The Great Garden Railway Inspection Reports

[FWLR]

Nice to see your line again Peter. It looks even better as the years go by. Unlike us who age and degrade...

[Lonsdaler]

A lovely report of a great little railway. I was slightly disappointed that M. DePuty didn't feature in any of the pictures. He needs to make himself known so we can be prepared should we meet him unexpectedly!

[FWLR]

Maybe he's a ghost .....

I am sure he will turn up at a line unexpectedly soon.

[philipy]

He was only at BURPS unofficially. He doesn't have a Hi-Viz jacket to be able to do more formal inspections!

[BWLR]

An I.N. Spector calls...

After a very long and tiring journey from "Down Under" my comfy travelling trunk has finally arrived back in the British Isles. On emerging, I appear to have arrived at a small goods shed on a rural railway. Fortunately there are some staff about, who look at me somewhat quizzically. "well we weren't expecting a person to pop out of that trunk!, who are you?" asks one, I detect a Yorkshire twang to his accent and remember that I have a long standing commitment to inspect a railway in Yorkshire. Perhaps this is it...

I introduce myself and explain that I've been in Australia for quite a while but that I'm here to have look at a railway "am I in the right place?" Apparently this is the Bishop's Woodland Light Railway which vaguely rings a bell. One of the staff, who introduces himself as Bert says they had been informed of a possible inspection , but it was so long ago that they had nearly forgotten about it...


"Well it's maybe not the best time right now as we haven't quite got round to re-starting services for the spring/summer season. I can show you round now, but maybe you would like to come back in a couple of weeks when services resume properly?". I usually think the best time to inspect a line is when my visit is unexpected, but I do feel quite tired, possibly due to the extensive "hospitality" I have recently been provided with by my Australian hosts, combined with the long flight. "I do seem to be suffering a little jet lag, maybe I could do with a little rest before resuming my vital work, are there any good places to stay locally?".

Bert suggests that as York is just a few miles away, it would be a good place to rest up for a few days . "We can take you down to the main line station beyond Claxton Percy, and you can get into York from there". I agree to the plan and wonder how they are going to get me there.


Like magic a small and unusual looking locomotive appears. This is apparently used for short yard to yard moves and PW duties. I'm particularly impressed by the wasp stripes on both ends, good to see visibility being taken into account! I hop aboard this curious little machine and we set off. I am informed that I have arrived at the goods station for Claxton Percy which is a fair walk from the passenger station, but we would run right through that on our way to the exchange sidings with the mainline railway. I explain that I would like to have a quick look at the passenger station if we could stop there, the driver shrugs and agrees to my request.




The station has a rather attractive wooden building that provides a ticket office, waiting room and outdoor shelter for passengers. However it is all locked up, presumably as there are no services running. There is a long platform which looks like it could accommodate several carriages, however it does seem very mossy in places and would hope to see that rectified before public services resume as there is a danger of slipping. There is a passing loop and a siding beyond it, the permanent way seems in very good condition. There is a signal box, but no signals, and in the other direction I can see an engine shed and locomotive servicing facilities. I will inspect these on my return.

I spot a poster advertising the railway museum in York, and make a note to visit during my stay in the city.


After a short trip to the exchange sidings, I manage to catch a train into York. The station is very impressive and there is an excellent pub there, which I stop by in (purely for research purposes, of course). York does have quite a lot of attractions, not least of which are its many hostelries, so my time here should be well spent.

After a few days I decide to visit the railway museum. By coincidence, on display was another railway icon which has previously travelled to Australia.


Obviously we have a lot in common (although I'm not quite 100 years old!) so I had to have my photo taken in the drivers seat, although I have to say it was rather bigger than expected.


Later I spotted a railway that seems much more my size.


It makes such a nice change to see a railway with a full array of signals, interlocking and block instruments. Many of the railways I visit have a very lackadaisical attitude to signalling and can certainly learn from this line. It turns out that this railway is even older than Flying Scotsman and is used to train people on the principles and practice of signalling. Apparently it operates every few weeks so I may come back to inspect it once I have finished my report on the BWLR.

To be continued...

[FWLR]

Brillaint Really looking forward to the next episode.

[FWLR]

Just a thought, were is Mr I.Npectors safety harness, where he is perched precariously on the edge of the buffer, I think it's a buffer.

[Andrew]

Flying Scotsman eh?? You're really raising the bar!

Nice to see the inspector out and about again - and that signalling railway looks most intriguing.

I do love the look of your line - if we ever have a Forum "most attractive goods shed" competition, I know where my money's going...

Cheers,

Andrew.

[Lonsdaler]

Delightful. If you're lucky he won't leave the railway museum!

[Old Man Aaron]

Raising the bar indeed! Never imagined we'd see him on the A3.

[Scrat]

Where is he gone?

There have been no new reports for quite some time.

[philipy]

I'll bet you all thought this topic was dead?? Well, it ain't so you unvisited people can stop slacking in the corner.

We only have one mug, oops, sorry, brave member who is awaiting a visit and after that it will be dead, so come on, anyone who hasn't had a visit and/or would like another one, PM me ( not a public post please) with your request.

This has been a fascinating if somewhat sporadic thread over the past few years and it would be a shame if it died.

[drewzero1]

I'll gladly volunteer as soon as I have some track in place. Mr. Spectre's report now would be a bit bleak: "No sign of a railway here, just lots of mud... and what's worse, not a pub to be found for miles!"

[Scrat]

I´ll volunteer to (and give you the choice if he shall inspect o-gauge or 5" gauge (or maybe both?).