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.

Tuesday, 23 December 2025

Track Laying Part 6

 

2 days ago, I said 

"I have no inclination to do any more work on the layout now until the new year, unless I get bored".

Guess what? I lied!!

This morning I cut a short length of track to join the pair of points to the joint section at the other end of the central baseboard. 😊


At the other end of the layout I have marked where I have to drill holes through the baseboard for the drop wires from the track which will pass through the baseboard.

Close-up view

The whole section marked up

This afternoon I cut to length the final few short sections of track.

Short section of track cut to length

And another

Final short section of track cut to length completes the siding

The siding is long enough to take a loco, 3 wagons and a brake van

This only leaves the full lengths of track behind the terrace, through the station and the longer siding at the other end of the layout to finish, I actually have enough track to complete, but I have run out of fishplates and need to order some more.

Keith

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