: December 2025

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, 4 December 2025

Half-Relief Buildings Part 30

This afternoon I finished the 2nd shade of grey to the terrace.

I still have the chimneys to do in the same 2 shades of grey, but not today, too much strain on my eyes with it starting to get dark, I prefer natural light to artificial to work by. ☀️🌤️⛅️🌥️☁️

Keith

Wednesday, 3 December 2025

Half-Relief Buildings Part 30

This afternoon I painted 2 sections of the terrace with the second shade of grey. At this stage it is easier as I don't have to decide which stones to paint, I only have to paint every unpainted stone

The corner that adjoins the cottage hospital

Keith

Tuesday, 2 December 2025

Half-Relief Buildings Part 29

I have painted the last cottage and the two shops

I got this far by lunchtime

Jo took this photo of me painting

The complete terrace has had its first shade of grey

Keith

Monday, 1 December 2025

Half-Relief Buildings Part 28

Today I started painting each individual stone of the terrace cottages. I am not counting them as I go, but there are a lot of them!! I am using two shades of grey. I have completed one shade of grey on the first three sections, four more sections to go then I can start the other shade of grey. 😊

I started at the end, when I realised that the two upper ones I painted first would not be seen!!

Part way across the first cottage

First cottage finished

A further 2 sections (2 pairs of cottages) completed

Keith

Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)