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.

This is a full record of the building of the original layout, and having moved into a flat in Warwick and sold our narrowboat, this will now cover the building of the New Hadarford in our flat.

Please feel free to leave comments, I am always interested in suggestions or questions.

Wednesday, 28 January 2026

Soldering Station and Completion of Half-Relief Buildings

 A soldering fume extractor arrived this morning, it sits nicely behind my soldering station.


I glued white card to the rear of the terrace this afternoon, this now completes the terrace.

Keith

Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Curtains Part 2

 Today I finished fitting the final curtains to the windows of the terrace.

Each pair of curtains is cut from the sheet and using a pair of tweezers folds are put into the curtain

Strips of card are glued to each curtain tab so the curtain stands away from the window

Righthand cottage finished

First pair of cottages finished

Second pair of cottages finished

Third pair of cottages finished

Fourth pair of cottages finished

Model Shop and adjoining cottage finished

Post Office and adjoining cottage finished

Keith

Monday, 26 January 2026

 Not much done today, I have gone as far as I can by adding a pair of wires (1 red 1 black) to each Smartfrog ready to wire to the track, which I will do when all wires are connected to the Smartfrogs. I have ordered more different coloured wire (blue, green & yellow) to be able to proceed further.

Each pair of red and black wires connected to this pair of Smartfrogs

The other pair of red and black wires connected to the other pair of Smartfrogs

Keith

Friday, 23 January 2026

Wiring for Point Operation

 Some much needed wire arrived this morning, hooray!

I have had to change the 4 way connection blocks to 6 way between the central baseboard and the lefthand one to accommodate the 12vDC supply for the Smartfrogs

The original 4 way block one baseboard

Replaced by a 6 way block, repeated on the adjacent baseboard

Ribbon cables from these 2 servos clipped down onto the underside of the baseboard

All 4 ribbon cables connected to the Smartswitch and clipped down

Wiring from the Smartfrogs to the Smartswitch for the 2 closest servos

Ribbon cables for the other 2 servos running through the central baseboard

12vDC wires connected to 2 of the Smartfrogs

The 12vDC power distributed from the connection block

Ribbon cables passing through the baseboard joint and 12vDC to the inter-board connection block

The 12vDC wired from the inter-board connection block on the left-hand baseboard to the remaining 2 Smartfrogs

I made a discovery today. Just one of the 3 fishplates I have had to replace because one end of the fishplate was not on the rail but underneath it, I have had to cut each sleeper each side, cut the webbing in between, slid them out of the way to be able to slide the fishplate back and then onto the other rail, the cut sleepers then glued back in place


Keith

Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Point Operation Part 4

 A good morning with a task achieved which I was dreading! Creating and fitting the operating rods that pass through the baseboard from a servo and through the small hole in the tie-bar of the point. I took my time with the 1st one, but it was easier than I thought it was going to be.

2 bends in the end of the piece of 0.6mm wire to attach to the servo horn

Wire hooked onto the servo horn

The hole in the point tie bar that the wire has to go through

1st servo refitted with the operating wire passing through the baseboard

The operating wire on the track side of the baseboard

Operating wire cut down to length

1st pair completed, 2nd pair were also completed

I created the 4 jumper wires which will connect the track wiring across the 2 baseboard joints.

One pair of inter-baseboard jumpers made and fitted to one baseboard

Second pair of inter-baseboard jumpers made and fitted to the other baseboard

After lunch I glued 5 pieces of track down onto the baseboard using Evostik, the rest of the track is held in place with the drop wires enough until I ballast the track.

Siding on the left-hand baseboard glued down

Siding on the right-hand baseboard glued down

3 long straight lengths of track on the central baseboard glued down

Keith

Monday, 19 January 2026

Point Operation Part 3

 This afternoon some small washers arrived in a very big bag!


New washers fitted to one of the servo mounting blocks

Washers fitted to the Smartswitch

Washers fitted to one of the Smartfrogs

Both Smartfrogs and servo mounting blocks now fitted with washers

Bad light stopped play. ☁️

Keith

Sunday, 18 January 2026

Point Operation Part 2

 Second and final pair of servos temporarily fitted  to the central baseboard this morning. That is as far as I can go at the moment as I am awaiting washers and wire in the post to be able to proceed further, no rush. 😊

Keith

Saturday, 17 January 2026

Point Operation Part 1

 I have assembled all 4 servos into their mounting brackets and attached the servo horns (the white plastic arms) then I temporarily fitted 2 of them onto the left-hand baseboard (I say temporarily as I am awaiting some washers in the post as the screw heads pull through the holes in the brackets, and wider screws would be too long).


2 of the servos temporarily fitted and cables secured in clips

Keith

Track Wiring Part 7

 This afternoon I fixed a dummy mains socket and back plate underneath the central baseboard so that I can plug the plug-top transformer for the Smartswitch and Smartfrogs in, when not in use.


I also wired up the 2 isolation switches on the left-hand baseboard 


The completed track wiring on the left-hand baseboard

Keith

Friday, 16 January 2026

Track Wiring Part 6

 This morning I had a rethink and decided to move the 5 boxes associated with the Smartswitch to give easier access for wiring up. The first 3 photos are the original positions.

Original position of the main Smartswitch box on the central baseboard

Original position of the 2 Smartfrogs on the central baseboard

Original position of the other 2 Smartfrogs on the right-hand baseboard

Main Smartswitch box and 2 Smartfrog boxes on the central baseboard repositioned as well as the connecting block for the power lead

2 Smartfrog boxes on the right-hand baseboard repositioned

This afternoon I completed the track wiring on the 3rd and final baseboard, all ready for soldering tomorrow.

One quarter of the baseboard marked up with identifying colours ready for wiring

3rd and final baseboard track wiring completed ready for soldering

This is all that is left of the 10 metres of wire I purchased for the job

Keith