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.

Saturday, 15 April 2017

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.

SAM_7975

 

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.

SAM_7974

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.

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