D&S Report. 10 Jan 24

 Thanks to Craig for the report. 

Craig has been very kind not to mention the chaos I caused by sending the wrong cards, not sending a car, and the general confusion in my performance on the night. There is no doubt I was overwhelmed by the task. Ron and I have discussed it and I have decided to retire from the D&S and focus on the build of the GSD. I am very grateful to Ron for the experience of operating on a quaint little English layout, and for the assistance he has given me personally over number of years now. I am now standing on the platform watching the flashing tail lights of the guards van head off down the tracks of the D&S.

D&S Media Report

Wednesday 10^th January 2024

 

Operators:

Dispatcher: Ron

Charde: David

Marabost: Alan

Watchit: Craig

Tawnton West: Reg

Tawnton East: Ray

 

Another summer barmy evening greeted the 1^st D&S operating session for 2024. The usual pre-operating cuppa / chat commenced the evening’s proceedings. A variety of eateries, adorned the kitchen table and as usual there they were, the old faithful, ‘Monte Carlo’ biscuits but there was no Geoff Denton present, therefore they lasted until next time. The highlight of the pre-operating dining and chinwag session was the arrival of Reg Foster, well, to be more precise, his apricots. Reg brought each of the operators a fresh homegrown bag of apricots. This gift giving was greatly appreciated. Thanks Reg.  

 

At 7.25pm all operators eagerly entered the railway domain for the 1^st 2024 session. 

 

R & R took their respective positions at Tawnton. Normally R&R stands for rest and recuperation. Not this operating session. Tawnton operators were kept on their toes all session. It has been a while since Ray was present at Tawnton and this was Reg’s 1^st time at Tawnton. 

 

Alan is enjoying the ‘operating’ component of the railways and he is enjoying opportunities to fill in at various stations. This session he was based at Marabost and he getting the hang of the the panel, industries and card system, particularly at Marabost and Charde. Alan so far holds the record for operating passenger trains on the D&S. To be noted, at this 1^st 2024 session Alan sent out a DMU an hour early (in fast time – 6 hours in real time). The dispatcher approved it, so it must have been ok. Talking about Passenger trains the main passenger operation for the session whereby all operators drive passenger trains in the form of DMUs or diesel-hauled main line express passenger trains, went to time and was certainly without fault. No dramas with the people moving, except Mrs Kafoops was pretty peeved off at missing her local branchline DMU service because it ran an hour early. 

 

I think Alan is meant to be operating at Marabost – make sure you are watching the station!

 

Charde operator David was heard to be questioning the running quality of some of the locos and then it was determined that the controller was proving a little ‘iffy’ / sporadic. 

David was pleased to be having a break from Tawnton. He quickly mastered the operational requirements of Charde, with no apparent errors in operating. 

 

The Charde DMU at Watchit. 

 

 

Craig was back operating at Watchit. It has been a while with the last time Craig operated at Watchit was in 2022. It was certainly a welcoming change and operations went smoothy throughout the session. It didn’t take long to be familiarised with the operating sequence at Watchit. Certainly one has to be on the ball at Watchit because of the through trains that go through the station. Most operators let the Watchit operator know, with ample warning but one operator……who shall remain nameless, but was operating at a station on the ‘house’ side of the layout, forgot to warn the Watchit operator of a train entering his station. Thankfully the Watchit operator had had an afternoon nap, so he was wide awake and had reflexes of a mongoose. 

A busy Watchit! Completely under control though…….

 

 

The Dispatcher. 

 

The Clock got stopped a few times during the session, for varying reasons. There were no major derailments although the D&S owner needs to look at the track entering Charde because the Charde DMU kept derailing at various times. The dispatcher continued to bark instructions and assist where possible, particularly if things were a little confusing – which occurred at least once during the session at most stations. 

 

All up though, it was a good operating session to see in 2024. Thanks to all and Sundry for participating on the night. Here are some more pics. 

 

 

 

Until next time.

 

Cheers for now

 

The D&S Media Manager.