After a fine cooked breakfast and excellent service from Mrs. Twice-Knightley, I was collected from
mons repose at 0900 precisely for my return trip to Black Burton Station, arriving in good time for my meeting with the senior staff of the GWLR.
I made my way to Platform 1, where Mr Mainwaring (Capt., retired); for some reason in his old home guard uniform, Trevor Trogg (a positive giant of a man!), Senior Civil Engineer (Structures and Permanent Way) and Mr Fred Dibble, Motive Power and Rolling Stock Manager.
Having introduced his senior staff to me, we started the inspection with a look at the facilities at Black Burton. The station is located in a former quarry, which severely limits the platform length as well as location of storage sidings etc. As an aside, the quarry was the only known location of the very rare mineral Unobtainium, a material so rare it is now used for nothing at all. As a by product, all the clay used for making pottery in Black Burton was sourced here too. Sadly another industry that is now only a memory. For the main station and terminus of this railway, the station itself is woefully small, with limited covered areas for waiting passengers. Mr Trogg then took me to view the turntable, engine shed, the stores building and the loco refuelling facility. It has to be said that the limited space makes the turntable a necessity, although I understand there are issues with the local water table.
I was very impressed with the fuel oil storage arrangements, with a metered pump for dispensing fuel and a safety cutoff switch in the event of mishap. The surrounding bund wall is sufficient to hold one and a half times the contents of the tank, further protecting both the staff and environment in case of spillage.
The station, as well as having a passing loop via Plarform 2, also has 2 sidings, arranged in a most peculiar configuration, which Mr Trogg explained was due to the strictures of operating in a disused quarry. One of those sidings also links to the turntable to provide (assuming not full of stock) an alternative loop for the station area. Both Mr Trogg and Fred Dibble proceeded to lament the general lack of available siding space throughout the company.
We proceeded to the station throat, to inspect the signalling arrangements employed at GWLR. As a light railway, the signalling system is not sophisticated, but to outward appearance looks most impressive. However, in talking to Mr Sem O'Phore, the signalman, it became clear that the signal provision is currently 'aspirational' in so far as the low number of train movements effectively mean the whole line is single engine use most of the time. As such, the signal network is ready for the hoped for renaissance of this line.
After a full day of detailed inspection and with time pressing on, Mr Trogg escorted me back to the station to meet with Mr Patel, for the return to my lodgings. On our way he shewed me his own enterprising project. Gretadale Grotto is a 'show cave' with a guided tour of the now abandoned Unobtainium mines, which display some remarkable geological features, found only in association with Unobtainium. I was most intrigued, particularly by the Notice of Disclaimer - I shall avail myself of the tour before I leave this area for my next appointment.
For the moment, however, I had the delights offered by Mrs Twice-Knightley to look forward to, prior to my tour of the rest of the railway tomorrow.
**ADVISORY NOTICE**
Now that Mr I.N. Spector is equipped with a TARDIC (Time And Relative Distance In Crate), time has become, quite literally, fluid. Thus, although to us it may appear that almost a month has passed since his arrival last night, to the good folk of the Greta & Wenningdale Light Railway only one night has passed. Admittedly, for some, it was a loooonng night 
I think it's the clank as the crate hits the slate platform. Well, I hope it is!
