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, 11 August 2022

Caricature Bo-Bo's D581 'Peggy' and D661 'Tim' passing Hadarford lock with a heavy coal train. 😊

Keith

Monday, 8 August 2022

Busy Day

2-6-0 'Doris' emerging from Hadarford tunnel with an up passenger service, whilst 0-6-0 saddle tank 'Wendy' takes on coal and 0-4-0 'Hadar' awaits to take on diesel. 😊

Keith

Sunday, 7 August 2022

3 Baldwins

A very rare sight, all 3 Baldwins, 'Joanne', 'Keith' and 'Alfred James' running light through Hadarford station. 😊

Keith

Saturday, 6 August 2022

'Princess'

0-4-0 'Princess' on bugbox duty passing Hadarford wood 😊

Keith

Thursday, 4 August 2022

The Return Journey

0-6-2 'Alfred Henry' and 0-6-0 'Sooty' returning with the well wagons now carrying loads passing Hadarford lock. 😊

Keith

Wednesday, 3 August 2022

'Sooty', 'Alfred Henry' and 'Emma'

0-6-0 'Sooty' and 0-6-2 'Alfred Henry' ahead of a train of empty well wagons passing 0-4-0 'Emma' waiting to depart the wharf siding with a small freight train. 😊

Keith

Tuesday, 2 August 2022

Mail Service

Boxcab 'Haedi' on the up mail service passing Hadarford lock. 😊

Keith

Sunday, 31 July 2022

Double Double Fairlie Take

Double double Fairlie take as 'Pandora' waits for 'Merddin Emrys' to clear the line with the down passenger service before departing with the up service. 😊

Keith

Saturday, 30 July 2022

Bo-Bo Diesel 'Marmite'

Bo-Bo diesel 'Marmite' passing Hadarford lock with a mixed freight train. 😊

Keith

Friday, 29 July 2022

Lamp Lenses

This morning I added some 2mm gems to some of my locos to simulates lamp lenses. 😊

Before

After

Before

After

Keith

Horsebox Special

Bo-Bo 'Victoria' on a horsebox special, whilst 0-4-0 'Hadar' waits to depart the wharf siding. 😊

Keith

Tuesday, 26 July 2022

Gardens and Veg Patches of Hadarford

Hadarford farmhouse front garden

Hadarford farmhouse rear garden and veg patch

Hadarford farm cottages gardens and veg patches

One of the Hadarford farm cottages veg patch

The other Hadarford farm cottages veg patch

Beeton cottage front garden

Beeton cottage rear garden and veg patch

Long cottage gardens

Canalside cottages front gardens

Canalside cottage veg patch

Hadarford Lodge gardens

Lock cottage gardens

Keith

Monday, 25 July 2022

Summer Camping

The Beeton children camping in Beeton Woods.

Sylvia Turner is about to join then. 😊

Keith

Saturday, 23 July 2022

Engine Crews Part 2

Today I finished fitting the new loco crews to the remaining locos, these photos are of them and the ones I did yesterday. All the locos now have crews, except the caricature diesels which unfortunately do not lend themselves to having crews fitted, but I can live with that. 😊

Keith

Friday, 22 July 2022

Engine Crews

Busy day today, finishing off painting these loco crews, and fitting some of them to 6 of my locos that still need them, I will fit some more tomorrow. 😊

Keith

Running Light

0-6-0 diesel 'Becky' and brake truck 'Orson' running light through the PW depot 😊 #modelrailway #narrowgauge #hadarford hadarford.uk

Keith

Thursday, 21 July 2022

Special Service

0-4-4-0 'Paddy' on a 'Special' service passing under Manor Road. 😊

Keith

Sunday, 17 July 2022

2nd Lift Out Bridge

This is the 2nd lift out bridge at the other end of the room with 0-4-0 'Leo' exiting Hadarford tunnel with the bugboxes.

The doors behind lead to our saloon. 😊

Keith

Tuesday, 12 July 2022

Hadarford Station

0-4-0 'Princess' with the 'up' passenger service, and 0-6-0 Baldwin 'Joanne' ahead of the 'down' passenger service both taking on passengers at Hadarford station 😊

Keith

Monday, 11 July 2022

Hadarford Tunnel

0-4-0 tank engine 'Emma' emerging from Hadarford tunnel with a train of empty flats, fireman Bill Jones is checking all is well behind 😊

Keith

Sunday, 10 July 2022

'Beryl' and 'Alfred Henry'

0-6-0 saddle tank 'Beryl' assisting 0-6-2 'Alfred Henry' hauling heavy tanker wagons past Hadarford wood.

Keith

Saturday, 9 July 2022

Double Double Fairlie

Double double Fairlie special summer service with 'Merddin Emrys' and 'Pandora' on duty. ☺️

Keith

Thursday, 7 July 2022

New Crew for 'Merddin Emrys' Part 2

Today I painted the new crew for 'Merddin Emrys', they are the same crew as for 'Princess' and fit nicely in the cab of 'Merddin Emrys', both crews posing with both locos alongside Hadarford wharf. 😁

Keith

Wednesday, 6 July 2022

New Crew for 'Merddin Emrys'

This morning a new crew for the new double Fairlie 'Merddin Emrys' arrived this morning, this afternoon I primed them ready for painting 😁

Keith

Saturday, 2 July 2022

'Merddin Emrys'

Having returned from our travels I am back into railway mode.

'Merddin Emrys' ready to depart 'Hadarford' station, newly arrived this morning from Great Eastern Models 😊

Keith

Friday, 29 April 2022

2022 Travels

'Hadarford' always looks very different with rolling stock and road vehicles removed and safely stored away for travelling, and protective screening fitted in case of little fingers of visitors. 😊.

All ready for setting off tomorrow for a couple of months. 😁

Keith