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 have now built the layout. This is now a full record of the building of this layout and any new additions along the way.

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

Sunday 30 April 2017

Kit Building 13

Today I illuminated the Post Office with an led.

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I also finished constructing the cottage interiors. Apart from the bedrooms seen in this photo, I have also done the downstairs rooms, but they are difficult to photograph, you will just have to take my word for it.

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Keith.

Thursday 27 April 2017

Kit Building 12

Yesterday evening I started the building of the interiors, this is inside the Post Office.

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Today I have built, painted, glazed and attached the conservatory.

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Keith.

Wednesday 26 April 2017

Hadarford Village

This is what Hadarford Village should eventually look like. I thought it was about time to see if all the buildings I have purchased, and the Post Office and cottages I am in the process of building, will fit in the space I have set aside for the village, alongside the canal lock.

Hadarford Village

From left to right and rear to front, Hadarford House, The Boat Inn, empty hair salon, Post Office and cottages, large thatched cottage, small thatched cottage, lock side stores and lock keepers’ cottage, village hall and finally the vicarage.

This is pretty much how I had imagined it, and I am very pleased with the resultant layout of the buildings.

Keith.

Kit Building 11

Busy morning, adding the final doors, windows, door canopies, post-box and Post Office sign.

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Close-up detail of the Post Office frontage.

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The rear of the terrace.

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Keith.

Tuesday 25 April 2017

Kit Building 10

Today I have fitted 2 of the doors and all the windows to the front of the terrace. I am waiting for the paint on the other 2 doors to dry overnight.

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I was not going to bother fitting lintels and window sills to the rear of the model as it will not be seen, but today I changed my mind and fitted and primered them. I also white primered the internal walls, which is how they will remain.

Keith.

Monday 24 April 2017

Kit Building 9

Painting the stonework walls is now finished. Sunday I finished painting the stonework with 2 shades of grey. I also painted the lintels and window sills.

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Today was spent going over the paintwork touching up the edged of stones which I had not quite got right the over the weekend. Having completed the base colours I then dry-brushed with black paint to give the stonework surface depth. I also primered the windows, doors and some other details ready for gloss painting tomorrow.

Keith.

Saturday 22 April 2017

Kit Building 8

First steps in painting the walls. Each individual stone is painted separately. Those that I have missed I will paint a different shade of grey.

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Keith.

Friday 21 April 2017

Kit Building 7

First stage of painting, a coat of primer.

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Keith.

Kit building 6 - Chimneys, Lintels & Window Sills

This is one of the 2 chimneys at either ends of the terrace that I built yesterday. because I was able to cut them from the same sheet of walling, I was able to continue the mortar lines around the corners, and with a little work with a Stanley knife and some emery paper, the desired effect is not too bad. Fortunately the joint of unmatched stonework,which is unavoidable, is at the rear of both chimneys, so not noticeable.

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Today I have cut and fixed the window sills and lintels to the window apertures. I have not added lintels to the tops of the door apertures as I will be adding the provided canopies over the doors so the lintels would not be visible anyway.

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Close-up view of some of the window sills and lintels. I have decided not to add such detail to the rear of these buildings as they will not be seen. The wall joint visible in this photo where the 2 wall sheets have been joined will be hidden behind a guttering downpipe, but I won’t add that until after I have painted the stonework, which is the next step over the weekend.

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Keith.

Tuesday 18 April 2017

Pillbox and Chicken Coop

Whilst building the combined Post Office and cottages, I have also built and painted a pillbox and chicken coop.

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Keith.

Sunday 16 April 2017

Kit Building 5

The final section of wall attend to the terrace.

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In cutting out the door and window apertures, I have gone through 5 Stanley knife blades, at both ends of each blade.

Keith

Kit Building Part 4

The last section of wall being glued into place using the magnetic clamps which work really well in keeping the joint in place and square.

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Keith

Kit Building Part 3

 

These 2 photos show the edges of the apertures of 2 of the windows. This close-up detail is to illustrate how the window and door apertures have to have the smooth edges, after cutting out, cut-in around the stonework to match the mortar work.

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Keith.

Saturday 15 April 2017

Kit Building 2

2 of the 3 cottage walls now attached to the Post Office.

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Keith.

Kit Building

I have made a start on assembling 2 building kits which I am going to join together to make a terrace of a Post Office and 2 cottages. In the photo below the bottom section of wall is as it comes in the kit. Each wall section has to be cut to size and marked out as in the section of wall in the middle of the photo. Then the door and window apertures have to be cut out. The small piece of wall on the right is an end wall. These 3 pieces will form the 2 cottages.

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In the picture below is the 3 wall sections for the Post Office assembled, which will be joined to the cottages to form the terrace.

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These are definitely the hardest kits I have ever made. I was contemplating not making them, but I have been unable to find rebuilt models to use in place of them. I have actually found them easier to build that I originally thought.

Keith.

Thursday 13 April 2017

Another Garage

I received another garage in the post today.

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Keith.

Saturday 8 April 2017

Lock Keepers Cottage and Garage

Both the lock keepers cottage and garage that I purchased on eBay arrived this morning.

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With the previously purchased canal side stores this now completes the actual buildings at the bottom lock of the Hatton Flight of locks on the Grand Union Canal just north of Warwick and our home mooring in the Saltisford Arm.

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This garage will find a home alongside one of the buildings on the layout.

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Keith.