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.

Friday, 2 August 2019

Level Crossing Repair.

Patience is a virtue when building a model railway. Back in November I ballasted the track, but unfortunately when it came to the level crossing, the diluted PVA glue ran down the holes where the rods, which operate the gates, from the servos came through the baseboard, and glued up the servos! I have left it till now to mull it over as to how to fix it. over the last 3 days I removed the gates from the operating rods, took out the glued up servos, removed the operating rods from the old servos and super-glued them into the new servos. Refitted the new servos, super-glued one of the gates to its operating rod, set up the electronic control board to move the gate accurately between the open and closed positions, then super-glued the other gate to its operating rod. All working perfectly now, just needs the gates repainting over the new glue.

Keith.
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