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, 15 October 2026

A Short Statfold Barn Train

 A short Statfold Barn train waiting in the siding

Keith

Wednesday, 14 October 2026

Dismal Failure

 Tried running a loco and carriage this afternoon, dismal failure! 🤬 The carriage caught the remaining section of stone wall behind the Railway Inn 🤬🤬 so I have had to remove it and replace it with spearpoint fencing. However the gate to the signal box has also had to be removed as it is too wide for the gap between the fencing and the signal box, not sure what to do about it, will have to think about it. 🤔

Let's hope this is the last problem. 🙏

New section of spearpoint fencing replacing the stone wall

All the original stone wall behind the Railway Inn replaced with spearpoint fencing

Keith

Monday, 12 October 2026

Not a Good Afternoon!

 Not a good afternoon today ☹️ , I went to run a passenger train round the layout to discover that the long bogied coaches were catching on the back of the Lloyds bank! 🤬  Jo helped me to take out the centre baseboard so I could get to it. I then cut away the offending section of wall, to then discover the same coach caught on the other end of the bank, which I couldn't get to, so I had to remove it from the baseboard, I wish I had done this from the start as I wouldn't have had to remove and refit the centre baseboard, which had its problems reconnecting the jumper wires between the baseboards 🤬🤬🤬. Still all done and fixed, I will have the leave testing carriages and wagons until tomorrow, too pooped now.

Keith

Saturday, 10 October 2026

0-4-2 'Talyllyn' and Test Trains

 0-4-2 'Talyllyn' emerging from Hadarford Castle mound tunnel with a passenger service, whilst 0-4-4-0 'Earll Meirionydd' and 4-6-0 'Alfred James' take on coal and water at the busy maintenance yard. 😊

Loco testing day today. I found that the stone wall alongside the Railway Inn was catching on some of the steam locos. I had known there was a problem there a few days ago, but left it to give me time to think about it. I have replaced it with spearpoint fencing. Out of 28 steam locos and 14 diesels, only 2 steam locos and 2 diesels failed,  I will have to look at them another time, but I am not too worried as they are not important locos in the scheme of things. 🚂 🛲 

I just have to check that all the carriages and wagons run round OK, but that is enough for today. 😁

Keith

Friday, 9 October 2026

Trainspotters, Pets and New Road Signs

 Trainspotters, pets and the new road signs that arrived today

4 train spotters, 2 sitting and 2 standing

Another 2 train spotters

Another dog added to the original 2

Another dog added here

A cat on the shed roof

This cat now has a kitten

This cat also has a kitten

This seated passenger now has a dog

The boy on the steps also now has a dog

A great dane relieving itself on the castle ruins!

This passenger now has a dog, from the reaction of the lady passenger either the  dog or its owner has farted!

30mph speed limit and level crossing signs

Level crossing sign on the other side of the crossing

Speed limit delimiter signs after the level crossing

Delimiter signs at the castle mound slope

30mph signs at the castle mound slope

Give way sign at the castle mound car park exit

0-4-0 'Linda' crossing the level crossing with a passenger train. Having dug out my Canon camera, eventually got the settings correct for long exposure small aperture (it has been so long since I have used this camera I have forgotten how to set it up!) and to get the remote trigger to work, the plug needed cleaning, but all sorted 📷. Now the fun begins. 😁


Keith

Wednesday, 7 October 2026

Whistle Signs

 Whistle signs added, one either side of the level crossing and one before the tunnel. 😊 About all I could do on the layout today with poor natural light ☁️



Keith

Tuesday, 6 October 2026

I Recognise this Couple! 😁 and First Posed Photo


My first posed photo of the new Hadarford with 0-4-0 saddle tank "Melba" waiting with a small freight train in the siding for 0-4-0 saddle tank "Princess" to depart the station with a passenger train, 53 weeks from the start of construction. 😊


Keith

Monday, 5 October 2026

HADARFORD Nameplate, People and Vehicles

 Having varnished the front of the layout Saturday, I got stuck into attaching the Hadarford nameplate on the front of the layout. 😊 This is to remind me what it is called, just in case I forget! 😳 🤣


A parcel arrived this morning with a pair of benches and 4 station lamps, so I installed them, then I added vehicles and workers to the loco yard and some passengers on the platform

1 of the benches and 1 of the platform lamps

The 2nd bench and another of the platform lamps

3rd platform lamp

4th platform lamp

Vehicles and workers added to the loco yard

A pair of passengers

The news kiosk has a vendor in it, with a customer

Keith

Sunday, 4 October 2026

Sheep and Other Stuff

 Lots done today on the railway layout, I found a box containing animals which I have been looking for, gave some sheep their woolly coats using my static grass plate

Communications manhole cover covering up a glue mark

Drain cover

Another drain cover behind the Railway Inn

Cellar doors at the Railway Inn

Noticeboard glued together

Noticeboard glued to the castle ruins

2 cattle

Some deer in the woods, obviously not scared of the children camping, probably because they know they will get fed

A small girl and an extra dog added to this garden scene

A cat sitting on top of a beehive

Another cat at this cottage

Yet another cat on top of the news stand

This couple now have a dog in tow

Another cat added to the one I put here previously

A badger out foraging

A pair of dogs playing

Closeup of the pheasant, probably my best ever paint job, which is why I kept it

Sheep, shepherd and sheepdog

2 horses in a field

Pair of speedy cyclists, I haven't glued them in place yet, I may move them

Keith