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, 7 January 2026

Track Laying Part 10

 Production line techniques this afternoon. I had the remaining 8 pieces of track to add drop wires to, and to fit to complete the first baseboard.

6 of the 8 pieces of track

Each piece had to have sections of webbing between the sleepers cut away where the drop wires will go

12 pieces of wire cut to length, I had to cut a further 4 pieces I had forgot

Twisting the insulation as it is pulled off puts a twist in the wire

all 16 pieces stripped of insulation

The ends of all 16 pieces tinned with solder

Holding each wire in a vice saves burnt fingers! and stops the wire dancing across the workbench

12 pieces tinned then the ends bent at 90°

2 pieces ready to be soldered to the rails

2 pieces soldered to the rails

Insulation stripped off

All 8 pieces completed today now fitted to the baseboard

This now completes this baseboard apart from actually gluing the track down, but that will be for another day. 😊

Keith

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