When the warehouses and industrial area was built by the local Landowner and
MP, Sir Jedidiah Mortlake, the nearby river was a convenient source for the move-
ment of goods. However. over time the river began to silt up making transport of
said goods more difficult. Conveniently at this time the local mainline railway
company proposed to build a branch line to a nearby town. Sir Jedidiah studying
the proposed route realised that by a smalt change of route his industrial area
could be connected to the mainline. but the railway company refused his sug-
gestion. Outraged and determined to keep his business profitable and out of spite
he decided to build his own industrial railway from Fenn Street down to the
branch line, operated by his own locomotives. Fen St yard as depicted in the lay-
out is now coming towards the end of its useful life. Sir Jedidiah is long gone. and
accountants have taken over. For them the railway is not profitable so it will be
run down so that they have a convenient excuse to transfer any business left to
road transport. In reality the layout has been built to show that you don't need
masses of room to have an absorbing model railway in 0 gauge. The original lay-
out builder has moved on to another layout and Fenn Street Yard was acquired.
This is our second layout available on the exhibition circuit and among our small
circle of friends two more are under construction!
