The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

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ge_rik
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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by ge_rik » Wed Jun 23, 2021 11:01 am

Thanks Phil
A really entertaining and imaginative report. Having read the report, when can we expect the movie? 😊

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by BertieB » Wed Jun 23, 2021 11:06 am

“Arr, Gizzum!”

Very nicely photographed — and the garden looks like a film set. Lovely.

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Jimmyb » Wed Jun 23, 2021 12:21 pm

The report reads very nicely, however I will have to look again tonight as all the images are blocked on my works computer.

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Lonsdaler » Wed Jun 23, 2021 1:24 pm

BertieB wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 11:06 am “Arr, Gizzum!”

Very nicely photographed — and the garden looks like a film set. Lovely.
And they say the camera never lies :lol: :roll:
Phil

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My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Lonsdaler » Wed Jun 23, 2021 1:25 pm

Jimmyb wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 12:21 pm The report reads very nicely, however I will have to look again tonight as all the images are blocked on my works computer.
I suppose Flikr is regarded as social media. I hope you enjoy them when you get to see them 8)
Phil

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My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Lonsdaler » Wed Jun 23, 2021 1:32 pm

ge_rik wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 11:01 am Thanks Phil
A really entertaining and imaginative report. Having read the report, when can we expect the movie? 😊

Rik
Ah Rik, you've set such a high standard - moving pictures are not my forté really. Whilst i enjoyed materialising the TARDIC, any train scenes I do are somewhat lacking.
Phil

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My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Jimmyb » Thu Jun 24, 2021 8:28 am

Lonsdaler wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 1:25 pm
Jimmyb wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 12:21 pm The report reads very nicely, however I will have to look again tonight as all the images are blocked on my works computer.
I suppose Flikr is regarded as social media. I hope you enjoy them when you get to see them 8)
The photos are very good, and really adds something to the dialogue, it was almost worth it not to see the photos and just read the report, then have the photos back up the report. Very impressive :)

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Lonsdaler » Thu Jun 24, 2021 1:24 pm

Jimmyb wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 8:28 am
The photos are very good, and really adds something to the dialogue, it was almost worth it not to see the photos and just read the report, then have the photos back up the report. Very impressive :)
Thank you Jimmy - glad you have enjoyed reading and viewing it.
Phil

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My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Lonsdaler » Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:25 am

I climbed aboard our little train and Garry gave the driver the right away, and we made our way down a gradual decline towards our next stop, Birdbath Halt. The track here is on a small embankment, and the ballasting looked in need of some serious improvement, actually missing in places. Although there is no sign of track movement at this stage, it is concerning and needs addressing as a matter of urgency.

We presently entered a wooded area, crossing the first set of points in Housedown Triangle. This provides a turning facility for local trains whether goods or passenger, as well as offering a through route for faster trains not required to stop at Birdbath Halt.

We then came upon the ruins of a large building with a derelict bottle kiln adjacent. Mr Mainwaring (altogether now -) informed me that this was all that remained of Housedown Pottery, the once thriving heart of Bernard Housedown's pottery empire, and the reason the initial line was laid down - to get his goods to market (as an aside, the idea was a complete failure - trying to compete with the Staffordshire potteries who transported their wares by canal by building a railway resulted in bankruptcy, and the only train which ran from the pottery arrived with every pot damaged). Here our train halted at the platform of Birdbath Halt - obviously under complete renovation. A severe problem with 'large avians' and their resulting guano has meant the whole facility has been stripped back to just a crudely surfaced platform.
Image

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With Garry now performing a very different form of guard duty (featuring a double barrelled shotgun for bird scaring duties :shock: ) we alighted to inspect the site, and the plans afoot for its renovation. I have been assured that once the work is complete, the company will publish a report to show the newly refurbished halt. Whilst here we also inspected the turnout management arrangements. Manually controlled at single lever frames, the system is sufficient for the expected traffic, but may need modernisation if ever capacity is to increase, but it was good to see the whole system had recently been regraded and ballasted.
Image

I managed to slip away from the party for a few moments, and went to look at the alternate route that bypasses the halt, and what a shock it was!
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The vegetation appears to have completely buried the trackway for several hundred metres - clearly the alternate route has not been in use for quite some time.

We returned to our train where I informed Mr Mainwaring of these concerns, and emphasised that I would include all my findings, both good and bad, in my final report - that got him harrumphing - Captain, Retired my @&$£. :roll:

A message received from Sem O'Phore informed us that a repair had been effected at Midgley point, so we would be able to complete our 'circuit' of the line for the return leg to Black Burton. We now headed onto Greta Cobb, a raised section of track crossing bog and marshland. The track and retaining walls appeared to be well maintained - clearly no giants cross the line here!
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Greta Cobb - photo kindly given to me by SLRMidge, from a previous occasion.

After crossing the Cob, we crossed the River Greta and passed a fine view of the local Ingleton Mountain.
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Ingleton Mountain, again photo kindly given to me by SLRMidge, from a previous occasion.

Shortly we passed the famous Midgley's Mighty Organ Works - responsible for the erection and maintenance of almost every theatre organ in England.
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From here it was over the hastily repaired point, through Bendam, and on to the spur returning us to Black Burton station - a long but rewarding tour of the line. As we dismounted, Mr Mainwaring surprised me by inviting me to join him and the senior staff at the local hostelry (The Punched Owl) that evening as a farewell dinner. I heartily agreed, although strongly suspecting that this was an attempt to influence my report. But first, I had my trip into the Gretadale Grotto to look forward to, on a guided tour with Trevor Trogg. And what a treat it was - and what a fascinating substance Unobtainium is.
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The Unobtainium Deposits of Gretadale Grotto.

Right! Back to Mons Repose to change, and then it's off to the Punched Owl for a convivial evening - I wonder if Ms Twice-Knightley would join me?
Phil

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My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Jimmyb » Fri Jun 25, 2021 5:54 am

Very good, love your story telling :D

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by FWLR » Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:53 am

Brilliantly done Phil. :thumbright:

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Peter Butler » Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:42 am

Absolutely wonderful stuff, great story with well placed pictures... love it!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Lonsdaler » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:24 pm

Oh. My. Head. :anhammer
I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to whisper this part of my report. I'm now in the T.A.R.D.I.C. wending my way through the frankly baffling space-time continuum to the fair land of Australia.

Yesterday evening I dined with Mr Mainwaring (forgive me - George), his charming wife Elizabeth and the delightful Mavis Twice-Knightley (née Pike) in a private room at the Punched Owl Hotel. When George 'lets his hair down' he really is the most delightful company. :roll: Well, so Mavis told me later - I had eyes and ears for only one person in that room. :love10:
This was followed by an animated, vibrant, exuberant and boisterous evening in the public bar with many of the railway staff :occasion5: (George and Elizabeth having gone home to see to their cat, Empress :dontknow: ) before I walked Mavis back to Mons Repose, where... nothing relevant to my report on the Greta & Wennigdale Light Railway happened. ;) Suffice to say that my next vacation will not be in Moribund, but will be in the delightful village of Black Burton.

I was able to give Mr Mainwaring (George) an overview of the details of my report (already covered in the preceding account) which is largely positive, with one or two yellow cards, but no reds I am delighted to say. And then, as I walked back to the T.A.R.D.I.C. which Mr Patel had kindly removed from the company store, I was most surprised and touched to see a gift from the staff of the GWLR for me of a fine crate of 25 year old Whisky, and a barrel of that marvellous Fox's Mild Ale - the reason for my current delicate head. 8)
Image

Fortunately there is room in the T.A.R.D.I.C. (due to it's space contorting capabilities) to secure these fine gratuities. I wished George a hearty farewell, entered my T.A.R.D.I.C., and then began my trip 'down under'. Onward - ever Onward!

A note from the Allowed (if he behaves himself) Director of the GWLR:
I'm aware that the warping of the space time continuum has meant that this story has taken so long to tell. That's a feeble excuse for not pulling my finger out and getting my railway in a fit state to be inspected by anybody, let alone such an august figure as I.N. Spectre. It might seem daunting to expose yourself and your garden rail efforts to public scrutiny and to actually view it critically - okay - not too critically admittedly. ;)
But I have found it a positive experience in so far as it has rekindled my enthusiasm for garden railing and for contributing to this forum. I have some new ideas that I can't wait to put into action, as well as a well matured cupboard of stock and even the odd loco to crack on with. Please consider inviting the inspector to your line - it is a worthwhile experience :thumbup:
Phil

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My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by philipy » Sat Jun 26, 2021 5:50 am

Absolutely brilliant Phil, thank you so much for the complete saga.
I'm sure we would all love to read further accounts for a long time to come, but like all good things, it has sadly come to it's end :) and I for one can't wait to read of his Antipodean activities in due course.

I would echo Phil's final words, with a plea for more volunteers for inspections, it doesn't matter where you live. After starting in the UK, Mr I.N.Spectre has already been to Russia and is now on his way to Australia for half a dozen jobs there, but after that he is currently going to be unemployed.
Philip

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Old Man Aaron » Sat Jun 26, 2021 4:05 pm

Another entertaining report an a well-developed line. Can't go wrong. :thumbright:
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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by ge_rik » Sat Jun 26, 2021 5:31 pm

A jolly fine read. It'll be a hard act to follow ...... ;)

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Lonsdaler » Sat Jun 26, 2021 11:41 pm

Old Man Aaron wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 4:05 pm Another entertaining report an a well-developed line. Can't go wrong. :thumbright:
Believe me Aaron, you have achieved as much, if not more in a far shorter time. And remember, the camera can lie! :D
Phil

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by FWLR » Tue Jul 20, 2021 7:49 am

I seem not to be able to see MitchStack's report...... :dontknow:

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by philipy » Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:32 am

FWLR wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 7:49 am I seem not to be able to see MitchStack's report...... :dontknow:
As far as I'm aware he hasn't written one yet.
Philip

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Re: The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

Post by Andrew » Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:38 am

philipy wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:32 am
FWLR wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 7:49 am I seem not to be able to see MitchStack's report...... :dontknow:
As far as I'm aware he hasn't written one yet.
A reply from Mitch appeared as a "New Post" notification, so my guess is that mitch wrote one, then took it down again for further editing? We look forward to seeing it when the Inspector's ready Mitch!

Andrew.

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