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.