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.

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.

Thursday, 2 October 2025

Half-Relief Buildings Part 1, Planning Stage

 Planning the row of 9 cottages and 2 shops (on the left end) which will make up the major part of the half relief buildings to hide the return track behind them. When I opened up my first Wills kit in 2017 and scraped myself off of the floor and realised these are not easiest kits to build, but as I was to discover they are so versatile in that you can build them how you want and not necessarily how recommended. This is what I am doing with these by moving doors and windows around to suit, and by using the walls, doors, windows and roofs which would normally be the rear of the buildings to become additional fronts so with one Post Office kit I am making a Post Office and another shop yet to be decided what it will be, and from the 2 semi-detached cottage kits I am making 8 cottage fronts. There is enough of a selection of doors, and different sized windows to create what should be quite an effective terrace. The last cottage on the right will have a partial rear as it will be the end of the terrace, this will become more evident during construction. 😊

Keith

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