Misterton Fen Tramway - Alas no more!

Sadly today I have to report that I have pretty much pulled the plug on the Misterton Fen Tramway.  I could understand if you have managed to miss this little project, it was covered only on the NGRM Online forum and development was sporadic to say the least.

The story actually started with a plan to build an industrial style O9 layout, using the green battery loco illustrated in the last entry.  After a short period 'on hiatus' the scheme grew a little in size and became a 18" gauge Lincolnshire fen tramway, serving the potato fields and other agricultural needs of the area.

The original industrial version had been about 12" x 14" - the scenic section was to be the same size as a box file.  The agricultural version grew (pun only marginally intended) to about 19" x 12".  I created a full blown mock-up in cardboard....

The MFT mock-up in cardboard.

As can be seen, by now motive power was the Knightwing bash.  In the meantime there had been a Keef loco built, but I'll save that for another day.  A backscene would have enclosed the left hand end of the layout, featuring a 'flat' of a farmhouse.  The centre area would have housed a tank (modified Knightwing) and a small workshop, which was designed around this Cararama garage set:

Cararama garage set - all for £5.99!

The workshop building was the only part of the project to reach an advanced stage, constructed around the (much modified) walls of the Cararama diorama and mostly made from mounting card, covered with Slater's brick plasticard and Howard Scenics brick arches over Airfix engine shed windows:

Workshop under construction.

Having completed the roof using 4mm scale Wills pantiles (which pass muster for 7mm scale), I carefully painted the brick colours over a grey primer base.  I have an aversion to the Humbrol - prescribed 'Brick Red' and aimed for an orangey tone to the brickwork and felt that I had achieved that:

Completed workshop - water butt belongs to an Airfix 'Rocket' kit.

Alas the MFT has not progressed since, due to the amount of time I'm currently spending on what I term "1:1 modelling" - i.e. progressing work on our recently bought house.  This week it has been real 1:1 modelling involving various bodges around an elderly coal shed door...

I actually lifted the track on the MFT board several months ago in a bout of dissatisfaction, I did relay it as an end-to-end run but it still doesn't hit the mark.  When the time comes, should I still desire an 18" gauge agricultural tramway I'll start afresh.  

Colin