HADARFORD

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 am now building the layout. This will be an ongoing record of the building of this layout.

Please feel free to leave comments, I am always interested in suggestions or questions.

Thursday, 27 February 2020

Westland Sea King Helicopter Part 13

The completed Sea King helicopter on a training exercise over Hadarford.

Keith.

Westland Sea King Helicopter Part 13

White stripes added to the tail rotor blades.

Keith.

Wednesday, 26 February 2020

Button Fender and Tip-cat for Sun

This afternoon I had a go at creating a 2nd button fender by tying a West Country Whipping around a pin which was pushed through a hole drilled in the plastic tip-cat. I think it has worked better than the 1st one.

It is now fixed to the stern of "Sun"

Keith.

D.U.K.W. Part 2

All the construction work on the D.U.K.W. finished, just needs the finishing paintwork, the crew painted and added.

They arrived this afternoon.

Keith.

Tuesday, 25 February 2020

D.U.K.W.

Although I bought the model D.U.K.W. for the fenders to go on the model of Hadar, I have started to assemble and paint it rather than throw it away.

Keith.

Westland Sea King Helicopter Part 12

This morning I went to check on the decals on the helicopter to find that some of the red/white/red tips to the tail rotor blades had dropped off.

Then the tail rotor parted company from the helicopter.

Then 3 of the red/white/red tips magically disappeared, thus sealing their fate.

I have painted the red on one side of the blades and as it is enamel paint I have to wait until tomorrow before I can turn it over and paint the other side.

I am in 2 minds as to whether to attempt the paint the white stripe across the middle of the red, or just leave them red?

Keith.

Monday, 24 February 2020

Westland Sea King Helicopter Part 11

Decals applied to the Sea King.

Keith.

Westland Sea King Helicopter Part 10

This morning I painted both the main and tail rotors of the Sea King helicopter, this now completes the painting, it just needs the decals adding.

Keith.

Sunday, 23 February 2020

Westland Sea King Helicopter Part 9

Today I finally gave up on painting the Westland Sea King helicopter yellow.

Having applied 5 coats it looked awful.

I painted it one coat of green, and that is all it needed.

I then marked on a sheet of graph paper the 72° angles for the 5 rotor blades, then glued them together.

Having left them to full set, I then attached them to the helicopter.

Keith.

Saturday, 22 February 2020

Brake Van No.5

Brake van No.5, 6ft wheelbase the biggest on Hadarford, assembled and painted.

Just needs a roof, chimney, couplings and guards lamp to finish, but that will be tomorrows job.

Glazing, roof and chimney fitted this evening.

Couplings and guards lamp fitted which completes the guards van.

Keith.

Last 2 Loco Coal Bunkers

Having filled the 2 new loco coal bunkers, this morning I thought I would try to do the same with the last 2 which in this case had plastic coal in their bunkers.

I wasn't looking forward to doing this, especially the loco on the right which was well stacked.

The result, looking a lot better.

Keith.

Friday, 21 February 2020

Guards Lamps

This morning I attached guards lamps to the 4 brake vans.

One attached to the 4 wheel brake coach.

One attached to the bogie brake coach.

Keith.

New Locos Coal Bunkers

Yesterday I glued some coal in the bunkers of the new locos.

This morning the glue had dried.

Keith.

Thursday, 20 February 2020

Tip-Cats & Button Fenders for Hadar

Ever since I made the canal scene on Hadarford I have been very aware that the model of Hadar does not have the 2 tip-cats and 1 button fender on the stern. Recently on eBay I discovered this kit of a D.U.K.W. which in the picture advertising it, were a set of tip-cats, excellent! I bought it, and it arrived Monday,

Having been busy since then painting locos, this morning I cut off 2 of the tip-cats, glued string to them, glued them together, painted them.

Then attached them to the stern of Hadar.

This afternoon I made an attempt at making a button fender, not the best in the world, but it will do.

I will make the D.U.K.W. at some time, minus the fenders, and occasionally have it trundling along one of the roads, along with a couple of other military vehicles as if they are on their way to an reenactment event.

Keith.