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.

Monday 31 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 13

This morning I assembled a side wall.

This afternoon scratch-built the sloping side wall for the bridge just to finish it off..


Keith


Saturday 29 August 2020

Small Guards Van and Short, Bogied Coach Part 4

 Transfers applied to the guards van.


Transfers also applied to the short bogie coach.

Keith

Friday 28 August 2020

Small Guards Van and Short, Bogied Coach Part 3

 The nearly completed coach and guards van, they just need some transfers to complete.



Keith


Thursday 27 August 2020

Small Guards Van and Short, Bogied Coach Part 2

 This morning I applied the glue to the ballast, so whilst waiting for it to dry I painted the short bogie coach and guards van.



Keith

Wednesday 26 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 12

 It has taken all day today to lay the ballast.

Using the handle of a teaspoon to shovel the ballast onto and alongside the track.


Using a small paintbrush to move the ballast into place.


The completed corner section.


The main section.


Up to the bridge at the fiddle-yard.


I will be gluing it tomorrow.
Keith

Tuesday 25 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 11

With the retaining walls fixed in place this morning, this afternoon I replaced the Superquick brick papers on the front of the layout with the Metcalfe cards, which now match the retaining walls.



Keith

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 10

 Just one of the difficulties of building a model railway on a narrowboat, the new retaining wall is along the hull side, and due to the tumbledown of the hull sides I have had to create this spacers to go on the backs of the wall sections. 


Having created them and glued them to the backs of each section.

 I have now glued all the retaining wall in place.

Keith.

Monday 24 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 9

 The final 3 sections of retaining wall assembled today, which now completes the whole wall.



Keith


Sunday 23 August 2020

Small Guards Van and Short, Bogied Coach

 Small guards van and short, bogied coach built and primered.

Keith

Friday 21 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 8

 Final section of back-scene fixed in place. 

The tree is to hide some wires from view.


Keith


Thursday 20 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 7

Back-scene glued in place.



A backing for the retaining wall from the corner to the lift-out bridge cut from a scrap piece of wood fixed in place.

I have come to a halt with the retaining wall production as I have run out of glue, awaiting some more in the post.

I have decided to add a small baseboard in the corner behind the retaining wall, cut and temporarily fitted, but I will need to add the remaining back-scene 1st before fixing this new baseboard in place.


Keith

Wednesday 19 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 6

 Another 5 sections of retaining wall assembled today.

Including scratch-building the corner post.

Keith

Tuesday 18 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 5

 A further 4 sections of retaining wall assembled today, halfway there, 8 out of the 16 sections completed.

Keith

Monday 17 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 4

 Another 3 sections of retaining wall assembled today.

Keith

Sunday 16 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 3

 Bridge and 1st section of retaining wall constructed. 

The bridge was the difficult bit as it is skewed so I have had to adapt the kit as best I could. 




Only another 15 sections of retaining wall to construct!

Keith

Saturday 15 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic Part 2

 1st stage of adding this section of railway to the landscaped layout.

Brick wall edging extended from the corner to the fiddle-yard.



Keith

Friday 14 August 2020

Non-Scenic Section of Layout to Become Scenic

Ever since I made the video of the train travelling around the whole layout, I have thought that the section from the end of the fiddle-yard to the smaller lift-out bridge, as in the 1st 2 photos, needed to be added the the scenic part of the layout. 

More-so since adding the brick paper to the lift-out bridge and the bridge approaches.



This morning I received in the post the final kits to create retaining walls, the bridge which will go in front of the end of the fiddle-yard, and some more brick papers for the front edge. 

Keith

Tuesday 11 August 2020

Mini Class 20 & 47 Part 3

This morning I received the 2 chassis's for the mini class 20 and 47.
I fitted them, then posed them with the class 37.
They have had the lion symbol transfers applied.




Keith