Model Railways
Our Model Narrow Boats
Before the introduction of engines, boats were pulled by horses and sometimes mules or pairs of donkeys. Almost all breeds of horse were used, but large horses were not always suited because of some of the lower bridges on some narrow canals.
Once motor boats were introduced the most common combination of working boats on the canals came to be a pair, a powered motorboat pulling an unpowered buttyboat.
G Scale Boats
In the early days of our garden layout we had built a river but not very happy with it. We decided to fill it in and have a canal with locks instead. We asked a friend Andy of AMModels to build us two G scale boats and a set gates for a staircase of 2 locks. Andy also sent us the plans for the lock chambers. We received the boats and gates etc. in November 2002. There is a link at the end of this article to the making of the canal.
These boats are scaled down versions of 70 feet working boats in G scale at a ratio of 1:22.50.
Hood is the motor boat with a curved stern and Hood the buttyboat with the traditional tiller and pointed stern.
Hardy the 'buttyboat'
Hood the motor boat
These are the lock gates and accessories.
OO Scale Boats
We also had a river on our OO layout and asked Andy to make us two boats in OO scale. Again we decided to put a canal on this layout but we kept the river. There is a link at the end of this article to Major Changes.
OO scale has a ratio of 1:76
This was our first boat, it was made from a kit but doesn't match the quality of the others.
Hardy and Hood but this time without the covers and carrying coal. These boats made by Andy were also received in November 2002.
In March 2011 we took delivery of another boat, but this time it was a holiday boat aptly named Foxshaw Gardens.
In December 2013 we added yet another working motor boat 'Robin'
A further enhancement to the layout was the lift bridge and yes you've probably guessed this was also made by Andy.
As delivered:
Finished on the layout:
N Scale Holiday boats
We don't have any boats on the Z layout (yet) although it does have running water.
Links to:
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