From: Chief Civil & Mechanical Engineer, Ruritanian Railways
To: Managing Director, Ruritanian Railways
Most esteemed Sir,
Be pleased to inform His Serene Highness that Europe's isolation from the Ruritanian motherland was ended at 14.55 today after sterling efforts of this department's employees, greatly aided by men of the Ruritanian Pioneer Corps (Pitchfork Regiment). A test train was run immediately to the invisible ballast quarry to load up with our invaluable invisible export commodity.
Despite recent events, the main line appeared to have suffered no ill effects, though certain buildings' foundations have required underpinning to restore them to the correct level. Considerable quantities of vegetation have been removed from the line, but an amount of fine silt remains to be removed as time permits. I also recommend that the Slovakian rail grinding train be used to clean and polish the railheads prior to restoration of a full service.
The border station remains deserted after its evacuation last week and here too an amount of silt must be removed. Power has not yet been restored to the station and goods depot lights, but the hardy denizens of our nation's borderlands are coping magnificently on previously stored supplies of pork scratchings and black pudding. However, I have been asked to convey the message that additional supplies of curry sauce are required urgently.
All point motors have been checked and are fully operational: a tribute to Prince Rudolf's wise policies on this subject of benign negligence combined with WD40. I regret to report that one automatic point actuator is unserviceable as a result of inundation. We aspire to remedying this within the week. In the interim, the point is being operated directly from Zenda network control centre on telephoned notice from Polapiko.
May I ask, Sir, that you congratulate Prince Rudolf on his brilliant strategem of using the Ruritanian Air Force to apply supersized bags of hardcore to maintain the elevation and alignment of the railway around Polapiko. We are indeed fortunate that so little damage appears to have resulted from Nature's fury. Our brave airmen asked that I convey to you this picture of the restored line, with the first cross-border service ready to proceed from Polapiko.
I remain your Excellency's humble servant. God Save The Prince!
J K Brunelovitch
Lovely little runner - even on track power...
coincidence or what?
