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.

Sunday, 15 March 2026

Ballast Laying Part 1

 During yesterday I had turned the baseboard I was working on by 90° to make it easier to work on the castle mound as in the 1st photo. The intention was to lay the ballast under the tunnel portal before proceeding with construction of the mound. I did lay the ballast under the mound and out into the open but due to the location of the board it was not possible to access all the track easily to continue with the ballast. On previous layouts I had always laid all the ballast in one go, then applied the glue. I was having a dilemma, do I only ballast this section and join the rest on later, or turn the baseboard 90° with the loose ballast on it, so this morning and very carefully I lifted the board and turned it the required 90°, PHEW!! Ballast all still in location as in the 2nd photo.

Baseboard before lifting and turning

Successfully turned giving easier access to the rest of the track for ballasting

Buffer stop glued on the end of the siding

Piece of card sellotaped to the end of the baseboard to stop ballast dropping off the end

The natural light started to fade so a lamp was called for, and the air ambulance was in case of an emergency!

Tipping a small quantity of ballast on the track with the teaspoon

Using a fine paintbrush to manoeuvre the ballast in to place between the sleepers

As much as I could achieve this afternoon, I did mention it was a long slow process

Keith

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