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.

Friday, 7 August 2026

The Railway Inn Part 27

It's a 'sign' of the times, I created 4 signs and attached them to the Inn.

Paper signs cut out ready

2 parts of the hanging sign glued together

One sign glued to one side

The other sign glued to the other side

The 3 name signs glued to a piece of plastic sheet

First 2 border sides to the larger sign glued to the plastic sheet

Remaining 4 side borders to the smaller signs glued to the plastic sheet

The top and bottom borders glued to the plastic sheet

Borders trimmed and the 3 name signs cut from the plastic sheet and the hanging sign

The large name sign glued to the front of the Inn

One small name sign glued to one side of the Inn

The other small name sign glued to the other side of the Inn

The hanging sign glued to the front of the Inn

Downpipes, waste pipes and waste pipe hopper sprayed with primer

The downpipes painted with gloss black and ready for fitting, I have left the hopper attached to the blacktac so I don't lose it

Keith

Thursday, 6 August 2026

The Railway Inn Part 26

This mornings grueling task! Spraying the Railway Inn roof with primer.

It is grey primer, but for some reason it looks white

Now it is matt white

This afternoon I painted the roof and chimney pots red, the chimney cap grey, gutters black and the bargeboards gloss white

Rear of the Inn

One end

Tother end

Front of the Inn

Sited in its location on the layout

The view visitors will see.

This evening I glued the roof onto the Railway Inn.

Testing the roof is firmly attached to the building

Also from the other side

Signal box and a section of stone wall up to it both glued in place

final section of stone walling glued alongside the signal box and final section of boundary fence and pedestrian gate for the large house glued in place

Keith

Wednesday, 5 August 2026

The Railway Inn Part 25

Today I finished the repair I started yesterday, then added the bargeboards and gutters.

Repair section primered and sprayed matt white

Repair section glued in place then painted red

4 bargeboards added

Final4 bargeboards fitted

1 section of guttering fitted

2nd section of guttering fitted

3rd section of guttering fitted

4th section of guttering fitted

5th section of guttering fitted

6th and final section of guttering fitted

The roof is now ready for spray painting tomorrow.

Keith

Tuesday, 4 August 2026

The Railway Inn Part 24

Good progress with the Railway Inn today with the completion of the replacement roof, just the bargeboards and gutters to fit.

Ridge tiles glued to the second roof section

Central and final roof section glued to the other 2 sections

Ridge tile glued on the central roof

Chimney glued into the central roof

The almost completed roof from the rear of the Inn, just the bargeboards and gutters to fit

Viewed from the front of the Inn

This evening I carried out 2 repair jobs.

Roof repaired where I cut the hole for the chimney too big

Bit of gap showing under this part of the roof

I have cut a strip of tiles to fill the gap, I will paint this strip before fitting

Keith

Monday, 3 August 2026

The Railway Inn Part 23

New sheets of roof tiles for the Railway Inn arrived today.

Ridge tiles added to the long section of roof

Viewed from one end

New short section of roof built and temporarily placed on the building to check fit

The 2 roof sections temporarily placed on the building.

Viewed from a different angle.

From the front of the Inn.

Keith

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