The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

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FWLR
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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by FWLR » Fri Dec 06, 2019 11:50 am

Peter Butler wrote: Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:44 pm Glad to see Mr I N Spector out of rehab, he is back to his efficient self and sending appropriate reports.
Bit late replying Peter, sorry.

Wasn't Anne's efficient and appropriate then.... :(

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Peter Butler » Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:36 pm

FWLR wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 11:50 am
Peter Butler wrote: Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:44 pm Glad to see Mr I N Spector out of rehab, he is back to his efficient self and sending appropriate reports.
Bit late replying Peter, sorry.

Wasn't Anne's efficient and appropriate then.... :(
Since I posted this on October 24th 2019 no-one else has misinterpreted my comment this way, I think you may be misunderstanding?
If you look further back to September 26th. I think you can see I was complimentary about Anne's report on your behalf.
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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by FWLR » Sat Dec 07, 2019 9:06 am

I was only joking mate..... :oops:

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by ge_rik » Sat Dec 07, 2019 9:28 am

Great report especially taking account of the time of year. Enjoyable read!

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by CSL » Thu Dec 26, 2019 12:51 pm

The Clatterbach Valley Light Railway apologises for the delay to the inspector's report. This is due to weather, work, family duties, ill children, Christmas...
(Mr Spectre safely received a couple of weeks ago and all intentions are good!)

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by CSL » Tue Dec 31, 2019 10:05 pm

MR I N SPECTRE
REPORT ON CLATTERBACH VALLEY LIGHT RAILWAY
PART 1

I am pleased to be in a position to start a report on a new railway, although I am not able to conclude at this stage, for reasons which will become clear.

I have secured profuse apologies from the CVLR's General Manager for the delays in both arranging my transfer from the previous inspection and in obtaining access to his railway. When I demanded explanation, however, he merely muttered some excuses about "work", "family", "Christmas", "weather" which unfortunately did not inspire confidence in the management's dedication. Does the man not appreciate the overriding pre-eminence of the calling to the Railway?

I have now succeeded in gaining access to the Railway, but only on a non-operating day. I am afraid to say that my first impressions were not favourable.

I am told that this bare windswept area is the principal station site:
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On closer inspection the situation seemed worse than initially feared - vegetation is clearly obstructing the main running line:
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And I am positively alarmed at the apparent risk posed to users of the Railway by local wildlife, which although not directly observed during this first visit can clearly reach considerable size:
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The following two pictures show the condition in which I found some of the main line of the Railway and which I believe requires no further comment:
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A further concern relates to the Railway's procedures for managing the highly complex subject of wheel/rail adhesion:
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My final discovery on the infrastructure of the Clatterbach Valley Light Railway concerns the condition of the fencing on the outer side of the Railway's curved viaduct. It has to be said that I am pleased that it was a non-operating day, given the potential consequences to an innocent inspector should a train approach when standing at or near this point:
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I await with interest the opportunity to observe operations on this Railway, but in advance I hope to discuss with the currently absent General Manager the appropriateness of the risk assessments in force.

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by philipy » Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:34 am

Nice one! Looking forward to Part2 :shock: :lol:
Philip

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Soar Valley Light » Wed Jan 01, 2020 3:29 pm

philipy wrote: Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:34 am Nice one! Looking forward to Part2 :shock: :lol:
I'm with Philip all the way. Great report and if it's anything to go by Part 2 will be well worth the wait.

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Andrew » Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:52 am

Don't tell the inspector, but I love the mossy track!

Great report, thank you!

Andrew.

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by BorisSpencer » Thu Jan 02, 2020 12:49 pm

Andrew wrote: Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:52 am Don't tell the inspector, but I love the mossy track!
+1, I've spent the last year with various concoctions of beer, yoghurt, milk, and chopped up moss trying to get an effect similar to that. :roll:

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by CSL » Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:59 pm

Thank you for the positive reactions.
BorisSpencer wrote: Thu Jan 02, 2020 12:49 pm
Andrew wrote: Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:52 am Don't tell the inspector, but I love the mossy track!
+1, I've spent the last year with various concoctions of beer, yoghurt, milk, and chopped up moss trying to get an effect similar to that. :roll:
I am afraid I have no tips to give, as it has grown spontaneously, but it's on a rather rough and narrow concrete track base at ground level in an area shaded by a large hedge.
(Shhh... I like it too...)

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by CSL » Sat Jan 11, 2020 9:49 pm

MR I N SPECTRE
REPORT ON CLATTERBACH VALLEY LIGHT RAILWAY
PART 2

I am pleased to be able to record that my second visit to the Clatterbach Valley Light Railway has left me with a considerably more favourable impression than the first.

There had been a singular transformation at the site of the principal station, as can be readily observed by comparison between the opening illustrations in Parts 1 and 2 of my report. I cannot say how this almost magical change has been achieved, but the sight of a bustling station where previously I had found only desolation gladdened my heart and restored my faith.
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Operational procedures turn out to be encouraging too. I observed evidence of the use of warning signage in an appropriate location, and trains - both passsenger and goods - were fitted seen to be carrying headlamps (the headcodes themselves are either idiosyncratic to the Railway or a generic single lamp is carried, but given the nature of the Railway's operation this is not unreasonable):
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The preceding picture also shows appropriate use of buffer stop warning lights, and it was further noted that both passenger and goods trains were formed with suitable guard's vans and taillamps, which I was pleased to observe:
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The use of fixed signalling controlled from a standalone, covered signal box is perhaps more than would be expected on a designated Light Railway, but it was seen here, with the signals displaying the correct aspects. Again, confidence in the safety procedures was given by this:
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I had the opportunity to converse with a number of the Railway's servants as is seen in the following illustrations. First, the signalman:
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Next the guard of the passenger train:
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Then the driver and firem..., er, stoker (is this right?) of the passenger train:
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And also the driver of the goods train (I have to report that I found the attitude of this fellow a little laid back):
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Without exception, the Railway servants assured me that the General Manager was an excellent railwayman, manager and employer, and that this opinion most certainly was unconnected to the lack of alternative employment in the local area and potential destitution arising from talking out of turn. (Note to self: while taking this at face value for the time being, further investigation on this point may be required.)

I also engaged in conversation with other users of the Railway, who professed themselves satisfied with the transport service it provides:
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(I must confess that there was something about the scale of the man pictured immediately above which felt out of place, but he was pleasant enough in his own way.)

My travels as an Inspector have taught me many things, and a particular lesson from my visit of last summer to the Brockhampton & Umbridge Railway was the importance of the comfort of benches when horizontally occupied. I therefore tested the two types of benches on offer (quite unnecessarily attracting the ribald attention of passersby in the second case):
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My conclusion is that the second type of bench is preferable, also affording shelter under the canopy of the station building.

It may be noted in the illustrations in this part of the report that the Railway uses a wide variety of coupling and buffing arrangements (and I do not believe that I have seen all of its rolling stock in this visit). Nonetheless, the use of "translator" vehicles appeared to ensure matching of centre buffer and side buffer arrangements and, taking due cognisance of the nature of the Railway's operations, this practice would seem to address the relevant risks adequately if not in exemplary manner.

My final word is that, based on the observations summarised above, the Railway displays a degree of rigour in its operational arrangements that mitigate to a degree my concerns noted in the first part of the report. This is sufficient to allow me to declare that the Railway may continue to operate subject to continued adherence to said arrangements.

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by philipy » Sun Jan 12, 2020 6:40 am

Excellent report, as always. Thanks very much.
Philip

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by sjrixon » Sun Jan 12, 2020 8:47 am

Cracking report. Great little line, really embedded in the scenery there!

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Andrew » Mon Jan 13, 2020 8:46 am

sjrixon wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2020 8:47 am Great little line, really embedded in the scenery there!
It is, isn't it? And I agree, a great report, amusing and enlightening, thank you!

I'd better get cracking on my signal box, the Inspector's visit is looming closer...

Cheers,

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by FWLR » Mon Jan 13, 2020 8:51 am

Nice report. Glad to see Mr I.N.Spector has got his clipboard back so he can keep all his notes to hand... :lol: :lol:

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Peter Butler » Mon Jan 13, 2020 10:25 am

Mr. Spector's dedication to duty is commendable, particularly his insistence on trying out the seating facilities (even when sober!) on behalf of the travelling public.
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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Soar Valley Light » Mon Jan 13, 2020 10:03 pm

A very good second report CSL. The Inspector appears impressed with your arrangements - quite a compliment!

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by CSL » Mon Feb 03, 2020 5:26 pm

Thank you all for your kind comments - much appreciated.

I can now advise that Mr Spectre has left the Clatterbach Valley for his next assignment.

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by ge_rik » Tue Feb 04, 2020 7:49 am

Only just caught up with this thread. A great read!

I agree with you about moss cultivation. It grows spontaneously on my railway but I think it's largely due to its location - ie a North facing shaded garden. The one bit of railway which was exposed to regular sunlight ( ie not in the shadow of the house) rarely had moss growing on it. However, that's changed now as shrubs have grown up on the South of that section so it's now shaded - and mossy!

That tall chap's fig leaf is enormous - or is he just showing off?

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