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. One 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.

Monday, 17 August 2026

Static Grass Week

 Having had problems with static grass on my previous layout, yesterday, I prepared a piece of the foam I used to created the castle mound as a test piece. First I painted it with the brown paint I used on the layout, I divided it into 4 sections (P.S. I should have taken a photo of it to show the dividing lines which can just about be seen). 1 section I left painted, the 2nd I applied ordinary PVA glue, the 3rd I used the new static grass glue I bought last week and the 4th had the old static grass glue I still had. I wanted to see which surface was most successful. First thing this morning I applied some static grass before going to our Medical centre to give a blood sample,  Upon returning home, as can be seen from the result, all 4 were the same, so the painted but untreated with glue option it is then, which will save a lot of extra work and glue.


Having dragged out my Black & Decker Workmate Workbox which houses all my static grass and 3 applicators, I am going to use it as a stool 🪑 whilst applying the grass.


2 of the 3 applicators I have which I will be using (the 3rd is specific for different use) and the hoard of various colours and sizes of static grass

I may have to use a cushion or pillow to sit on it!!

Keith

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