Romney Hythe & Dymchurch questions

As an ex-pat Kentish Man who left my home county decades ago, I've recently become slightly obsessed with the RH&DR web cams. Home sweet home and all that. Plus there's some mildly hilarious tourist and enthusiast outfits and behaviour to witness.

However, this has produced a couple of idle questions:

I believe that each day the whole length of the line is inspected, currently using Shelagh of Eskdale. Is this true and, if so, is there any idea of what time the run happens?

I've noticed that, on yellow timetable days, trains are only using one line of the double track section. It's obvious that there's only one train between New Romney and Hythe on those days. Is this to save wear or is there another reason?

Just curious x 2

 

Yes - the line is inspected every day. On yellow timetables it was scheduled for around 0630 departing New Romney with a 50 minute journey to Hythe (normal section time back). It is normally back in New Romney around 0810ish for the Dungeness bit. For other timetables - depends who is doing it. Some people will be in as soon as a Sparrow farts (and be finished before anybody gets in) and others will finish the inspection around 0900. So the time varies.

On a yellow as the traffic doesn't warrant both lines - the other line then becomes a single line section. This gives the PW (or others) time to do maintenance. The actual line will depend on the work requiring to be done.

 

Thank you, that's really helpful.

Another question while I think of it... what is the current status of 3, 5, 8 and 11?

I've seen 1, 2, 6, 9, 10 and 12 out and about, believe 7 is OOS due an overhaul, 14 is very unlikely to be in one piece again (what's the story there?) and, from what I remember from times past, The Bug only gets out to play at galas.

Sorry, just trying to fill in the gaps

 

Two of them are on holiday in Norfolk: https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/bure-valley-railway-35th-anniversary-gala.1425031/

 

Yes, 6 and 9. I saw them leave on the New Romney webcam. Already accounted for.