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No. The primary concern will be around identifying trains for the purpose of safety-critical comms, and it's a matter for each railway to assess and manage that risk. Clearly a basic "one engine in steam" operation has much less to worry about in that respect, but even where there's a clear need...

It's a really difficult one, this. No matter how good a job a railway's done of getting the infrastructure and trains right for a particular era, there's invariably something in the shot to give it away! That, and also that cameras are very different nowadays. A few that I've dug out, anyway...

Time will be a factor - turnaround times are generally pretty tight, and constrained by the timings over the single line sections too.

There isn't a dedicated phone in the Down Loop, but there are reasonably convenient SPTs that can be used, or on busy weekends (which is usually when you need the confirmation quickly!) there'll often be a shunter or movements inspector waiting to hook a loco on the rear, in radio communication...

You can depart south from the Down platform (and indeed the Down Loop), with a main signal, but only towards the Up Main - there’s no shunt move out ‘bang road’.

This would be an ideal application for a 'train arrived complete' plunger, but unfortunately one isn't provided! It's for the Guard (or Fireman of a light engine) to advise that the train has arrived complete, and a telephone ("Guard's", on the diagram) is provided for that purpose. There is...

The stage was set for something much worse though, possibly only averted by the good fortune that one train was only just getting away from a stand and that the line was straight there. If the oncoming train had been a couple of minutes later, things could’ve been very different.

Are these rather ambitious solutions really necessary, or are they solutions looking for a problem? There's a clear distinction between someone making an error through confusion, poor training (or poor supervision), not following procedure or whatever, and someone deliberately seeking to defeat...

I can't comment with tremendous knowledge on the footplate side, but we can and do get signalmen from virtually 'off the street' level to passed out to work at least one box in around eight months. That consists of an initial four classroom sessions, usually on alternate Sundays, to cover the...

...until something goes wrong, mechanical failure or whatever, and you're suddenly responsible for preventing (at best) serious damage to the loco or (at worst) serious damage to numerous people, adjacent property etc.. The ORR are *very* interested in heritage railways and their competence...

Most heritage railways have a core of paid staff to keep the place ticking over in the week, many of whom will be competent in the ‘important’ (i.e. you need them to run trains!) roles, even if they don’t routinely do the work on a paid basis.

Quorn, without a doubt, whichever direction you're coming from. Loughborough is a nightmare for parking on any sort of busy day.

I'm still not convinced by this SPAR business. When it was initially briefed to us (as a signalman, at the time), explained as a distinction being drawn largely for reporting purposes, we were told that (former) Cat A SPADs would continue to be referred to as SPADs, and that the others would be...

I would very much recommend it, and the experience that it brings (used sensibly!) will help you in any future applications for any safety-critical role. It takes serious long-term commitment though, especially on the major heritage railways which tend to have a more complex operation and more...

There's also (possibly uniquely?) a dining train on Christmas Day itself, with standard class accommodation on the second round trip traditionally available for locals to have a ride out too.

The lack of a sufficiently robust and reliable yet affordable communications system, for starters.

Meanwhile, back on heritage railways...?

Some heritage railways, maybe. We still use them on the GCR, including detonator placers at (and worked from) two of the boxes.

If there is any through running, it’ll access the branch from the Quorn direction and leave towards Rothley - that’s what the signalling alterations will permit.

Workington shed was little more than scrap when it arrived at the GCR (it wasn't dismantled in a sympathetic manner!), and has been exposed to the elements since. Thanks, that's the bit that I'd missed. Is it proposed to use this route for deliveries too?