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. One 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.

Thursday, 18 June 2026

Pavements Part 8

 I have made a start on creating the base for the Railway Inn, including the roadside pavement, path to the side and service area to the rear of the Railway Inn. ๐Ÿ˜

I have placed the template for the inn where it will be sited when built, I learnt today that the replacement brick walling sheets for the inn were put in the post today so should be arriving soon and I will be able to get back to building it.

I had started to build the Wills Craftsman kit of the 'Black Horse Inn' but having struggled to cut the plastic brick wall sheets over a few days I contacted the suppliers and they informed me they had had a bad batch of brick walling supplied and were going to send me replacement sheets.

Keith

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Stone Walling Part 1

 Cutting and gluing stone walling onto the layout.

Small section of stone wall adjoining the fence behind the tunnel portal

New stone wall alongside the road leading up to the castle car park

Stone walling and fence completed alongside the castle mound approach road and access gates to the front of the large house

Keith

Monday, 15 June 2026

Extremely Busy and Arduous Day

 Extremely busy and arduous day today, cutting to size and gluing this section of fencing above the tunnel portal!! ๐Ÿคจ

Keith

Sunday, 14 June 2026

Gluing Sunday

 I have glued 3 buildings in the maintenance yard, the large detached house, its surrounding stone wall, and a pair of roadside gates ๐Ÿ˜€

2 buildings in the yard glued in place

3rd building and coal bunker in the yard glued down

Large detached house by the castle mound glued down

Stone wall around the large detached house glued in place, Not quite sure where this will end, should be up against the signal box, but until I have built the Station Inn and I know where the signal box goes it stays unfinished for now

Further small section of stone wall added along with a pair of roadside gates

Keith

Wednesday, 10 June 2026

Half-Relief Buildings Part 40

 This half-relief pharmacy arrived this morning, it goes between the cottage hospital (handy for the hospital) and the Linden hotel and completes the row of half-relief buildings at the back of the layout. ๐Ÿ˜Š



The full length of the half-relief buildings apart from those on the far baseboard which isn't in siti at present

Keith

Saturday, 6 June 2026

Half-Relief Buildings Part 39

 My wife picked up this half-relief building of 'Lindene Hotel' for me from our local drop off point this morning, it is the penultimate one for the backscene, the final building to fill the last gap next to it is in the post and should be arriving soon. I have glued a backing on the rear of the hotel, 1st piece of work I have done to the layout for 9 days!!. ๐Ÿ˜€



Backing glued on the rear of the hotel

Keith

Thursday, 4 June 2026

Flexible Stone Walling

I have purchased this flexible stone walling off of eBay. Being flexible it can be curved to different shapes which rigid resin walls cannot.. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/227367924168.


You get 3 sections and one laser cut gate in each pack.


Keith