Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) has now taken over the Blue timetable workings from sister D6566 (33 048) to balance up the mileage being worked by the two locos. Pictured while being prepared for the 10:00 departure from Minehead on Sunday 20th August 2023 by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0
The WSR’s peak summer YELLOW timetable has been keeping our locomotives busy, with Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) covering the week under review and Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 working the final week of the peak season. Dates beyond the 26th revert to the BLUE timetable and include diesel-hauled services on most weekends. See our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for details of loco allocations.
The postponement of the ‘DEPG at 50’ event was explained in the roundup last week, but please be aware that some of our locos will be working on Saturday and Sunday 23rd/24th September as per the WSR’s BLUE timetable. We will be running a double-headed Class 33 ‘Crompton’ hauled service on the Saturday and we might be able to run ‘Hymek’ D7017 on the Sunday if our updated Risk Assessments are approved in time. The WSR may also be announcing another special working for the Saturday, so keep this date available in your diary!
Here’s the plan for Saturday 23rd September:
10:00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard worked by D6575 (33 057)
12:30 Bishops Lydeard to Minehead worked by D6566 (33 048) AND D6575 (33 057)
14:30 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard worked by D6566 (33 048) AND D6575 (33 057)
16:35 Bishops Lydeard to Minehead worked by D6566 (33 048)
The FORTIES WEEKEND event will take place on September 9th and 10th and is always very popular with a wide range of related exhibits and themed activities, including the now-customary evening dance on the platform at Minehead ! Click here to go to the WSR website for details of this event.
Our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page is updated several times per week and is kept as accurate as we can make it. The loco allocations are subject to availability (of course), but we do try to field the allocated loco wherever possible. Click on the banner below to go to the website page:
The DIESEL RUNNING DATES pages is supplemented by our DIESELGEN bulletin service which captures non-public running such as special trains and engineering workings (where we have sufficient notice to publish such workings). Sign up for DIESELGEN emails or keep an eye on our website homepage.
LOCO NEWS:
Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the dismantling of the ‘A’ transmission has progressed and the turbine rail has now been lifted out of the main casing, which will now be closed up and covered up to protect it while work takes place on the more complicated part. The main findings so far are corrosion caused by condensation, the long-term effects of which can be seen on the inside of the top casing (photo below). The reverser assembly shows evidence of wear and will need some specialist attention, but it is all repairable and will not present a challenge. The turbine rail spins quietly, so this should also be a much more straightforward overhaul, compared to the damage evident in the ‘B’ transmission.
The bodywork of the loco has also been progressed, although the Great British Summer has made it a challenge for the team as they try to work between the showers. Gordon had the last laugh when he re-fitted the headcode indicator at the ‘B’ end and set the blinds to I’M 62 to remind everyone that our loco is racking up the years. There are still some patches waiting for sponsors at this end of the loco, so GET IN QUICK TO HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED before the painters reach this end of the loco.
D1010 – the headcode indicators have been reinstated after being rebuilt by Gordon, who mischievously set the headcode to I’M 62 to show off the age of our prized locomotive. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 19th August 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – the corrosion caused by condensation is the only evidence of degradation in this view of the ‘A’ transmission top cover, taken while the cover was standing on its side and being supported by the crane. Pictured at Williton on 15th August 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – the turbine rail was carefully lifted out of the ‘A’ transmission at Williton on 15th August 2023. This piece of precision engineering is the heart of the transmission and includes three torque converters of different diameters. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0
Having the loco outdoors has generated an increased interest in our SPONSOR A PATCH scheme, with several more patches being engraved with their sponsor’s names or messages. This initiative remains the single most successful fund-raising activity and has allowed us to make significant progress with the restoration work. PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP US FUND THIS PROJECT.
Photographs and certificates of sponsorship will be sent out to all who have sponsored the restoration work, but we are still short of volunteer resources and have not yet been able to catch up with this obligation and deliver the documents. Apologies for the delay, we will get it done ASAP. Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!
See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !
Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is the WSR Standby Loco and is now stabled at Bishops Lydeard after working Blue timetable duties for the past three months. See our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for details.
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco has been working the YELLOW timetable duties but has now taken over from sister D6566 (33 048) and will handle the Blue timetable for the rest of this season.
Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was pictured from the signal box at Williton on Sunday 20th August 2023 while working a Minehead to Bishops Lydeard service on a typical (meaning wet) 2023 summer day. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – both ‘Hymeks’ remain ‘grounded’ until our updated Risk Assessment receives approval from the WSR, so in the meantime, work proceeds apace to get at least one of our ‘Hymeks’ ready to resume service subject to the additional controls. The new window glass was fitted to the driver’s side window at ‘A’ end, which may not sound like a big deal, but that side of the cab is festooned with equipment from the old BR(WR) Automatic Train Control (ATC) system, all of which had to be removed and countless corroded screws drilled out to gain access to the window mechanism. This coming weekend’s task is to put it all back together again !
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 had to undergo significant dismantling to gain access to replace a broken window glass on the driver’s side at ‘A’ end. The scissor mechanism can be clearly seen in this view, taken at Williton on Saturday 19th August 2023. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 viewed from the ‘B’ cab, shows the equipment that has to be removed to gain access to the window mechanism. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 19th August 2023 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 viewed from the ‘B’ cab, with a closer view of the equipment that has to be removed to gain access to the window mechanism. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 19th August 2023 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 is fitted with the BR(WR) Automatic Train Control (ATC) system, the components of which are attached to the side wall in the cab, blocking access to the window mechanism. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 19th August 2023 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the work taking place on this locomotive is of an analytical nature, to establish the probable causes of the un-commanded move that took place following engine start-up on Friday 4th August 2023. This work has already resulted in an updated Risk Assessment that includes additional controls that must be put in place before the next engine start-up. The next step is to submit the Root Cause Analysis for review, and that step should be reached by the end of this week. Once approved, we will be able to resume testing and the remedial work can be planned.
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – with the diversion of effort resulting from the running of classmate D9526, the progress on this project has had to be slowed, but has not stopped. The most obvious demonstration of progress has been the reinstatement of the black ‘wasp stripes’ at the ‘B’ end of the locomotive, and they are certainly attention-grabbing !
D9518 – the black ‘wasp stripes’ have now been applied to the ‘B’ end of the locomotive, making her instantly recognisable as a ‘Teddy Bear’. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 20th August by Martin Howard © 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 has been in use for three of the last five weeks in place of the DMU on the YELLOW timetable services that ran during the peak summer period, concluding on Saturday 26th August. Take a look at our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for details of the running dates and loco allocations. The loco is now approaching her 1,000 hour engine service, which will be quite a thorough process and is aimed at keeping this much-loved locomotive in top condition.
D9526 – the meters show 925 hours since the last engine overhaul and 10597.8 miles since entering preservation. Photos taken on 19th August 2023 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0
D9526 – an unusual sight in some ways, but not in others. A ‘Teddy Bear’ works goods through the West Country during the holiday season. What’s strange about that ! Pictured at the WSRA Steam Rally, Norton Fitzwarren, on Saturday 5th August 2023 by Mike Pinn © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Work is proceeding well, so the loco should be out and about again within a few weeks, hopefully still in time to do some running this season.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is in full working order and is stabled in the South Yard. The cab is undergoing a repaint in the capable hands of Jon T, but the loco remains serviceable and ready for action.
If you can help by donating your time to any of these projects, 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 and ON SHED – we will have to skip these two features this week due to the weight of other news and the need to prioritise. Hopefully we will be back with these two popular features soon.
DEPG NEWS – the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) will take place at Williton on Saturday 2nd September, starting at 14:00 and all DEPG members are entitled to attend (formal calling notices were sent by post or email earlier this month). To save paper and postage, any member who wishes to see the minutes of the previous AGM or the draft of the accounts for the year ended 31st December 2022 is asked to contact us by email or via our CONTACT FORM and we will respond by sending the requested items. This will save reams of paper and £££s of ink, most of which would otherwise go straight from the doormat to the recyling container. We will also save postage because of the lower weight in the mailings. Thank you for your understanding.
NOTE – Members will not need to show their membership cards at the AGM (we ony issue cards on special request these days), but the register of members will be checked to ensure that all present are fully paid-up members.
The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. To vote at the AGM, it is essential that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. Thank you very much !
KEY DATES for your diary:
WSR FORTIES WEEKEND: Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th September
DOUBLE-HEADED Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ – Saturday 23rd September