Ruritanian Railways - 2013
- Thread starter whatlep
- Start date
CoggesRailway
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That's a lovely train. I like the way that on your railway the double header is an operational need too! 
Netty
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Superb 
whatlep said:Ruritanian Railways MD recently came across a cache of old paperwork in an attic at Zenda HQ. Among the ephemera was a picture, reproduced below, on the reverse of which was a note in German, dated July 21st 1914. In translation, it reads:
"Dear Rudolf, I was so sorry to have to rush back to Berlin before your birthday. I hope you had a memorable day and enjoyed the rest of the hunting party. Cousin George really is the most awful shot: I do hope his navy is as bad! I thought you might like this photograph of the small engine I sent your papa for trials on his railway. If you are good, perhaps he will allow you to drive it occasionally, just as he does (though, entre-nous, I think he tries to keep it a secret from your dear mama). As you know, the Serbians are being rather tiresome and old Franz Josef is getting too excitable for everyone's comfort, but I dare say it will all sort itself out before Christmas when I expect we will see each other again. My very best wishes for your future - Wilhelm, King & Emperor"
whatlep
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After receiving some works attention, Mallet 104 was returned to service today with a running-in turn on the afternoon parcels working from Zenda to Bratislava. The train is seen arriving at the border station where the loco was changed for an ex-OBB 2095 diesel. The Mallet then returned light to Zenda.
whatlep
Registered
After a long journey from England and a protracted inspection by one of Ruritania's most feared female border guards, an extra hopper wagon finally made its appearance today. Our photographer was unusually relaxed as the train crossed the border. The final wagon was required to ensure braking was available, since the new hopper had not yet been adjusted to Ruritanian standards.
The new hopper quickly found some friends at the border:
After some shunting and a brake test, old and new vehicles made their way up Pootank Pass. A banking loco is not strictly required for this length of train, but it made life easier at Zenda.....
...where the new hopper was detached from the train and taken to Zenda maintenance depot to have Ruritanian standard metal wheels fitted. A crane was ready on hand for the operation.
Ruritanian Railways is most grateful to the Parberry wagon brokerage for enabling this new acquisition.
The new hopper quickly found some friends at the border:
After some shunting and a brake test, old and new vehicles made their way up Pootank Pass. A banking loco is not strictly required for this length of train, but it made life easier at Zenda.....
...where the new hopper was detached from the train and taken to Zenda maintenance depot to have Ruritanian standard metal wheels fitted. A crane was ready on hand for the operation.
Ruritanian Railways is most grateful to the Parberry wagon brokerage for enabling this new acquisition.
playmofire
Registered
Mallet 104 looks very smart and Ruritanian Railways obviously has locos to spare.
steve parberry
G Scale Trains
Looks like you need one more to make a full dozen of them
Think it fits in though
Mind you was rather naughty sending it in a big box
Think it fits in though
Mind you was rather naughty sending it in a big box
whatlep
Registered
Ruritanian Railways is pleased to announce improvements to international passenger services with the start of the summer timetable. Trains will now run hourly from Zenda, alternately to Prague and Bratislava. Bratislava services will have cross-platform interchange there into services to Vienna. It is hoped that in time the metre gauge will be extended through to Vienna Hauptbahnhof - probably at the same time the Russian gauge is extended from Kosice (Slovakia) to Vienna.
The new timetable means that train lengths and haulage have changed somewhat. The standard train length now becomes four coaches, plus a mail vehicle, with diesel haulage only on the Bratislava trains, due to refusal of the Slovakian authorities to permit steam-hauled passenger services. Prague trains will now revert to steam (Mallet) haulage. On the first day of the new timetable, an outbound Bratislava train crossed an inbound working from Prague at the border:
The new train length is one coach shorter than previously. This has the advantage that timetabled double-heading of trains should be unnecessary on Pootank Pass. However, in the prudent manner for which Ruritanian Railways is famous, a Mallet will be kept on standby at the border, just in case a train has problems. Yesterday, Mallet number 1 was on standby and combined that role with a little light shunting at the quarry.
As the Mallet was able to cover shunting duties, the quarry's Schoema shunter was sent off to Zenda with a half-rake of hoppers. Invisible ballast remains a healthy source of foreign income for the Imperial Quarries. Doubtless this was a welcome variation in his daily round for the Schoema's driver.
Parcels and mail traffic remains buoyant since the contract for carriage was awarded to Ruritanian Railways by Prince Rudolf last year. Two vans were seen at the border depot yesterday as another train for Bratislava made ready to leave.
The new timetable means that train lengths and haulage have changed somewhat. The standard train length now becomes four coaches, plus a mail vehicle, with diesel haulage only on the Bratislava trains, due to refusal of the Slovakian authorities to permit steam-hauled passenger services. Prague trains will now revert to steam (Mallet) haulage. On the first day of the new timetable, an outbound Bratislava train crossed an inbound working from Prague at the border:
The new train length is one coach shorter than previously. This has the advantage that timetabled double-heading of trains should be unnecessary on Pootank Pass. However, in the prudent manner for which Ruritanian Railways is famous, a Mallet will be kept on standby at the border, just in case a train has problems. Yesterday, Mallet number 1 was on standby and combined that role with a little light shunting at the quarry.
As the Mallet was able to cover shunting duties, the quarry's Schoema shunter was sent off to Zenda with a half-rake of hoppers. Invisible ballast remains a healthy source of foreign income for the Imperial Quarries. Doubtless this was a welcome variation in his daily round for the Schoema's driver.
Parcels and mail traffic remains buoyant since the contract for carriage was awarded to Ruritanian Railways by Prince Rudolf last year. Two vans were seen at the border depot yesterday as another train for Bratislava made ready to leave.
jameshilton
Registered
Lovely photos - look like you've had fun today Peter
CoggesRailway
Registered
Very enjoyable. The lush green perfection seems a long way away have just come in from my garden!
shropshire lad
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Tidy pics, nice to see a railway operating to a plan too
Neil Robinson
Registered
yb281 said:Loving the story line mate. Proper train running.
My sentiments entirely.
The only downside of lighter loadings is the reduced justification for a Garratt or two!
playmofire
Registered
Great photos and it is good to read that Ruritanian Railways are weathering the economic downturn and looking to expand routes further.
whatlep
Registered
One of the enduring pleasures of Ruritanian life is a summer day spent on Pootank Pass. Lovely scenery, the unique aroma of the natural world and trains! A few examples from today will suffice. First, an up express from Prague climbs the first, steepest section of the pass. Five coaches is the limit for a single Mallet, but loco 104 is in fine fettle, having had a recent works overhaul, with invaluable input from the Robinson electrical works in England. Mallet 104 is in lined green livery especially for "top link" passenger assignments:
A little further up the pass and a half-hour later, a down mail train passed Pootank Halt, en route to Slovakia behind one of Ruritania's main line diesels.
You don't usually have to wait long to see some hoppers in Ruritania. Sure enough, close on the heels of the mails came a short rake of hoppers, somewhat unusually hauled by "Kaiser Otto", presumably on an Awayday from Zenda depot.
Why not holiday in Ruritania this summer? Contact the Ruritanian tourist office on Zenda 666 (half-day closing Wednesday). Book early!
A little further up the pass and a half-hour later, a down mail train passed Pootank Halt, en route to Slovakia behind one of Ruritania's main line diesels.
You don't usually have to wait long to see some hoppers in Ruritania. Sure enough, close on the heels of the mails came a short rake of hoppers, somewhat unusually hauled by "Kaiser Otto", presumably on an Awayday from Zenda depot.
Why not holiday in Ruritania this summer? Contact the Ruritanian tourist office on Zenda 666 (half-day closing Wednesday). Book early!