: The Railway Inn Part 21

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.

Saturday, 1 August 2026

The Railway Inn Part 21

Detail painting of the Railway Inn this morning and afternoon.

Not that you can see it, but this morning I painted the window casements gloss white and then the 2 doors and 3 upper windows cills gloss black

I have done the same to the rear of the Inn

Chimney flue inspection hatch painted gloss black

To allow the paint some time to dry I vacuumed up the loose green flock on the castle mound now the glue had set

After lunch I painted all the fancy tiles red, and all the lower window and door surrounds grey

Same again on the end of the Inn

Same again to the rear of the Inn

Fancy tiles painted red on this end wall and each side of the chimney, chimney crown painted grey and chimney pots red

Glazing added to all the windows 🪟