HADARFORD: January 2021

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, 31 January 2021

View of Hadarford

D661 on the down passenger service, whilst D201 waits in the wharf siding ready to depart with a small freight train 😊

Keith

Saturday, 30 January 2021

View of Hadarford

D581 hauling a mixed freight down past Hadarford lock.

Keith

Thursday, 28 January 2021

New Video Journey

Having added the extra landscaping from the fiddleyard to Hadarford tunnel (the long retaining wall, PW depot and castle ruins) I have redone the train journey video, actually got it right 1st time!!

Keith

View of Hadarford

The blue DB V 251on the up passenger service passing through the PW depot below the castle ruins, with dog walkers and children playing with their ball, enjoying the outdoors.

Keith

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Adding Weight

Yesterday I prepared the latest 4 mini loco bodies with dividing bulkheads and covered exhaust ports ready to add weight in the form of "Liquid Lead" to give some weight to them to increase their tractive effort as the plastic bodies and chassis' are very light.

Today I added Liquid Lead to each one, then poured glue over to fix them in place.

The 4 bodies in a temporary cradle ready for the Liquid Lead to be added.

Liquid Lead added to each loco and one has had the glue poured in.

All 4 locos have had the glue poured in.

Keith

Hibberd & Co. 4wDM Diesel Loco in Service

The Hibberd & Co. 4wDM is immediately pressed into service on the down goods passing Hadarford wharf.

Keith

Tuesday, 26 January 2021

Hibberd & Co. 4wDM Diesel Loco Part 8

Final touch adding the two vacuum brake pipes to each end of the Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM.

Keith

Monday, 25 January 2021

Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM Diesel Loco Part 7

I have just added an engine driver to the Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM diesel loco, as with the almost greenhouse like windows it needed someone in the cab.

Keith

New Diesels Display

I gave all 5 mini locos a coat of varnish this morning to protect the transfers, pictured with the also completed Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM.

Then the original diesel fleet joined them in an exhibition to the public.

Keith

Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM Diesel Loco Part 6

Glazing added to the Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM diesel loco this morning and body varnished to protect the transfers now completes this loco.

Keith

Sunday, 24 January 2021

Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM Diesel Loco Part 5 and Dundas Open Wagon Part 3

Transfers applied to the Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM diesel loco and the open wagon.

Keith

Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM Diesel Loco Part 4

All 20 handrails added to the Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM diesel loco.

Keith

Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM Diesel Loco Part 3

1st of 20 handrails for the Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM diesel loco.

Bent to shape from a piece of piano wire.

Cut to length and ready for fitting to the loco.

Keith

Saturday, 23 January 2021

Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM Diesel Loco Part 2

Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM diesel loco painting completed, just the transfers to apply, glazing and handrails to fit.

Keith

Dundas Open Wagon Part 2

Today I painted the open wagon, it just needs transfers to complete.

Keith

Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM Diesel Loco

13 days ago I purchased this model of a Hibberd & Co. "Planet" 4wDM diesel loco and Fleishmann 0-4-0 chassis which arrived 8 days ago.

Since then I have been trying to work out how to fix the Fleishmann chassis to the whitemetal body.

This morning I came up with a solution using the existing screw hole in the chassis, which I had to drill out to fit the only spare screw I had, and drilled a smaller hole in the whitemetal body for the screw to thread into.

I then added 2 plastic strips to the body to set it at a reasonable height on the chassis and drilled the fixing hole through the plastic.

The Fleishmann 0-4-0 chassis

View inside the cab with the roof removed and chassis fitted.

Side view of the body and fitted chassis.

As the body came primered it is now ready for spray painting.

Keith

Thursday, 21 January 2021

Dundas Open Wagon

This morning and after lunch I assembled this Dundas open wagon kit and added Greenwich couplings

Just needs painting.

Keith

Mini Diesel Numbering Part 2

Day 4 sees the 4 mini locos with their complete numbers on one side.

I am having to do just 1 character a day on each loco to allow each character to set overnight.

Just the other sides to do over the next 4 days.

Keith

Tuesday, 19 January 2021

AEC Matador and 5½" Gun

Over the past week I have been making this kit of an AEC Matador and accompanying 5½" gun.

It has joined the other military vehicles in my re-enactment group.

Keith

Monday, 18 January 2021

Mini Diesel Numbering

Today I made a start the tedious task of numbering the next 4 mini locos, having completed the 37 some time ago.

I have added the letter D's to the other 4 locos, tomorrow will be the 1st digit of 3.

I am using a numbering scheme I have come up with, by starting the number with the D as used in the early diesel era of BR, the 1st 2 digits are the class number and the 3rd and final digit the loco number in the class, hence the 37 is D371.