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...obviously, I left out the TONI part ('boat' [def] 'headed to, say, Belfast' which is followed by the 2nd def - 'repair' - for the 'siren' part).

Thanks Loge and drxx. Do you make anything of the shading? I realise that the people are on separate tracks, as it were, and one of the two on the right may be prone but I can't get a clear picture of the event from it. Am I expecting too much?

I think, by noticing the severe bend in the track at that point, the sleuth solved the case.

Hadn’t thought along those lines (pun intended) but you may be on to something there, Granama1. It’s a while since I read the book so if there is a subtle reason for the shape of the shading, I can’t see it.

That’s got to be it, Drxx. Well played!

What is the Scottish word forrope in 1a?

Got it under sting and rope.

It did seem that splitting the grid in two halves and the split of the characters it 'represents an early scene in a work of fiction' with the observer on one side etc.
Drxx is right that the bend was key to the resolution.
It will be interesting to see if any light is shed by the official solution in 2 weeks time.
I see I missed the relevance of the clue title for puzzle 1648. SNIP an ING indeed!!

@1648 - I'm still missing the relevance of SNIP and ING - can anyone enlighten me?

Brendan, an ing is a meadow, so mowing a meadow could be snipping an ing.