Ruritanian Railways - 2013

[spoz]

Most Gracious and Puissant Prince,

We, the Merchants whose Trade relies on Free and Continuing access to the markets of Your great Metropolis so that we can satisfy the Worlds' need for the two great products of your Noble Realm, seek confirmation that the ongoing DEVASTATION surrounding your elegant Capital's communication hub will not impact on Our ability to transact that Business on which the future happiness of Mankind (and it must be added our continuing prosperity) so much depend, and that also the perfection of Vista which is so charactaristic of your Magnificent Realm and for which it is so renowned will always be preserved.

With Salutations and Wishes for Your continuing excellent health

The Factors and Freepersons of the Company of Invisible Ballast and Pork Scratching Merchant Adventurers

 

[steve parberry]

I see the prince is installing a Anti-Immigrant siding, so any train that sneaks over the border is routed to the cliff and all insurgents plummet to an instant death......

Of course this had lead to uproar across the border

 

[CoggesRailway]

Ooo that's looking the business. I am sure the peasants will throw a great party once His noble ideas become clear to their simple minds. Hope the 0-4-0 trade is proving useful!!

 

[beavercreek]

Speculation in the Zenda Evening Post is that Prince Rudolf is unleashing a cunning plan.

Would that plan be as cunning as a fox who's just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University?

 

[shropshire lad]

Ooooh shiny points! Looking good

 

[whatlep]

Speculation in the Zenda Evening Post is that Prince Rudolf is unleashing a cunning plan.

Would that plan be as cunning as a fox who's just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University?

The very same!

This morning's Zenda Times carried an extra editorial. "Fear not, noble peasants of Ruritania. All is well under the benevolent guidance of our noble Prince! Under his watchful eye, Ruritanian Railways is making huge strides forward to enhance its ability to transport ever-greater quantities of passengers and goods. Our trade in invisible ballast and purest bottled Ruritanian air are expected to scale new heights in the coming years, with exports even to the far Antipodes. More track means more trains which, of course, means more happiness."

Wise words, I think you will agree.

 

[yb281]

More track means more trains which, of course, means more happiness."

And much bigger accidents when President D'Hub comes to visit. Excellent.

 

[Dave Hub]

More track means more trains which, of course, means more happiness."

And much bigger accidents when President D'Hub comes to visit. Excellent.

How very dare you incriminate us, its not our fault 2 rails are not designed for warp speed. One day a scale maglev will be invented and we will be leaders of a new world.

 

[whatlep]

More track means more trains which, of course, means more happiness."

And much bigger accidents when President D'Hub comes to visit. Excellent.

How very dare you incriminate us, its not our fault 2 rails are not designed for warp speed. One day a scale maglev will be invented and we will be leaders of a new world.

The nice men in white coats will be with you soon Dave. Yes, again.

Anyway, back in the real world, the engineers have been busy again this morning. things have started to take shape. Once a new saw blade had been found, new boards could be cut and laid:

Within minutes (well a couple of hours), track was down and firmly connected with rail clamps (Split-Jaw design, courtesy of Messrs Martin's Models). One gap remained to be filled by a little judicious sawing and swearing. The right-hand alignment will unfortunately bear perpetual witness to the old Ruritanian saying "be sure your woodworking bodges shall come back to haunt you".

Viewed from the east end of Zenda station, things are beginning to look pretty good. The new loop and extra avoiding line will be over 4 metres long: more than sufficient for even the longest train.

Meanwhile, looking west from the the new crossover, boards for a new freight siding are taking shape. After a long Ruritanian lunch of black pudding in curry sauce, with a side dish of pork scratchings and lashings of ginger beer, work will continue this afternoon.

 

[yb281]

Escape road and gravel trap??

 

[Richie]

Great work Peter will have to pay you a visit one day

 

[whatlep]

Great work Peter will have to pay you a visit one day

Thank you kind sir. You are welcome any time.
Meanwhile, an update with this afternoon's progress....

With the ground work completed, final tracks were placed in position. two views of the station provide an idea of what's now in position:

The railbus made its way up from the border to test clearances and ensure all tracks could be negotiated without problems. At this stage, the points were being hand operated, pending rewiring to match the new numbering arrangements. The return loop is now located on the new extended loop track (left hand in this picture; right hand in the previous ones) and at this point had not been wired up. The wires on the right indicate that the S&T Dept are about to have a rewiring orgy.

You have to be prepared for the unexpected. In this instance that when trying to remove the lid of the S&T box, the whole thing, full of delicate kit, would fall off the wall. No swearing was heard at all. Honest.

New holes drilled in box and wall and the new return loop wiring (2 track feeds; 2 sensors) is all neat and tidy and wired in. Points 6, 8 & 10 are also fully serviceable by remote control, New points 7 & 9 still have to be cabled up. That can wait until Saturday. Yes, you're right, wires shouldn't really cross like that, but it's easier for the S&T chaps at Zenda to remember what each cable supplies this way. The whole lot will eventually be covered by scenic materials.

Testing had to be done, so the railbus ran a ceremonial pass over the new return loop. The lights are on and there is someone at home. It worked first time!

Another excellent effort by the peasant workers of Ruritanian Railways, under the benevolent guidance of Prince Rudolf. Hurrah!

 

[beavercreek]

What jolly excellent work has been done in the name of Rudolph and a vast upgrade.....but....there seems to have been a death on the platform that has gone unnoticed by the station staff in the last picture. Surely Ruritania has not had such heavy cut backs in its emergency services and care in the community budget?

 

[whatlep]

What jolly excellent work has been done in the name of Rudolph and a vast upgrade.....but....there seems to have been a death on the platform that has gone unnoticed by the station staff in the last picture. Surely Ruritania has not had such heavy cut backs in its emergency services and care in the community budget?

A couple of regular travellers were so impressed by the new works that they had to lie down for a bit.

 

[playmofire]

I thought it was two, not one, but wasn't sure. (I did think I'd spotted another body, but on reflection it may be a tube of glue or somesuch!) I'd imagined something more dramatic - a double suicide pact in the belief that their beloved Prince was closing down the railways.

 

[whatlep]

Ruritanian Railways is pleased to announce the successful completion of the Zenda station rebuilding project at 14.00 Zenda time today. The project was completed on time and below budget, with surplus track available for sale in the near future. Platform 2 has been restored to its rightful place and wires tidied up. All points may now be operated remotely, with routing and automatic point switching by train movement fully tested and confirmed in good order.

The project's efficiency was helped to a remarkable extent by the onsite guidance and supervision of HSH Prince Rudolf's personal representative, Earl Charles (the Hairy). Earl Charles is renowned for his stern, but fair attitude to the peasants. He is pictured in an unusually lighthearted mood.

Charles expressed a sense of aesthetic outrage at the crossed wires shown yesterday and demanded that they be rearranged. This was done at once. The S&T box was then closed and - since this picture was taken - gravel has covered the various wiring leads.

Further scenic work has been employed to create a pleasing walking route of gravel between the main running line and the new siding, henceforth to be known as siding number 3.
The space between platform 2 and the new up arrival line is to be filled with finest Imperial turf in the fullness of time.

Workers have now adjourned to the Peasants Arms, where a celebratory lunch awaited them, courtesy of Prince Rudolf himself. It is expected that a formal opening ceremony of the new station will take place once the weather is a little cooler. Excess heat plays havoc with formal dress uniform's ostrich plumes and nobody wants another "incident" involving the French ambassador.

 

[alec dawe]

By my reckoning the total body count, including those lying on the track is 6!
Does this indicate a return of the dreaded Ruritanian plague, which so devastated the country in 14:52, and again in 18:45 (just after the ale houses shut)?

 

[whatlep]

By my reckoning the total body count, including those lying on the track is 6!
Does this indicate a return of the dreaded Ruritanian plague, which so devastated the country in 14:52, and again in 18:45 (just after the ale houses shut)?

Thank goodness no, not the plague. Just a major incidence of sunstroke. All have recovered today and are again upright pillars of Ruritanian society. Mostly.

 

[yb281]

Ooohhh yus, very much like that. I suppose that the presence of a new siding which (theoretically ) allows for the storage of more stock, is a pure coincidence.

 

[Gizzy]

Ooohhh yus, very much like that. I suppose that the presence of a new siding which (theoretically ) allows for the storage of more stock, is a pure coincidence.

For more hoppers of invisible Ruritanian ballast I expect....