HADARFORD: November 2017

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, 26 November 2017

Ballast Goes under the Shutts.

Since returning from our Autumn cruise, we had intended to put the bricks in the hold which we had picked up on our way into Birmingham, under the shutts for ballast. But unfortunately my prolapsed disc decided to come out again when we got back to our mooring and it has taken until today for my back to recover enough to consider putting the bricks under the shutts this morning, probably about 2½ tonnes filled up the space, the remaining ⅙ tonne, 167 kg will go around the water tank once we can get near it. The important thing today was to get the boxes of stuff we had temporarily stored on the pontoon whilst we were out back inside the boat especially now we are getting frost overnight.

Keith.

Saturday, 11 November 2017

Another Addition to the Steam Loco Fleet for Hadarford

Keith.

Thursday, 9 November 2017

New Addition to Hadarfords Motive Power Fleet

Newest addition to my motive power fleet for Hadarford.

I was impressed with the maroon coloured Bemo loco that I inherited from my father and I have been watching out for a new one, which arrived today, in the blue livery. It has been well worth the wait.

Keith