Monthly Archives: October 2022

  • DIESELGEN – D6575 Driver Experience 29 Oct

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was pictured at Williton on a DIESEL DRIVER EXPERIENCE COURSE on 15th June 2013 by Ian Robins© CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    UPDATE 28-Oct-22 at 15:00 hrs : the DDEC course that is planned for SATURDAY 29th is still expected to take place. Timings are shown below.

     

       Depart WN 09:30 arrive MD 10:06

       Depart MD 10:55 arrive NF 12:32

       Depart NF 12:57 arrive MD 15:06

       Depart MD 15:25 arrive WN 16:09

     

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) will be in action again on Saturday 29th October, on a DIESEL DRIVER EXPERIENCE COURSE (DDEC) that starts at Williton (WN) with a brake van in tow and travels first to Minehead (MD) where the goods train is collected before travelling the full length of the line to Norton Fitzwarren (NF) and back. Upon return to MD, the goods train is returned to the siding and the loco returns to WN with the brake van.

    The four DDEC participants will share the roles of driver and secondman interspersed with sessions riding in the brake van, so a highly enjoyable and interesting day is on the cards, regardless of the weather.

    This is a special train, subject to variation according to operational requirements, so timings may differ from those given. The steam-hauled public service trains that will be operating under the RED timetable will have priority.

     

    Our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page has been updated and now carries both the detail and a summary of the 2022 diesel-hauled public services. This page is used in conjunction with DIESELGEN to provide a complete picture of diesel locomotive activities on the WSR:

     

    The webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Click this link: http://www.wsr.org.uk/cams.htm or click on the image below to go to the webcams via wsr.org.uk:

     

    Webcams are available at Bishops Lydeard, Crowcombe Heathfield, Williton, Blue Anchor, Minehead Seaward Way and Minehead Station. Select the appropriate webcam by clicking on the blue button on the webcam page. Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

     

    Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

    Have you considered joining the WEEKLY ROUNDUP e-newsletter list? Click here for details.

     

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  • Weekly Roundup – 23-Oct-22

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) will be working the DIESEL DRIVER EXPERIENCE COURSE on Saturday 29th October. D6575 was pictured at Williton while working a course on 15th June 2013 by Ian Robins © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Although the 2022 running season has drawn to a close, there is no rest for Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) because she is working the DIESEL DRIVER EXPERIENCE COURSE that is scheduled to run on Saturday 29th October, fulfilling bookings that were taken in 2019 !

    These courses start at Williton, where four participants attend for a safety briefing before joining the train. The loco and brake van depart from Williton with two participants in the cab, one driving and one secondman, along with two DEPG drivers who are responsible for instruction, supervision and safety. The other two participants travel in the brake van along with the Guard.

    At Minehead, the goods train is collected and the consist heads for Bishops Lydeard (or sometimes Norton Fitzwarren), where the loco runs around the train and re-attaches for the journey back to Minehead. Upon arrival at Minehead, the goods train is returned to the siding and the loco and brake van then returns to Williton. The participants change places at appropriate points along the journey so that each participant gets a decent chance at each role.

    Having been a participant myself, I can say for sure that it is a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting day, and highly recommended. The courses are offered by the WSR and when dates are published for 2023, we will update the link on the ‘Drive a Locomotive’ page on our website to point at the relevant page on the WSR website.

     

    Did you know that our locos worked public services on the WSR on 46 different days of the 2022 season and covered more than 4,000 miles in the process ?

     

    We have kept our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page updated throughout all of the timetable and traction changes that took place during the year and will keep this page available as a detailed record of public running for 2022. The running statistics have now been added to the page. We will create a new page for 2023 as soon as timetables have been agreed and published.

    MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE TRAVELLED for supporting this year’s DIESEL RUNNING program on the WSR.

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – after the birthday celebrations of last week, it was back to normal and the team continued with their hard work on improving the body finish (more rubbing down and repainting) and the re-fitting of body items such as marker lights and sandbox doors. The battery compartment doors were treated to a coat of primer over the repaired metal. The batteries will not be re-installed for a few more weeks, not until several more coats of paint have been applied.

    D1010 pictured at Williton on her 60th birthday, 15th October 2022, inside the loco shed with another Swindon product alongside, namely Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the turbine rail of the ‘B’ end transmission has now been stripped down to the component parts, with the damaged bearings removed so that the shafts can be cleaned up for inspection and measurement. The centre section of the shaft that transmits the drive from the engine to the turbines was pictured at Williton on 15th October 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the turbine from the first stage (low gear) torque converter of the ‘B’ end transmission is the major component in this stack of parts and first indications are that this magnificent piece of 1960s engineering is in very good condition. Pictured at Williton on 15th October 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To continue our rate of progress requires FUNDING which is becoming harder to get as belts are being tightened everywhere. If you are able to do so, please consider SPONSORING A PATCH because there is plenty of recently-added metal that still needs engraving. We engraved 50 patches recently and we have another 100+ still to do, so the scheme has been very successful (well done Colin F for suggesting it). Photographs and certificates of sponsorship will be sent out to all who have sponsored this phase of the restoration work, but please bear with us because our admin resources are severely stretched at the moment. Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support !

    We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – the failed heat exchanger has been shipped to another subcontractor for assessment but is expected to need a new core. Meanwhile, efforts are being made to find a spare that a Class 33 owner group may be willing to sell or willing to loan, although it is highly likely that a spare will also need some degree of refurbishment before it can be put to use, given that it will have been stored for 20+ years since it was last used.

    D6566 (33 048) – the space that would normally be occupied by the heat exchanger was cleaned up by volunteer Ian FS at Williton on Saturday 22nd October 2022. Photo by Ian Robins © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D6566 (33 048) – the space that would normally be occupied by the heat exchanger was cleaned up by volunteer Ian FS at Williton on Saturday 22nd October 2022. The deck plates will be lifted out this coming weekend for further cleaning to take place. Photo by Ian Robins © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is the WSR Duty Loco and is fully serviceable. This loco will be in use on Saturday 29th for a DIESEL DRIVER EXPERIENCE COURSE (DDEC), the first since 2019 !

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – there was no time available to continue the inspection work on this loco because of other priorities, and this coming weekend, our inspector will be involved in the DDEC, so this loco will wait patiently for her turn to come along.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco also has to wait in line for her turn for attention. The work list on this loco comprises a number of small but important tasks that will be tackled during the coming weeks.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the progress continues on several fronts with Terry, Nick and Paul C working on the brake rigging while John C worked on the rebuild of the electrical cubicle, leaving Simon and Colin to figure out the reassembly sequence for the myriad of pipes and conduits that need to be re-installed at the ‘B’ end of the locomotive. Here’s some pictures to tell the story:

    D9518 – trial fitting of the compressed air system pipework (white) took place at Williton on Saturday 22nd October 2022. The unpainted pipes will be removed for painting once their bends have been finalised. The solenoid valves will also be removed for refurbishment and painting before re-fitting. Photo by Colin Girle © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the steam-age brake rigging components were evaluated so that new pins and/or bushings could be fitted where necessary at Williton on Saturday 22nd October 2022. Photo by Paul Clark © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – one of the brake hangers is being held horizontal by the steady hands of Nick while a new bushing is pressed into place. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 18th October 2022 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – one of the brand-new ‘Layrub’ couplings was pictured alongside the original at Williton on Tuesday 18th October 2022. The new couplings will allow the generator drive shaft assembly to be prepared for re-installation between the transmission and the generator. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    This loco is the subject of a fundraising appeal so please follow this link to find out more. We need your help ! In addition to funds, we also need plenty of HANDS. If you love the ‘Teddy Bears’ and you are not already a member of the DEPG, please join us so that you can become one of the team that is going to return D9518 to fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway and has now reached 700 hours of use, which means another ‘A’ exam is needed and this is taking place this week.

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco continues to be in regular use at the NYMR, although usage is reducing as autumn sets in. During the last three months, this loco has covered more than 2,500 miles, so her first season in service has been a big success !

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – investigations into the fuel system issue that is preventing the engine from starting have pointed to the fuel injection pump, which has now been removed from the loco and will be sent out for specialist overhaul. The pump appears to have been affected by contamination in the fuel system, so the fuel tank will be drained and flushed and upgraded fuel filters will be fitted. The diesel fuel is also used as hydraulic fluid for the torque converter, so it is possible that the contamination is coming from the breakdown of the seals within the 50-year-old torque converter. This will be investigated while the loco is out of use.

    Barclay 578 (ROF 1) – the malfunctioning fuel injection pump was removed from the loco at Williton on Saturday 22nd October 2022 and will be sent out for specialist repair and overhaul. Photo by Ian Robins © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Barclay 578 (ROF 1) – this close-up of the fuel injection pump shows that it is an original CAV (Charles Anthony Vandervell) part that probably dates back to the loco build date of 1972. Although owned by Lucas since 1926, the company did not use the name Lucas CAV until 1978. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd October 2022 by Ian Robins © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    If you can help by donating your time, then please JOIN US and come along to the depot for an introduction to what we do and how we do it. We currently have people on site from Saturday through to Tuesday and we can open on other days if we can be sure of getting at least two volunteers on site at all times, so there is plenty of scope. We have tasks of all types to suit most capabilities, both skilled and unskilled.

    Many thanks to all of our volunteers who give up so much of their time to work on the cleaning, painting, maintaining, restoring, managing and fund raising for our fleet of heritage locomotives !

     

     

    BOOK REVIEW – this week, we have a book review from regular contributor Neale Long in relation to the recently-released book ‘THE BEATEN TRACK – VOLUME 2’, a short taste of which is reproduced below. Click here or on the image to go to the full article on our website:

       “This 176-page hard back book published by Platform 5 builds on the picture that was created by the very successfuVolume 1, with author Andy Chard again skilfully compiling an excellent set of images which explore some of the less familiar rail routes that existed within the period 1970-1985.

       Using a wider group of photographers than the first volume, this second volume also draws on the talents of Roger Geach, Bernard Mills and Gavin Morrison amongst others. The mix of rare locations, both passenger and freight, some still existing and some sadly not, will provide a reminder to those fortunate enough to have visited, and a glimpse of long gone locations to those not so fortunate. The traction of the period is well covered, with several long-lost classes …

    Continued on a separate page, click this link to read more.

    Many thanks to Neale for his efforts in support of DEPG fundraising. It is much appreciated !

     

    A quick reminder that we are now taking advance orders for the DEPG 2023 CALENDAR, further details of which will be posted on our webstore soon. To prevent waste and maximise the contribution to DEPG funds, we will be limiting the number of calendars that we order to match demand and no more. The printing costs have risen but if we control the quantity that we order, we can keep the price the same as last year, which is £12 including VAT excluding postage. Click here or on the image below to place your ADVANCE ORDER. Thank you to all of our contributors for allowing us to use their work for this important purpose.

     

     

    ON SHED – this week, we have a photo of our very own 47840 (D1661 47077 47613) ‘NORTH STAR’ wearing the BR-blue livery in which she was painted in 2002 for her last five years of operation on the main line. The main differences from the livery that she currently wears as ’47 077′ are the headcode blinds that were reinstated in 2007, and the removal of the Electric Train Heating (ETH) jumper cables (the orange connections on the bufferbeam) that took place in 2019, although the loco remains ETH-capable. Many thanks to Terry for sharing his photo with us all.

    Class 47 ‘celebrity’ 47840 (D1661 47077 47613) ‘NORTH STAR’ was pictured while at rest in a very scruffy corner of Crewe Station in October 2003. This loco had the honour of working the very last scheduled cross-country loco-hauled service which ran from Penzance to Manchester on the 19th August 2002. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    DEPG NEWS – First, a reminder – we have received confirmation that the funeral of former DEPG Chairman JOHN CRONIN will take place in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, on Friday 4th November 2022. Please let me know if you plan to attend at the memorial service that will take place at 12:45 later that day.

    Former DEPG Chairman the late John Cronin was presented with a special birthday cake on the occasion of his 75th Birthday in August 2017, after dining aboard the ‘Quantock Belle‘. Photo from the DEPG archives © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    If you want to make a donation to John’s chosen causes, a JustGiving page has been set up for that purpose. Here’s the link: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/johncronin

     

    Our new online membership system is working well and feedback has been very positive, but please be aware that WE STILL OFFER THE TRADITIONAL PAPER-BASED MEMBERSHIP via cheques and mail, by using the form attached or available via this link. If you want a form mailed to you, just let me know or email our Membership Secretary CHRIS SHIELDS via members@depg.org

     

    Of particular importance is the GIFT AID option. If you are a taxpayer, please consider setting your GIFT AID status to YES so that the DEPG can claim the tax that you paid on your subscription and/or donation. This increases the value of your payment by 25% and that makes a significant amount of difference to our fundraising. Thanks !

     

    For our new online membership system, click here or on the image below and log in (no password required) to create a new membership or to check the details of your current membership. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE DEPG !

     

    WSR NEWS: 

    The WSR is now taking bookings for the 2022 ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ trains which will be steam hauled on the journey to Crowcombe Heathfield and diesel hauled on the return leg, using one of our Class 33 ‘Cromptons’.

    The colours and sights of last years’ services resulted in a sell-out and demand is going to be solid again this year, so don’t leave it until later to make a booking. If you and/or your family want to experience it, then now is the time to make a booking. Click here or click on the image below.

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

     

     

     

  • Weekly Roundup – 16-Oct-22

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) had the honour of working the last scheduled diesel-hauled service of the 2022 season on Sunday 16th October 2022. Pictured when hauling her train up the rising gradient into Blue Anchor station on Saturday 8th October 2022 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The 2022 running season drew to a close last Sunday 16th October when Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) worked the last of the scheduled diesel-hauled trains of the 2022 timetable, the 14:30 from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard.

    In total, our locos worked public services on 46 different days of the 2022 season and covered more than 4,000 miles in the process !

     

    Reliability was good with almost all scheduled diesel-hauled trains starting as booked. The star performers this year have been Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) with 100% despatch reliability, covering 1,935 miles over 27 days without any issues, and Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 also with 100% despatch reliability and covering 1,070 miles over 14 days without any issues.

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) started well with 100% reliability through to mid-August when the heat got to her and she suffered a number of issues resulting in her withdrawal from service on the 18th August. This loco still managed to run a creditable 1,056 miles over 15 days before running into trouble, the result of which was that 11 of her booked departures were covered by the DMU and the rest by sister loco D6575.

    The other casualty was ‘Hymek’ D7017 back in June when she suffered a cylinder head joint ring failure on the first day of the Diesel Gala. Her place was taken by other locos from the home fleet and only one service was changed to steam haulage as a result of the failure.

    So, the overall reliability total for the year was 202 actual DEPG departures out of 216 booked departures, therefore 94% which does not seem unreasonable for a fleet of 60-year old locos, especially considering that we had not expected to be running diesels at all during August.

     

    We have kept our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page updated throughout all of the timetable and traction changes that took place during the year and will keep this page available as a detailed record of public running for 2022. The above running statistics have now been added to that page. We will create a new page for 2023 as soon as timetables have been agreed and published.

    MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE TRAVELLED for supporting this year’s DIESEL RUNNING program on the WSR.

     

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – this loco celebrated her 60th birthday last Saturday – and that gave us the opportunity for a bit of fun and a slice of cake !

    D1010 pictured at Williton on her 60th birthday, 15th October 2022, with Gordon about to cut the cake. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 entered service at Old Oak Common depot on 15th October 1962 making her the oldest survivor of this famous class of locomotives that once totalled 74 machines. Do you have a photo of her from her early days ? If yes, please consider sharing it with us all. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 pictured at Williton on her 60th birthday, 15th October 2022 with Gordon on the left and Ian F on the right. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The restoration of D1010 continues to make progress, with the bodywork of the loco improving every week as our volunteers continue their work. In parallel with the bodywork, we are making progress on the disassembly of the ‘B’ end hydraulic transmission and achieved the separation of the first stage turbine from the housing. This revealed evidence of severe corrosion on the input shaft bearings, clear evidence of water ingress in years gone by. The complete set of bearings will be replaced when the transmission is reassembled.

    D1010 – the input shaft bearing on the first torque converter stage of the ‘B’-end transmission shows clear evidence of corrosion caused by water ingress. This bearing will be replaced along with all of the others on the turbine rail assembly. Pictured through a greasy lens at Williton on 10th October 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To continue our rate of progress requires FUNDING which is becoming harder to get as belts are being tightened everywhere. If you are able to do so, please consider SPONSORING A PATCH because there is plenty of recently-added metal that still needs engraving. We engraved 50 patches recently and we have another 100+ still to do, so the scheme has been very successful (well done Colin F for suggesting it).

    Photographs and certificates of sponsorship will be sent out to all who have sponsored this phase of the restoration work, but please bear with us because our admin resources are severely stretched at the moment. Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support !

    We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

     

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – the failed heat exchanger appears to be beyond repair, so the next option being investigated is to have the core of the heat exchanger rebuilt. This is the most expensive option and will also take a long time. The next best option is to acquire a used heat exchanger from one of the Class 33 owner groups and have it overhauled. Hopefully it will be fully functional or repairable without too much time or expense. The third option is to adapt a heat exchanger from a Class 56 (of which we have several) and have new pipework made to compensate for the slightly shorter length (the reduced heat transfer capacity will not be an issue when used at heritage railway speeds and loads). All three options are being investigated at the moment.

    D6566 (33 048) – the complications with the repair of the failed heat exchanger are likely to keep this loco confined to barracks for some considerable time. Pictured in the yard at Williton on 8th October 2022 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is the WSR Duty Loco and is fully serviceable. Following the completion of her scheduled public service duties on Sunday 16th, she moved from Bishops Lydeard to Williton ‘light engine’ to be in position for the first DIESEL DRIVER EXPERIENCE COURSE (DDEC) to be run since 2019 !

    There are two DDECs scheduled this month, the first on Friday 28th October and the second on Saturday 29th. These have not been advertised because they are already fully booked, fulfilling obligations from 2020. There will be a new program of DDECs for 2023 and the WSR will soon be announcing the dates for these very popular courses.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – there was no time available to continue the inspection work on this loco because of the need to re-organise the loco shed to put everything back in the position it was in before this loco had to be accomodated for her engine work. Everything in the shed had been compressed into the smallest possible space, so one project blocked another, and this had to be rectified. Hopefully, D7017 will get her inspection next weekend.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco also has to wait in line for her turn for attention. The work list on this loco comprises a number of small but important tasks that will be tackled during the coming weeks.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the work on this loco is continuing on several fronts, both on-site at Williton and off-site at subcontractors, where specialised components such as drive shafts and electric motors are being evaluated and reconditioned. The team purchased some brand-new heavy-duty electrical switches for the vacuum exhauster control panel and these expensive items were paid for by a matching donation from one of the restoration team members, which reminds us that the rapid progress on this loco is due to the generosity and support of the many donors who are so keen to see this project through to its conclusion. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED !

    D9518 – team leader Simon P was pictured between the frames at Williton on Saturday 15th October 2022 as he continued the re-installation of the many pipes and conduits that connect the brake frame and generator. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – one of the recently refurbished brake relay valves was re-fitted to the relevant side frame at Williton on Saturday 15th October 2022. It looks like new, but it is 58 years old ! Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – two brand-new ‘Santon’ heavy-duty rotary switches were purchased to provide high reliability for the vacuum exhauster controls. These switches were made to the exact same specification as the original equipment that was fitted to the loco when built in 1964. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 15th October 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the Paxman 6YJXL V6 diesel engine has been repositioned to allow workbenches to be erected alongside. This will allow Terry to make a start on the overhaul of this engine (previously used in D9526). Pictured at Williton on Saturday 15th October 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    This loco is the subject of a fundraising appeal so please follow this link to find out more. We need your help ! In addition to funds, we also need plenty of HANDS. If you love the ‘Teddy Bears’ and you are not already a member of the DEPG, please join us so that you can become one of the team that is going to return D9518 to fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway working alongside the steam locos and the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU), sharing the work of hauling the public services. Work on locally-based sister D9504 has progressed well, so we expect to see D9526 returning to Williton early in the New Year.

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco continues to be in regular use at the NYMR, although usage is reducing as autumn sets in. During the last three months, this loco has covered more than 2,500 miles, so her first season in service has been a big success !

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – after receiving attention to her paintwork over the last few weeks, our smallest loco did not repay the favour and decided to develop a fuel system fault which prevented her engine from starting. The fuel lift pump was serviced and the various seals and gaskets replaced, then the fuel lines were primed, but she still refused to start. Further work will take place this coming weekend, weather permitting.

     

     

    If you can help by donating your time, then please JOIN US and come along to the depot for an introduction to what we do and how we do it. We currently have people on site from Saturday through to Tuesday and we can open on other days if we can be sure of getting at least two volunteers on site at all times, so there is plenty of scope. We have tasks of all types to suit most capabilities, both skilled and unskilled.

    Many thanks to all of our volunteers who give up so much of their time to work on the cleaning, painting, maintaining, restoring, managing and fund raising for our fleet of heritage locomotives !

     

     

    BOOK REVIEW – many thanks to all who placed their advance orders for the DEPG 2023 CALENDAR, further details of which will be posted here and on our webstore soon. To prevent waste and maximise the contribution to DEPG funds, we will be limiting the number of calendars that we order to match demand and no more. The printing costs have risen but if we control the quantity that we order, we can keep the price the same as last year, which is £12 including VAT excluding postage. Click here or on the image below to place your ADVANCE ORDER. Thank you to all of our contributors for allowing us to use their work for this important purpose.

    We have added several other NEW BOOKS to our online store recently including THE BEATEN TRACK Vol.1 and Vol.2 and GREEN DIESEL DAYS, so please visit our online store and browse then buy to support the work that is taking place on our locomotives. Thanks !

     

     

    ON SHED – regular contributor and DEPG member Keith Fender has provided us with some shots of our very own D6575 (33 057) in BR livery, taken when the loco was a regular performer on the South Coast to South Wales route. The journey involved a change of direction and a change of traction at Bristol Temple Meads, with one Class 33 hauling the train in and detaching while another Class 33 attached at the other end to haul the train out again. This meant that the same loco would appear on it’s relevant ‘shuttle’ leg for several days at a time. Luckily, Keith has captured some images from those memorable days. Here’s one such image below:

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 33 057 (D6575) was pictured at Brighton Station at the head of the 0830 service to Cardiff on 26th March 1988. The dull and dirty appearance was typical of the era, although a clean and shiny ‘namer’ did appear on this working on more than one occasion. Photo by Keith Fender © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Many thanks to Keith for sharing his work with us.

     

     

    DEPG NEWS:

    We have received confirmation that the funeral of former DEPG Chairman JOHN CRONIN will take place in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, on Friday 4th November 2022. Please use our CONTACT FORM or email contact@depg.org to let us know if you want to attend at the memorial service that will take place at 12:45 later that day.

    Former DEPG Chairman the late John Cronin was pictured at Bishops Lydeard on 20th August 2017 by Bob Tiller © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    If you want to make a donation to John’s chosen causes, a JustGiving page has been set up for that purpose. Here’s the link: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/johncronin

     

    The synopsis of the DEPG Board Meeting that took place on 1st October 2022 has been prepared and will be shared with DEPG members (for whom we hold valid email addresses) later this week (apologies for the delay).

     

    While reorganising our loco shed last weekend, a decision was taken to dismantle a 2-tonne manual gantry crane and offer it for sale, because it has been made redundant by a larger 5-tonne electric gantry crane that gets used in preference. Here’s a picture of the crane that is now available for sale:

    This two-tonne gantry crane with manual hoist (dated 2008) is available for sale, with proceeds to go to the DEPG general fund. Use our CONTACT FORM or email contact@depg.org if you are interested in acquiring this crane. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 15th October 2022 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    This two-tonne gantry crane with manual hoist (dated 2008) is available for sale, with proceeds to go to the DEPG general fund. Use our CONTACT FORM or email contact@depg.org if you are interested in acquiring this crane. Pictured after disassembly at Williton on Saturday 15th October 2022 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    Our new online membership system is working well and feedback has been very positive, but please be aware that WE STILL OFFER THE TRADITIONAL PAPER-BASED MEMBERSHIP via cheques and mail, by using the form available via this link. If you want a form mailed to you, just use our CONTACT FORM or email our Membership Secretary CHRIS SHIELDS via members@depg.org

     

    Of particular importance is the GIFT AID option. If you are a taxpayer, please consider setting your GIFT AID status to YES so that the DEPG can claim the tax that you paid on your subscription and/or donation. This increases the value of your payment by 25% and that makes a significant amount of difference to our fundraising. Thanks !

     

    For our new online membership system, click here or on the image below and log in (no password required) to create a new membership or to check the details of your current membership. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE DEPG !

     

    WSR NEWS: 

    The WSR is now taking bookings for the 2022 ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ trains which will be steam hauled on the journey to Crowcombe Heathfield and diesel hauled on the return leg, using one of our Class 33 ‘Cromptons’.

    The colours and sights of last years’ services resulted in a sell-out and demand is going to be solid again this year, so don’t leave it until later to make a booking. If you and/or your family want to experience it, then now is the time to make a booking. Click here or click on the image below.

     

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

  • Weekly Roundup – 09-Oct-22

    DEPG volunteers gathered as a mark of respect for former DEPG Chairman the late John Cronin who passed away on Tuesday 4th October 2022. Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was suitably adorned with a wreath and carried the headcode ‘JC’ in tribute to the well-known railwayman. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Following on from the sad news that our former Chairman John Cronin passed away in the early afternoon of Tuesday 4th October at the age of 80, our volunteers gathered for a minute of silence and for a group photograph in front of Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) at Williton on Saturday. The loco carried a wreath and displayed the headcode ‘JC’ as a mark of respect for the man who led the DEPG from 2009 through to 2017 and who continued to work for the benefit of the group after retirement from the role.

    Tributes have been reaching us from his former colleagues throughout the railway fraternity, but John was the kind of person who would not have wanted any fuss to be made and he would have simply said “get on with it then“, so that is exactly what we are going to do.

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 hauled the ‘Quantock Belle‘ dining service on 20th August 2017, during which our former Chairman the late John Cronin was presented with a special birthday cake on the occasion of his 75th Birthday and his second ‘retirement’. Pictured at Bishops Lydeard by Bob Tiller © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Returning to the activities of last weekend, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) worked the 12:30 Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and the 14:30 return service under the RED timetable on both Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October and is rostered for the same services this coming weekend, which will be the last of the diesel-hauled public services for the 2022 season. One of our two ‘Cromptons’ will be in use on the Christmas ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ services that start on 18th November, but this coming weekend is the last chance for a scheduled diesel-hauled round trip along the length of the line, so grab the opportunity, if you can.

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) came to a stand at Blue Anchor Signal Box on Saturday 8th October 2022 so that the signlman could converse with loco driver Paul Fleet. The loco was working the 14:30 service from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    THIS COMING WEEKEND 15th/16th October, we have the LAST opportunity for scheduled public service diesel haulage with Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) running for 40 miles from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and back each day, under the RED timetable.

     

    We have kept our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page updated throughout all of the timetable and traction changes that took place during the year and will keep this page available as a detailed record of public running for 2022. We will create a new page for 2023 as soon as timetables have been agreed and published.

    MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE TRAVELLED for supporting this year’s DIESEL RUNNING program on the WSR.

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we aim to provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so please sign up to keep up to date.

     

    Another activity that took place at Williton last week was the visit of Williton Beaver Scout Troop on the late afternoon of Monday 3rd October, where the children were given a lesson in railway safety before touring the depot and visiting the cabs of Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 in addition to a look inside our BR standard 20t Brake Van B952527. The youngsters had a great time, the culmination of which was a very carefully supervised group photo staged on the smallest locomotive in our care, Barclay 0-4-0DH number 578 (ROF No. 1). Overall, a very worthwhile event for everyone involved, and a very much appreciated donation to Depot funds !

     

    On Saturday 8th, the DEPG hosted a visit from a convoy of vintage trucks from the South West Vintage Truck Road Run group, bringing some additional interest to the South Yard at Williton on what turned out to be a very busy day. Although we had expected a seven-truck convoy, only four actually made it into our yard, which given the lack of turning space was probably just as well ! Click here to see more photos on the South West Road Runs Twitter account.

    This 1939 Bedford dropside truck was the oldest of the four vehicles that visited the South Yard at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022 as part of the SOUTH WEST VINTAGE TRUCK ROAD RUN. Photo by Mike Evans © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    LOCO NEWS:

     

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – more progress has been made on multiple fronts on this loco as she approaches her 60th birthday – this coming Saturday !

    Introduced to service on 15th October 1962, our loco was put to work on the Paddington to Birmingham services which were heavily loaded at that time due to the construction work taking place at Euston station and elsewhere on the West Coast Main Line. The loco entered service in overall maroon with a yellow buffer beam and apron, and ran in this condition for 16 weeks before making a short visit to Swindon Works for remedial work and being outshopped with a small yellow warning panel and black bufferbeams. Photos of D1010 in her early livery are rare, but we do have one on our website. We would welcome any additional photos from those early days.

     

    Bringing the story right up to date, our team at Williton have started to transition from disassembly mode to reassembly mode. The various parts that were removed to allow body repairs to take place are now being restored and re-fitted, although there is still a lot of filling and rubbing down to be done before the bodywork can be considered as finished.

    Please consider SPONSORING A PATCH because there is plenty of recently-added metal that still needs engraving. We engraved 30 patches recently and we have another 100+ still to do, so the scheme has been very successful (well done Colin F for suggesting it). Photographs and certificates of sponsorship will be sent out to all who have sponsored this phase of the restoration work, but please bear with us because our admin resources are stretched at the moment. Click the image below and sponsor a patch now. Thank you in advance for your support !

    We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

    D1010 – long-time DEPG member and volunteer Geoff was pictured re-installing the secondman’s side window at the ‘A’ end of the loco at Williton on Monday 3rd October 2022. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – where necessary, the repaired battery compartment doors now have new hinges and are ready for priming and painting, which will then allow the batteries to be re-installed, releasing some floor space in the loco shed. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – Roy attends to the details of painting around the headcode apertures at ‘A’ end at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the ‘A’ end of the loco has undergone major reconstruction and is now structually sound, although the cosmetic work of filling and sanding still needs to be done before it can be considered as finished. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number or code word of your choice will be engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

     

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – the subcontractor that has been assessing the failed heat exchanger has now reported that it is beyond repair because of severe erosion of the tube plate, which has allowed leaks to develop in multiple areas. The tubeplate will have to be replaced and all 600 joints re-made, so it is probably more cost-effective to have the complete core replaced. We are assessing the options which include repair, replacement or modification of the end plates to allow a heat exchanger from a Class 56 to be used instead. We have several in our spares stock, so this might become the lowest cost option, if it meets the technical requirements.

    D6566 (33 048) – close-up view of the heavily eroded tubeplate on the leaking heat exchanger, showing unrepairable damage to the joints between the majority of tubes and the tubeplate. Photo dated 5th October 2022 via Ian Robins © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D6575 (33 057) – for comparison, this photo shows the tubeplate for the heat exchanger fitted to sister loco D6575, pictured during planned maintenance cleaning in January 2019. There are approximately 600 tubes of 6mm (1/4 inch) diameter and 1.65m (65 inches) in length through which the cooling water flows. The engine oil flows around the outside of these tubes via the pink pipes. The heat transfers from the hottest fluid to the coolest fluid. Photo by Ian Robins © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is currently stabled at Bishops Lydeard and being the WSR Duty Loco, is fully serviceable. She has one more weekend of scheduled public service duties to perform, as listed on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page, but it is already evident that she has been the busiest loco of our home fleet this year. Well done D6575 !

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – the BIG NEWS is that the loco was checked over carefully then started up on Saturday 8th October 2022 and everything went to plan, with the engine running smoothly again. WELL DONE to all of our volunteers who have been involved with this work ! We are preparing a collection of video clips covering the successful engine run and will post them on the DEPG YouTube channel shortly. Click here or on the image below for a short clip of the engine running with the cam box covers removed for inspection purposes (beware – it is LOUD!):

     

    D7017 has now vacated the loco shed and is standing on Number 3 road so that she can undergo her Vehicle Inspection & Brake Test (VIBT) and completion of some other outstanding work before going out on a test run at some time in the near future. Pictured on Saturday 8th October 2022 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco watched and waited patiently as her sister received all of the attention during last weekend. The work list on this loco comprises a number of small but important tasks that will be tackled during the coming weeks.

    D7018 has now been reunited with her sister loco D7017 in the South Yard at Williton and they both await completion of various small tasks before going out on a test run at some time in the near future. Pictured on Saturday 8th October 2022 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the re-fitting of the side and end frames at the ‘B’ end of the main frames has transformed her appearance and she is now starting to look like a locomotive again ! These frames provide anchor points for many of the pipes and items of electrical control gear, so they needed to be back in place to allow work to progress. Well done Team D9518 !

    D9518 – the short nose end (‘B’ end) of the loco takes shape following the re-fitting of the side and end frames at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – highly visible progress at the ‘B’ end of the locomotive – the side frames and end frames were re-fitted at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    This loco is the subject of a fundraising appeal so please follow this link to find out more. We need your help ! In addition to funds, we also need plenty of HANDS. If you love the ‘Teddy Bears’ and you are not already a member of the DEPG, please join us so that you can become one of the team that is going to return D9518 to fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway working alongside the steam locos and the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU), sharing the work of hauling the public services. Work on locally-based sister D9504 has progressed well, so we expect to see D9526 returning to Williton early in the New Year.

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco continues to be in regular use at the NYMR, although usage is reducing as autumn sets in. During the last three months, this loco has covered more than 2,500 miles, so her first season in service has been a big success !

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this little loco received plenty of attention last weekend when a team including Darren and Karl and led by Jon set about the completion of the detail paintwork at the buffer beams. Having prevously attended to the leading end of the loco and done a great job, Jon marked out the diagonal stripes at the trailing end with his customary level of care, and then painted the black stripes. Meanwhile, Karl and Darren attended to the orange paint for the electrical conduits and the red and yellow paint for the air pipes. Some small details remain to be completed and then we will be ready for the cabside lettering to be reinstated. GREAT JOB, well done guys ! 

    Barclay 0-4-0DH number 578 (ROF No. 1) received plenty of attention at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022. This picture shows Karl painting the electrical conduit with the designated colour, orange. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Barclay 0-4-0DH number 578 (ROF No. 1) at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022, showing her newly-acquired diagonal stripes at her ‘short end’, carefully applied by Jon. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Barclay 0-4-0DH number 578 (ROF No. 1) at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022, with Darren attending to the details at the ‘long end’ of the loco. The air pipe connections and levers are in grey undercoat in this view. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Barclay 0-4-0DH number 578 (ROF No. 1) at Williton on Saturday 8th October 2022, with the detailing around the buffer beam completed and looking very good indeed. Photo by Mike Evans © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    If you can help by donating your time, then please JOIN US and come along to the depot for an introduction to what we do and how we do it. We currently have people on site from Saturday through to Tuesday and we can open on other days if we can be sure of getting at least two volunteers on site at all times, so there is plenty of scope. We have tasks of all types to suit most capabilities, both skilled and unskilled.

    Many thanks to all of our volunteers who give up so much of their time to work on the cleaning, painting, maintaining, restoring, managing and fund raising for our fleet of heritage locomotives !

     

     

    BOOK REVIEW – not a book but a printed item so worthy of a mention here, we are now taking orders for the DEPG 2023 CALENDAR, further details of which will be posted here and on our webstore soon. To prevent waste and maximise the contribution to DEPG funds, we will be limiting the number of calendars that we order to match demand and no more. The printing costs have risen but if we control the quantity that we order, we can keep the price the same as last year, which is £12 including VAT excluding postage. Click here or on the image below to place your ADVANCE ORDER. Thank you to all of our contributors for allowing us to use their work for this important purpose.

    We have added several other NEW BOOKS to our online store recently including THE BEATEN TRACK Vol.1 and Vol.2 and GREEN DIESEL DAYS, so please visit our online store and browse then buy to support the work that is taking place on our locomotives. Thanks !

     

     

    ON SHED – as we approach the middle of October, it is my annual opportunity to indulge in a picture of Class 43 ‘Warship’ D842 ‘ROYAL OAK‘, named after the battleship upon which my grandfather lost his life on 14th October 1939, along with 833 other men and boys in what was the first major naval loss of WWII. The pictured diesel-hydraulic did not make it into preservation, but the name was carried again by successor Class 50 number 50 017 and that loco survives today and can be seen at work on the Great Central Railway.

    North British Locomotive Co. Class 43 ‘Warship’ D842 ‘Royal Oak’ was pictured while moving the empty coaching stock of the 2B84 Exeter St. Davids to Newton Abbot service from Exeter carriage siding on 15th June 1971. Photo by Barry Gay © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Many thanks to Barry for sharing his photograph with us. As this locomotive is a particular favourite of mine, if any readers have photos of D842 (or 50017) that they would be willing to share, then please do let me know. Thank you.

     

     

    DEPG NEWS – The synopsis of the DEPG Board Meeting that took place on 1st October 2022 is being prepared and will be shared with DEPG members (for whom we hold valid email addresses) later this week.

     

    Our new online membership system is working well and feedback has been very positive, even though some anomalies have had to be corrected here and there. Membership is INCREASING STEADILY ! If you haven’t done so already, please take a look at your membership record and make sure that it is correct. You will also be able to select ‘paper’, ‘paperless’ or ‘paperless except newsletter’ communication, according to your preference. In the event of any discrepancies, please email Membership Secretary Chris Shields using members@depg.org or use the CONTACT FORM on our website.

     

    Of particular importance is the GIFT AID option. If you are a taxpayer, please consider setting your GIFT AID status to YES so that the DEPG can claim the tax that you paid on your subscription and/or donation. This increases the value of your payment by 25% and that makes a significant amount of difference to our fundraising. Thanks !

     

    WSR NEWS: this coming weekend is the final weekend for scheduled diesel haulage under the RED timetable. It is possible that a diesel may be rostered on other days at short notice, to cover for a steam locomotive, but such things are unplanned and unpredictable. Keep an eye on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for the latest information.

     

    The WSR is now taking bookings for the 2022 ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ trains which will be steam hauled on the journey to Crowcombe Heathfield and diesel hauled on the return leg, using one of our Class 33 ‘Cromptons’.

    Love it or loathe it, the colours and sights of last years’ services resulted in a sell-out and demand is going to be solid again this year, so don’t leave it until later to make a booking. If you want to experience it, then now is the time to make a booking. Click here or click on the image below.

     

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

     

  • Weekly Roundup – 02-Oct-22

    Former DEPG Chairman the late John Cronin was presented with a special birthday cake on the occasion of his 75th Birthday in August 2017, after dining aboard the ‘Quantock Belle‘. Photo from the DEPG archives © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Some sad news reached us as this edition of Roundup was being prepared. Our former Chairman John Cronin passed away in the early afternoon of Tuesday 4th October at the age of 80, after a long fight with illness that affected his mobility in recent years.

    Well-known in railway circles, having been the manager of BR’s Bristol Bath Road Traction Maintenance Depot until its closure in 1995, John joined the DEPG after retirement from BR, quickly becoming involved in our quarterly newsletter production before becoming Company Secretary in the year 2000. John succeeded Bob Tiller as Chairman in 2009 and made his mark on the Group before stepping down from the role upon reaching the age of 75, back in 2017.

    John was very proud of his Yorkshire roots and we have found some photos of the ‘Quantock Belle’ dining train that carried ‘THE YORKSHIREMAN’ headboard for the occasion of his 75th birthday. During this journey, John was presented with an appropriately decorated birthday cake !

    We remember John for his massive contribution to the DEPG over many years and we offer our condolences to all affected by this loss.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 hauled the ‘Quantock Belle‘ dining service on 20th August 2017, during which our former Chairman the late John Cronin was presented with a special birthday cake on the occasion of his 75th Birthday. Pictured at Minehead, ready for the return leg of the journey. Photo from the DEPG archives © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Those of us who have worked with John will know that his instructions following his demise would be simply “get on with it then“, so that is exactly what we intend to do.

     

    Last Friday 30th September, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was employed on a freight working out and back from Minehead. This was an engineering train to pick up and drop off various items at various points along the line, so the travelling crane was included in the consist. The weather deteriorated as the day wore on, but a lucky glimpse at the Seaward Way Railcam allowed a screen shot to be captured just as the working cleared the level crossing, as below:

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was pictured returning to Minehead after working an engineering train to Bishops Lydeard and back on Friday 30th September 2022. Image captured from the Seaward Way Railcam, courtesy of Railcam UK and the WSR © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    As from Saturday 1st October, the RED timetable came into effect, with services reduced from 4 to 3 trains each way per day. THIS COMING WEEKEND 8th/9th and again on 15th/16th October, we have Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) running for 40 miles from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and back, under the RED timetable.

     

    We have kept our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page updated throughout all of the timetable and traction changes that took place during the year and will keep this page available as a detailed record of public running for 2022. We will create a new page for 2023 as soon as timetables have been agreed and published.

    MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE TRAVELLED for supporting this year’s DIESEL RUNNING program on the WSR.

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we aim to provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so please sign up to keep up to date.

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    The last week was the ‘AUTUMN WORK WEEK’ where those volunteers who were able to spend a block of time at Williton engaged in the kind of tasks that otherwise take ages if stretched out over many weekends. MANY THANKS to all who gave their time at Williton last week.

     

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – this loco was the major beneficiary of the ‘work week’ effort and was painted in her first coat of maroon using gloss paint in case the loco has to spend some time outside during the winter. At present, D1010 occupies one of the two roads inside our loco shed at Williton, but if the covered space is needed for heavy maintenance on one of our other locos, D1010 will need to vacate to make space. In that eventuality, the use of gloss paint will give additional protection. While the loco remains inside the loco shed, the team will work along the locomotive in small areas, section by section, rubbing back, filling and painting again, to improve the surface finish and ensure proper protection.

    Please consider SPONSORING A PATCH because there is plenty of recently-added metal that still needs engraving. We engraved 30 patches recently and we have another 100+ still to do, so the scheme has been very successful (well done Colin F for suggesting it). Photographs and certificates of sponsorship will be sent out to all who have sponsored this phase of the restoration work, but please bear with us because our admin resources are stretched at the moment. Click the image below and sponsor a patch now. Thank you in advance for your support !

    We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

     

    D1010 – long-time DEPG member and regular work week volunteer Gary was pictured while painting the buffer beam at the ‘A’ end of the loco at Williton on Wednesday 28th September 2022 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the centre valances and battery compartment doors were also painted at Williton on Wednesday 28th September 2022. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – Paul T stands aside before resuming his work on the ‘A’ side of the ‘B’ end of the loco at Williton on Wednesday 28th September 2022. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the ‘A’ end now carries the original colour scheme that the loco carried for the first 16 weeks of her BR service, prior to the addition of the small yellow warning panel. The finish will improve when our volunteers reach this area with their rubbing-down and filling work. Pictured at Williton on Thursday 29th September 2022 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – by Friday, the ‘B’ end was similary adorned and the ‘B’ side completed. CONGRATULATIONS to our whole team of volunteers and the many sponsors for transforming the fortunes of this loco during the last fifteen months. Pictured at Williton on Friday 30th September 2022 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number or code word of your choice will be engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

     

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco continues to get attention to various small tasks while waiting for her heat exchanger to return from contract repair, which is expected some time in mid-October.

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is currently stabled at Minehead and being the WSR Duty Loco, is fully serviceable. She will move to Bishops Lydeard when convenient for the Operations Department, prior to taking up her remaining public service duties, as listed on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page, which shows that she has been the busiest loco of our home fleet this year. Well done D6575 !

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – the turbocharger oil feed issue that prevented the previous start-up attempt was resolved and the engine checked carefully in preparation for a start-up, but time ran out and the start was postponed to next weekend. We hope to bring news of this in the next roundup.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco was also the subject of attention during work week. The transmission casing was opened up so that the transmission control block could be exchanged with a known good spare that had to be taken out of the transmission that was last used in D7018 back in 1995. So, a known good spare, but dormant for 27 years, so fingers crossed !

    D7018 – the spare Stone-Maybach Mekydro K184u transmission was opened up to extract the control block which was then exchanged for the defective part in D7018 that was preventing the automatic gear change from functioning. Pictured at Williton on 28th September 2022 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Static testing was then performed with pressure gauges hooked up to the various test points, and it was confirmed that the elusive ‘FDR’ pressure had been restored, so the prognosis is good. Being of German (Maybach) design, ‘FDR’ is an acronym for Flüssigkeitsdruckregelung which translates to Fluid Pressure Regulator. The next step is to perform more testing and make sure that the various pressure settings are all correctly adjusted before arranging a test run. There is plenty more news to come on this story !

    D7018 – after installation of the spare Stone-Maybach Mekydro K184u control block, the engine was started up and the repaired transmission was subjected to pressure monitoring. The ‘FD’ and ‘FDR’ pressures were shown to be back to normal. Pictured at Williton on 29th September 2022 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – work continued on the side frames and end frame for the short nose-end structure. These outer frames provide the attachment points for the many pipes and cables around the compressor and generator. Work proceeded in parallel on the overhaul of the brake relay valves that will be mounted to the frames. Here’s some photos to show the progress:

    D9518 – the side frames for the short nose end were painted at Williton on Saturday 1st October 2022, pictured while being inspected under the keen eye of Colin G with D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ providing the background. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the nose end frames were also painted at Williton on Saturday 1st October 2022. The chains will be re-attached to the nose end doors, to prevent them being opened too far. Pictured alongside ‘Hymek’ D7017 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – one of several brake relay valves undergoing stripdown and inspection at Williton on Saturday 1st October 2022. The fact that all of the components remain fully serviceable after more then 40 years without use is a testament to the quality of the original materials. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – one of several brake relay valves in the fully assembled condition, pictured at Williton on Saturday 1st October 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    This loco is the subject of a fundraising appeal so please follow this link to find out more. We need your help ! In addition to funds, we also need plenty of HANDS. If you love the ‘Teddy Bears’ and you are not already a member of the DEPG, please join us so that you can become one of the team that is going to return D9518 to fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway working alongside the steam locos and the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU), sharing the work of hauling the public services. Work on locally-based sister D9504 has progressed well, so we expect to see D9526 returning to Williton early in the New Year.

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco continues to be in regular use at the NYMR, although usage is reducing as autumn sets in. During the last three months, this loco has covered more than 2,500 miles, so her first season in service has been a big success !

    47077 (D1661 47613 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ hauls her train into Levisham in the direction of Pickering on the NYMR on 27th August 2022. Photo by Martin Fisher © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – after receiving diagonal stripes on her leading buffer beam, this little loco now awaits similar attention to her trailing buffer beam and also the restoration of cabside lettering. We hope to make further progress on this work during October.

     

    If you can help by donating your time, then please JOIN US and come along to the depot for an introduction to what we do and how we do it. We currently have people on site from Saturday through to Tuesday and we can open on other days if we can be sure of getting at least two volunteers on site at all times, so there is plenty of scope. We have tasks of all types to suit most capabilities, both skilled and unskilled.

    Many thanks to all of our volunteers who give up so much of their time to work on the cleaning, painting, maintaining, restoring, managing and fund raising for our fleet of heritage locomotives !

     

     

    BOOK REVIEW – our website now carries the book review of the first volume of ‘THE BEATEN TRACK’ provided by long-time DEPG member and regular correspondent, Neale Long, and we look forward to receiving his review of the second volume soon. We have stock of both volumes and are ready to mail out, so please follow this link to our ONLINE STORE.

    Another interesting book that has been reviewed and reported upon by Neale recently is Anthony P. Sayer’s analysis of the Clayton Type 1, BR’s Class 17, the last surviving example of which proved to be a crowd puller at the WSR’s diesel gala last JuneClick here or on the image below to find out more about this excellent book, including links to the book review by Neale Long.

    We have added several other NEW BOOKS to our online store recently including GREEN DIESEL DAYS, so please visit our online store and browse then buy to support the work that is taking place on our locomotives. Thanks !

     

     

    ON SHED – this week, we mix it up a little and feature a photo that could almost be an in-service on-shed view from the late 1960s, but not quite. The glimpse of Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0 43106 on the far right would set the date at August 1968 or before, because that loco lasted in BR service to the end, being withdrawn from Lostock Hall shed at the very end of steam on BR. The ‘Westerns’ were amongst the first locos on BR to carry the new corporate image, so this could easily have been 1968 – except that D1040 ‘WESTERN QUEEN’ did not receive her blue overcoat until April 1970. So, what do we have here ?

    Class 52 D1040 ‘WESTERN QUEEN’ in a scene that could almost be from 1968, disregarding the JCB on coaling duties! In fact, it is D1062 ‘WESTERN COURIER’ pictured at Bridgnorth on the SVR on Sunday 2nd October 2022 by Paul Mear © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The loco pictured is in fact the resplendent D1062 ‘WESTERN COURIER’, owned by the Western Locomotive Association and based on the Severn Valley Railway, carrying the special identity for this special year. As D1062, this loco went blue in October of 1968 and entered preservation in November 1976, but D1040 was not one of the survivors, being withdrawn from service in February 1976 and reduced to scrap by August of that same year. 

    Many thanks to Paul for sharing his photograph with us.

     

     

    DEPG NEWS – The DEPG Board Meeting took place last Saturday as planned and the synopsis will be prepared and shared with DEPG members (for whom we hold valid email addresses) ASAP.

    Our new online membership system is working well and feedback has been very positive, even though some anomalies have had to be corrected here and there. Membership is INCREASING STEADILY ! If you haven’t done so already, please take a look at your membership record and make sure that it is correct. You will also be able to select ‘paper’, ‘paperless’ or ‘paperless except newsletter’ communication, according to your preference. In the event of any discrepancies, please email Membership Secretary Chris Shields using members@depg.org or use the CONTACT FORM on our website.

     

    WSR NEWS: this coming weekend is the penultimate weekend for scheduled diesel haulage under the RED timetable. We expect to run a diesel-hauled service again on 15/16th October, but that will then be the end of scheduled diesel running for this season, although it is possible that a diesel may be rostered on other days at short notice. Keep an eye on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for the latest information.

    The WSR is now taking bookings for the 2022 ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ trains which will be steam hauled on the journey to Crowcombe Heathfield and diesel hauled on the return leg.

    Love it or loathe it, the colours and sights of last years’ services resulted in a sell-out and demand is going to be solid again this year, so don’t leave it until later. If you want to experience it, then now is the time to make a booking. Click here or click on the image below.

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

     

  • John Cronin 1942-2022 RIP

    Our former Chairman John Cronin passed away in the early afternoon of Tuesday 4th October at the age of 80, after a long fight with illness that affected his mobility in recent years.

    Well-known in railway circles, having been the manager of BR’s Bristol Bath Road Traction Maintenance Depot until its closure in 1995, John joined the DEPG after retirement from BR, quickly becoming involved in our quarterly newsletter production before becoming Company Secretary in the year 2000. John succeeded Bob Tiller as Chairman in 2009 and made his mark on the Group before stepping down from the role upon reaching the age of 75, back in 2017.

    John was very proud of his Yorkshire roots and we have found some photos of the ‘Quantock Belle‘ dining train that carried ‘THE YORKSHIREMAN‘ headboard for the occasion of his 75th birthday. During this journey, John was presented with an appropriately decorated birthday cake !

    We remember John for his massive contribution to the DEPG over many years and we offer our condolences to all affected by this loss.

    Former DEPG Chairman John Cronin was presented with a special birthday cake on the occasion of his 75th Birthday in August 2017, after dining aboard the ‘Quantock Belle‘. Photo from the DEPG archives © CC BY-NC 3.0