HADARFORD: September 2023

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.

Tuesday 26 September 2023

Castle Ruins

0-4-4-0 double Fairlie 'Earl of Merioneth' with a train of bugboxes passing through the PW depot below the castle ruins. 😊

Keith

Monday 25 September 2023

009 Society 50th Anniversary Competition

My certificate from the 009 Society arrived today, with the 3 scratch-built wagons,

which were runners up in the competition. 😊

Keith

Saturday 23 September 2023

Lift-out Bridge Repairs part 2

With the weather today being favourable, and probably the last opportunity to get the ends of the lift-out bridge and the 2 sections I cut off recently sanded down outside. It was a job I didn't want to do inside the railway room. Feeling inspired I then went on to drill 2 holes through the bridge and soldered a wire to each rail and a connector on the end to get power to the bridge. The wires and solder joints will be hidden with ballast when I reballast the track where it has fallen off during sawing the ends of the bridge off. 😊

Ends of the 2 short section to be fixed to the layout sanded down after being sawn off

One end of the bridge similarly sanded down

2 holes drilled through for the power cables

The same holes on the track side of the bridge

Wires soldered the the rails

Connecter soldered to the other ends of the new wires

Everything is now ready for attaching the 2 cut sections of bridge to the layout and to assemble the bridge supports etc. 😁

Keith

Friday 22 September 2023

009 Society 50th Anniversary and Statfold Barn Freight Train

My 009 Society 50th anniversary and Statfold Barn freight train running past Hadarford woods 😊

Keith

Monday 18 September 2023

Compressor Wagon part 2

The finished compressor wagon. 😊

Keith

Sunday 17 September 2023

Compressor Wagon

Yesterday I got to see this compressor wagon used on the Statfold Barn railway.

today I have made a rather crude attempt at scratch-building one. 😔 Built on a spare Roco chassis.

And then primered it.

Keith

Tuesday 12 September 2023

Hunslet 0-4-0st 'Charles'

Hunslet 0-4-0st 'Charles' hauling an 8 cylinder diesel engine through the PW depot. 😊

Keith

Sunday 10 September 2023

Trying Out New Lighting

Just enough time for a quick chat at the level crossing, as 4-6-0 Baldwin 'Alfred James' pulls into Hadarford station. 👋 using my new lighting for the 1st time, mounted on a spare tripod. 💡

New lighting as purchased

Mounted on a spare tripod

Keith

Thursday 7 September 2023

0-4-4-0 Double Fairlie 'Earl of Merioneth'

0-4-4-0 double Fairlie 'Earl of Merioneth' approaching Manor Road bridge with a mixed traffic train. 😊

The puzzled look on the crews faces is because they are thinking....

"Why is that pillock standing in the middle of the track taking a photograph!!" 😕

Keith

Sunday 3 September 2023

Lift-out Bridge Repairs

Ever since the 1st train crossed Hadarford's large lift-out bridge in January 2020 I have had problems with it.

An engineering problem on my part, in that the track on the layout and fiddleyard adjoining the bridge was curved and not straight. It would take a long explanation, but this was causing derailments at one end of the bridge.

I have tried various solutions, and been trying to think of a better solution. During our summer cruise I came up with the original fix, and how to implement it. It involved cutting 50mm off each end of the bridge, fixing these pieces to the layout and fiddleyard to give me a straight section of track leading into the bridge. This morning I solved the final part of the puzzle of the bridge supports and started the remedial action. I first cut 50mm off of each end of the bridge. I also cut 6 pieces of timber which will form the main part of the bridge supports at each end. All will become clear over the next few months as to how this will all come together. Having finalised the solution in my mind, I wanted to get the bridge and timber cut outside as it is a nice day, but as my wife and I are busy doing boat maintenance, and site maintenance, construction will now wait until I have the time available. yet another winter project to add to the list. See captions for details. 😊

Lift out bridge in use

Starting to cut off one end of the bridge

Timber sawn through, just the track needs sawing with a junior hacksaw

Completed cut of one end

Mystery pieces of timber

Keith

Saturday 2 September 2023

Small Mixed Train

0-4-0 'Emma' with a small mixed train passing Hadarford wood. 😊

Keith