Ruritanian Railways - 2011

[whatlep]

Has the mighty Rugens entered service today - wink, wink ???

Could be! Thanks for remembering!

 

[shropshire lad]

Well Pete if you are operating your Rugens I hope you are having a great day

 

[whatlep]

Ruritanian Railways is pleased to announce the formal entry to service of a new locomotive, an ex-Rugen 0-8-0T. The loco is intended to provide a more economic way of hauling the ever-growing invisible ballast traffic. It will also release a Mallet loco for fast goods traffic. The new loco is seen in harness at the border station:

Here it is at its new regular haunt, the invisible ballast quarry loader. One of the great advantages of Ruritanian invisible ballast is the absence of dust. That means stock can be kept spick and span.

After all the Easter and May Day holidays, passenegr traffic has returned to normal. The afternoon train from Prague to Zenda is seen climbing Pootank Pass. As is usual, a single class 2095 diesel is in charge and a couple of vans are provided for mail traffic.

 

[Steve]

Nice pics Peter with some very nice Locos

 

[yb281]

The Rugens already looks very much at home .

How come I can see the invisible ballast loader???????????

 

[Westcott]

Does invisible ballast create invisible dust, or NO dust?

Mel, I think he means the ballast is invisible, not the loader.

 

[CoggesRailway]

Yes strictly speaking lack of dust is different from no dust. In fact invisible dust might be a prolem when it gets where it shouldn't but you can't see the problem. I think as an exporter of this stuff you should clarify...

 

[whatlep]

Yes strictly speaking lack of dust is different from no dust. In fact invisible dust might be a prolem when it gets where it shouldn't but you can't see the problem. I think as an exporter of this stuff you should clarify...

Dearest Sirs,
Ruritanian invisible ballast dust is the gentlest dust in the world. In fact, the unique stone found in our invisible ballast quarries is both as hard as granite when in block form, but lubricates beautifully like graphite when ground to under 0.1mm. We can export to the remotest parts of the Third World (yes, even Yorkshire) to suit your every needs. Just dial Ruritania 00010 and ask for the Export Minister (half-day Wednesdays). :callme:

Mel - an invisible crusher? Have you been at the steam oil again? This isn't some kind of imaginary central European jape created by the feeble-minded of Bromyard you know.

 

[mike]

very nice peter, ull need more waggons to fully aprecate how powerfull the mighty "D" coupler is....

 

[yb281]

This isn't some kind of imaginary central European jape created by the feeble-minded of Bromyard you know.

That's no way to talk about His Worship the Mayor!!

 

[JRinTawa]

One would wonder if at the H&S management at the quarry of the invisible ballast. Quarrying must leave an invisibly big whole in the ground, but then I suppose it's not seen to be a problem

 

[Willem WDLS]

Nice Rugen Peter

 

[whatlep]

Ruritanian Railways regrets to report that the recently acquired Rugen is stored unserviceable. Following testing last weekend on Pootank Pass, the new loco developed a major fault and is now stored unserviceable pending further investigations. The following may be the first and last shot of the Rugens on a passenger train:

Fortunately, "Mighty Mouse" has been able to come to the rescue on the Rugen's normal hopper duties. The battery-powered diesel is seen hard at work yesterday:

 

[yb281]

Oh dear. Is it a motor problem, chip problem or something mechanical?

 

[whatlep]

Oh dear. Is it a motor problem, chip problem or something mechanical?

Definitely not mechanical. Could be one or more of motor, chip or main board. I've started another thread in case anyone has ideas. Fortunately, Ruritania has a few Mallets handy!

 

[whatlep]

Although the Rugens is now fully serviceable once more (the old Massoth F8 trick), in the pursuit of economy Ruritanian Railways has been experimenting again with railcar haulage after the manner of 1970s Northern Ireland Railways. The early-afternoon local from Zenda is seen awaiting departure with a trailing load of empty invisible ballast hoppers. These will be shunted into the quarry facility after passenger duties have been completed. The hoppers will be picked up later by the loco off the early evening freight to the border. The railcar will return to Zenda on its own, coupling onto its trailer for the school run.

 

[whatlep]

Tuesday is market day in much of Lower Ruritania, so the railbus was running with both a trailer and a parcels van today. It's become a custom for the unit to park on the goods shed siding to make it easier for both passengers and their goods to be loaded.

The mid-afternoon semi-fast from Zenda to Prague is permitted to make a stop at Pootank Halt on market days and it did so today. Note the extra vehicle for parcels traffic on this train too.

By a little train chasing, our photographer caught the semi-fast passing the hoppers near the invisible ballast works. The mighty Rugen 0-8-0T was back in service!

Here's the Rugen a little later, starting the haul up Pootank Pass. Slow and steady gets you there!

 

[yb281]

Very nice prototypical train movements, like it .

Must nip over one market day - pork scratching stocks are running low .

 

[jameshilton]

Looks like the photographer was lucky to catch such exciting movements, Market day is clearly a good day to visit Ruritania if you're an enthusiast!

 

[whatlep]

I do like the 2095 with the green coaches

Thanks - that 2095 livery is firmly my favourite and I have a "thing" about dark green coaches. Reminds me of bumbling around Europe when the world was somewhat younger!