 internal walls (marked with the X), and 6 pairs of doors cut to size and scored with glasspaper to simulate wood grain. 
I have included the last box van I made to compare the size.


2 sides, 2 ends and the 6 pairs of doors scored to simulate the individual planks.


Floor, sides, ends and internal walls all glued together.


Solebars added.


Buffer beams added.


Bogie Supports made.


Bogie supports fitted to the underside of the van.


Bogies fitted.


Enough for today.

Keith