Monthly Archives: November 2023

Barclay 0-4-0DH number 578 (ROF1) dominated this view of the south yard at Williton on the damp and dismal Saturday 18th November 2023. Visible in the background are Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) on number 1 road, then Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 on number 2 road and ‘Hymek’ D7018 on number 3 road. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

The railway has come back to life with the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services running on Fridays and Saturdays from now until the end of the year, with additional days directly before and after Christmas. This Saturday there will also be a special non-stop steam-hauled service departing Bishops Lydeard at 1000 in support of the MINEHEAD CHRISTMAS MARKET, and next weekend, the SANTA EXPRESS services and DUNSTER BY CANDLELIGHT services are operating (predictably, the Saturday service has already sold out).

 

 

Some detail about the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services follows, as this might help explain the unusual movements that are visible via the Railcams (thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these facilities). Before darkness falls, a diesel loco runs along the route and checks that the displays are all functioning correctly. Any maintenance needed is then carried out while daylight remains. The ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ train itself is ‘top and tailed’ with a steam loco at one end and a diesel at the other and performs two runs from Bishops Lydeard to Crowcombe Heathfield and back, slowing down at each lineside display so that the travellers have time to see everything. After the second run gets back to Bishops Lydeard (just after 8pm), the diesel goes out again to shut down the displays. The diesel loco tasked with the train duty this year is Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and the Class 09 Shunter D4107 (09 019) is booked to cover the switch on and shut down trips, to minimise the costs. It will be almost 10 o’clock before the crews put their locos away and book off, so spare a thought for the staff and volunteers, especially on the cold and wet nights.

Class 09 D4107 (09 019) was pictured at Crowcombe Heathfield on Wednesday 22nd November 2023 during a ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ test run that provided a thorough test of the arrangements and provided training for the staff and volunteers who will be working late nights to deliver these highly successful services. Photo by Liam Hebditch © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Just a reminder, the steam-hauled ‘SANTA EXPRESS‘ services start on 1st December, running on Saturdays and Sundays from Bishops Lydeard to Williton and back, and this year there is one day where the ‘SANTA EXPRESS’ runs from Minehead to Williton instead. Intermingled with these services are CAROL TRAINS, DINING TRAINS, FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA TRAINS and the fast-selling ‘DUNSTER BY CANDLELIGHT‘ trains, so take a look at the WSR’s EVENTS page for more details. Some trains are already sold out, so don’t delay, book now while choices exist.

The DEPG depends on the WSR as our home base and primary running line, so please support and enjoy these seasonal services and in doing so, support the DEPG !

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – Ian F and Roy returned to their bodywork tasks last Saturday and made further progress on the ‘A’ side at ‘A’ end while Gordon continued to chip away at the debris that had accumulated on the inside of the bogie frames over the years. One lump of dirt dislodged after a major effort was bigger than a cricket ball !

PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ON THIS LOCO. Simply reply to this email or use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

Transmission rebuilding work also made good progress, with the output shaft assembly being jacked into place and the the filling pump being overhauled. There were also some very clean and shiny turbine rail components being reassembled, with careful checks taking place on a step-by-step basis. Here are some of the photos:

D1010 – Roy holds the piece of dirt that had been removed from the inside of the bogie frame by Gordon earlier in the day. Quite an accumulation and hard as rock! Pictured at Williton on Saturday 18th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the large and heavy output shaft assembly was slowly jacked into place at Williton on Monday 13th November 2023, using two pieces of studding and a bottle jack. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – by comparison, the filling pump bearings are small and easy to change ! Pictured at Williton on Monday 13th November 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – two days later, the filling pump is reassembled and is ready to be refitted to the transmission. Pictured at Williton on Wednesday 15th November 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Tim watches carefully as he guides the second stage turbine runner into position within the turbine rail. Note the clean and shiny condition of these parts, which is amazing considering that their previous works overhaul would have been in the mid 1970s. Pictured at Williton on Wednesday 15th November 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

There was no time to mark any patches last Saturday due to the more urgent need to hold discussions about the plan to lift the loco so that the bogie overhaul could proceed, so there are still 46 patches to be engraved on the loco this coming weekend. There is still plenty of new metal to be marked and we certainly need the funds to continue with the pace of progress, so please keep up this amazing level of support and help get D1010 back to working order ASAP. Many thanks to those who placed their orders during the last few weeks.

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 now in regular use on the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that start on Friday 24th November and run through to the end of the year. Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

 

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – while undergoing routine maintenance at Williton on Saturday 18th November, the air system was charged up from the depot compressor (to avoid the need to start the engine) and checks were made on the control air pressures that result from the different positions of the driver’s controller. It had become apparent that the same setting gave different performance results when applied from a different end of the locomotive. While performing these tests, a leak developed when a pinhole opened up in a control air pipe, so the loco has been stood down while a repair is effected. As is often the case, access to the leaking pipe is very restricted, so it is likely that a temporary repair will have to be made and the corroded pipe replaced at the next opportunity.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) and Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 shared the yard with other locos that were hidden from view on the damp and dismal Saturday 18th November 2023. The compressed air line from the shed supply can be seen attached to the air reservoir hose on the locomotive. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco received attention from Neil and John as they dealt with some minor issues that had been identified during October’s test run. This loco is close to being ready for service.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – no change this week.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the focus has switched to the restoration of the cab assembly, to allow the re-installation of the electrical control cubicle to take place. There is a lot of work involved in this complex assembly, much of which takes place in the background, but we will try to keep the photographs coming as each sub-assembly reaches completion.

D9518 – the inner cab wall is now ready for the insulation material to be added prior to the installation of the pegboard cladding, after which the electrical control cubicle can be moved into position so that work can continue on the rewiring. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 18th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the various ‘Traffolyte’ cab placards are beyond redemption and will be replaced with new parts that are produced in the exact same style. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 18th November 2023 by Colin Girle © 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 is stabled at Williton and is available for service, if called upon.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The progress on ‘NORTH STAR’ continues in between having to work on the other diesel locos in their care. The NYMR released a 6-minute YouTube video on Monday 20th November and our ’47’ could be seen in the shed at Grosmont. The quality of the work is evident from the view looking down into the engine room (starts at t=4.17 in the video).

47077 – the NYMR released an update via YouTube and our ’47’ could be seen in the works at Grosmont. Screenshot from the YouTube video by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – the internal cab repaint being carried out by ‘JT’ has progressed well, but he is keeping us in suspense and not providing photos until he has finished the job. We look forward to seeing the internal photos in the near future. Thanks Jon !

 

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 – this week, we need to pause the book reviews to use the space to promote our new 2024 DEPG CALENDAR which has a theme of DEPG locomotives in ‘then and now’ liveries. More details will be provided next week but PLACE YOUR ORDERS NOW to ensure that you get your copy (we are only ordering a limited quantity to prevent waste).

Regrettably, we have had to increase the price to £14 but this still represents great value at £1 per month plus VAT.

Click HERE or on the image below to order you 2024 Calendar

 

 

ON SHED – last week, we featured a photo of FOUR Class 52 ‘WESTERNS’ at Old Oak Common depot, near Paddington in July 1963, but closer examination reveals a fifth, only just visible in the middle of the photograph. Count the buffers and the fifth loco will be revealed.

We asked for help in identifying these locomotives and we had a very fast response from well-known photographer and author  ROGER GEACH who provided us with the following information:

     “The green ‘Western’ in the picture is either D1002 or D1003 or D1004 as it is Swindon built (don’t know which it is though). D1003 was in Swindon Works 15/7 to 2/8/63 so may rule that one out, D1004 12/7/63 to 16/7/63, so D1002 may be favourite, but hard to tell without the actual date. The maroon one next to it further away is also a Swindon-built ‘Western’. The one furthest away is from Crewe and the nearest is uncertain.

     Nothing I can see to help identify the ‘Westerns’ really, but the picture is a bit early for me. Nice shot, but hard to identify the locos.”

 

Many thanks to Roger Geach for his comments and to Phil Gray for providing us with this photograph.

There were 60 ‘Westerns’ in service by July 1963 and six of that 60 have been preserved, so there is a very good chance that one of the locos in this photograph is still with us today.

Five Class 52 ‘WESTERNS’ gather around one of the four turntables that were under the roof of the old steam shed at Old Oak Common Depot near Paddington. FOUR in maroon and one in green, does anyone have any information that might help identify the locomotives in this July 1963 photograph ? Photo by Phil Gray © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – well, the Calendar has been done, which now leaves the Board Meeting Synopses and the Newsletter to be caught up. Apologies for these delays.

The next board meeting will take place on Saturday 2nd December, so please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know if you have a question that you would like to have put to the board.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure 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. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

The autumn line-up at Williton comprises Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) on number 1 road with Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 hiding behind, then Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 in the middle on number 2 road, and ‘Hymek’ D7018 on number 3 road. Pictured on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

The WSR’s Permanent Way (PW) teams have been busy working at several areas along the line, taking advantage of an ‘engineering possession’ which gives them control of the line during the periods when the line is closed to the public. This provides uninterrupted access for specialist equipment to be moved to the places where the work is needed. The work ranges from changing sleepers to the complete relaying of sections of the track and pointwork, such as is taking place at Blue Anchor Station at the moment.

The WSR’s volunteer PW team were busy changing sleepers at Horse Parks near Blue Anchor on Sunday 5th November 2023. Photo by Malcom Anderson © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Their window of opportunity is quite short because this coming week will see the empty coaching stock move from Minehead, where it has been decorated in preparation for the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services, to Bishops Lydeard which will be the departure point for most (but not all) of the Christmas services this year.

The first of the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services will run on the evening of Friday 24th November and will be ‘top and tailed’ with a steam loco at one end and a diesel at the other. The loco tasked with the diesel duty this year is Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and the loco is ready and waiting at Bishops Lydeard.

The scene at Minehead on Saturday 11th November 2023 when volunteers gathered to dress the coaches in their festive regalia, both inside and outside. Photo by Robin Wichard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The steam-hauled ‘SANTA EXPRESS‘ services start on 1st December, running on Saturdays and Sundays from Bishops Lydeard to Williton and back, and this year there is one day where the ‘SANTA EXPRESS’ runs from Minehead to Williton instead.

Intermingled with these services are CAROL TRAINS, DINING TRAINS, FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA TRAINS and the fast-selling ‘DUNSTER BY CANDLELIGHT‘ trains, so take a look at the WSR’s EVENTS page for more details. Some trains are already sold out, so don’t delay, book now while choices exist.

The DEPG depends on the WSR as our home base and primary running line, so please support and enjoy these seasonal services and in doing so, support the DEPG !

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the bodywork was left alone this week as the effort moved to the revision of the plans to lift the loco from her bogies so that the suspension components and brake rigging can be overhauled. Being no stranger to hard work, Gordon made a start on cleaning 50 years worth of dirt and grime from the bogie frame at ‘A’ end, his efforts revealing just how much work is involved in just the preparation for the overhaul. PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ON THIS LOCO. Simply use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

The re-assembly of the ‘A’ transmission is making very good progress, with the new bearings being fitted and the oilways checked as the work proceeds. In parallel, Steve continues to work diligently on the wiring in the ‘B’ cab and Tony has been pressure testing all of the radiator elements and now has a small pile requiring repair and a much larger pile that are fit for further service. The ‘A’ end cooler group frame has also been the subject of his attention and has now swapped positions with the ‘B’ frame so that he can assess the repairs that need to be made to the corroded areas. The photos below show the progress:

D1010 – Gordon was working in the space that is normally occupied by the transmission at ‘A’ end, to make a start with scraping off the 50-years-worth of dirt and grime that has accumulated since the loco was last lifted from its bogies. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Gordon stands aside to let the camera capture an image looking down on the bogie at ‘A’ end. Two of the six brake cylinders are clearly visible along with one of the two cardan shafts that connect the final drive gearboxes of the three axles in the bogie. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – The cooler group frame from ‘A’ end has now been moved into the yard to await repairs to the corroded and in some places distorted metalwork. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – The cooler group frame from ‘B’ end has now moved into the loco shed to allow repair assessment work to take place. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Geoff was pictured at Williton on Monday 6th November 2023 with Tony observing the fitting of the new bearing on the input shaft of the ‘A’ transmission. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Geoff continued with the rebuild of the input shaft and was pictured at Williton on Monday 6th November 2023 while testing the alignment of the oilways that keep the bearing lubricated. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – a rare photo featuring Colin F as he applies oil injection pressure to achieve the correct taper fit position for the massive output gear wheel of the ‘A’ transmission. Pictured at Williton on Wednesday 7th November 2023 by Tim Zilkha © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

We engraved another 20 patches on the ‘B’ side of the ‘B’ end of the locomotive last Saturday and we still have another 46 patches to engrave on the loco this coming weekend. There is still plenty of new metal to be marked and we certainly need the funds to continue with the pace of progress, so please keep up this amazing level of support and help get D1010 back to working order ASAP. Many thanks to those who placed their orders during the last few weeks.

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 now stabled at Bishops Lydeard to take on the role of ‘Duty Loco’ and will be covering the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that start on Friday 24th November. Test runs for staff training will be carried out on 22nd and 23rd November.

Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco returned to Williton on Saturday 21st October to undergo winter maintenance, including an overhaul of her exhaust system. The loco will remain available for service until December and is scheduled to go into the loco shed on 23rd December, and will probably remain there for two months while the work is being done.

D6575 (33 057) – a night photoshoot at Williton on Friday 10th November 2023 caught this sturdy and reliable 1961-vintage machine in the yard on number 1 road, alongside the platform. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – apart from some minor details that will be sorted out during the coming weeks, this loco is ready for action and will be sent out for a loaded test run as soon as possible when the line re-opens in the spring. Meanwhile, the loco will be ‘winterised’ to protect her from the elements, as far as possible, while she rides out the winter in the yard at Williton.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the Root Cause Analysis has identified several probable causes for the uncommanded engagement of the torque converter and each has been ranked for probability, based on the available evidence. Some additional testing will need to be performed to focus in on the most probable cause. Meanwhile, several other maintenance tasks are outstanding on this locomotive and will be progressed during the winter.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the focus has switched to the restoration of the cab assembly, to allow the re-installation of the electrical control cubicle to take place. There is a lot of work involved in this complex assembly, much of which takes place in the background, but we will try to keep the photographs coming as each sub-assembly reaches completion.

D9518 – Colin G was hard at work at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023, preparing to paint the metalwork in the cab so that the electrical control cubicle can be fitted into place, in turn allowing the re-wiring work to continue. Photo 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 is stabled at Williton and is available for service, if called upon.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The progress on ‘NORTH STAR’ continues in between having to work on the other diesel locos in their care. We look forward to her being back out and about again.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – the internal cab repaint being carried out by ‘JT’ has progressed well, but he is keeping us in suspense and not providing photos until he has finished the job. It is already apparent from the outside view below that the cab is looking so much brighter and cleaner, so we look forward to seeing the internal photos in the near future. Thanks Jon !

Barclay 578 (ROF 1) – Pictured in the autumn sunshine in the yard at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023, this loco has been benefiting from an internal cab repaint in the careful hands of ‘JT’. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

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 – we have received the book review of ‘THE BEATEN TRACK Volume 3‘ from NEALE LONG but regret that we haven’t had chance to create the associated book review page on our website. We will try and get this done during the next few days, and then the book review will be available via our BOOK REVIEWS page and via our online store. Thanks again Neale !

Meanwhile, click on the images below to buy these books from our online store and in doing so, support the DEPG.

  

 

Also available via the DEPG ONLINE STORE is this sought-after new book by former BR apprentices Mike Woodhouse and Graham Howell describing the ‘PYRAMID OF DIESEL HYDRAULICS‘ that comprise the D600, D800, D1000, D6300, D7000 and D9500 series of locomotives (classes 41, 42/43, 52, 22, 35 and 14). This book has been selling like hot cakes and has already had to be reprinted to meet the demand !

Available from the DEPG for £15 plus £3.50 P&P. Click here or on the image below to order this book.

 

We are grateful to regular contributor NEALE LONG for providing a very thorough and detailed book review, an extract from which is reproduced below. Click here to go to the full review on our website.

     “Of the many books published about British Rail’s foray into diesel-hydraulic traction over the years, very few have featured any account by staff involved in either the operation or maintenance of the fleet. This handily sized A5, 146-page softback by two ex-British Railways Engineering Limited apprentices, Mike Woodhouse and Graham Howell, sets out to redress this particular imbalance. The book tells the fascinating story from within British Rail from the planning of the diesel-hydraulic pyramid as part of the 1955 Modernisation Plan, to its final collapse in 1977. This story is presented …..” click here to read more.

 

Many thanks to Neale for putting so much time and effort into this book review to help prospective buyers decide. Much appreciated !

 

 

ON SHED – one of the many photographs that adorn the wall in the classroom at Williton Depot caught my eye as it depicted FOUR Class 52 ‘WESTERNS’ around one of the four turntables that used to be under the roof of the old steam shed at Old Oak Common depot, near Paddington. The depot no longer exists as the site is being used for HS2, but there is a fighting chance that one of the locomotives in this photo might still be with us. This is a challenge for those with the detailed knowledge of the slight differences between the various members of the 74-strong class of locomotives. Many thanks to Phil Gray for providing us with this photograph.

Four Class 52 ‘WESTERNS’ gather around one of the four turntables that were under the roof of the old steam shed at Old Oak Common Depot near Paddington. Three in maroon and one in green, does anyone have any information that might help identify the locomotives in this July 1963 photograph ? Photo by Phil Gray © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – significant effort has been put into the planning of the D1010 lifting and the DEPG yard improvements during the last week, leaving little time to catch up with the administrative and editorial tasks. The coming week will hopefully be a little quieter and allow work to resume on the Board Meeting Synopses, the Newsletter and the 2024 calendar. Apologies for these delays.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure 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. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was pictured in the South Yard at Williton on 4th November 2023, enjoying the late afternoon sun. This 58-year-old loco is wearing her tarpaulins because she is destined to spend the winter outdoors. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

The public services on the West Somerset Railway came to their seasonal end on Sunday 29th October, marking the start of an almost 4-week gap until the first day of the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ illuminated services, on the evening of Friday 24th November. These very popular trains are ‘top and tailed’ with a steam loco at one end and a diesel at the other. The loco tasked with this diesel duty this year is Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and the loco is ready and waiting at Bishops Lydeard.

The steam-hauled ‘SANTA EXPRESS‘ services run on Saturdays and Sundays from Bishops Lydeard to Williton and back, and this year there is one day where the ‘SANTA EXPRESS’ runs from Minehead to Williton instead.

Intermingled with these services are CAROL TRAINS, DINING TRAINS, FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA TRAINS and the invariably fully booked ‘DUNSTER BY CANDLELIGHT‘ trains (book now if you want a chance of a seat), so take a look at the WSR’s EVENTS page for more details.

The DEPG depends on the WSR as our home base and primary running line, so please support and enjoy these seasonal services and in doing so, support the DEPG !

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the team are taking advantage of having the loco back under cover, with Ian F and Roy hard at work on the ‘A’ side of the loco, doing the filling, sanding and painting. This loco is going to look fabulous when all of the work is done and a complete top coat of the original carriage maroon is applied. Great job guys !

Meanwhile, Gordon has been overhauling the auxiliary cardan shafts and replacing the needle roller bearings where necessary, and Colin F and his team are hard at work on the reassembly of the ‘A’ transmission, complete with a new set of bearings and the necessary attention to oilways. The ‘A’ transmission presented a different set of challenges compared to the ‘B’ transmission that was completed earlier this year. The ‘A’ turbine rail was in perfect internal condition except for the overheated bearing 3/152, but the auxiliary shafts and the cast steel housings needed to be carefully restored for further service. Almost the exact opposite applied at the ‘B’ end, where the turbine rail had suffered the worst damage following the seizure of bearing 3/152, but the housings were in good condition. Soon, we will have two good transmissions ready and waiting to be re-installed into the locomotive. Here are some photos:

D1010 – above and below – the ‘A’ side of the ‘A’ end of the locomotive received attention from Roy and Ian F at Williton on Saturday 4th November 2023. The sanded areas have been sprayed with primer to prevent corrosion pending another weekend of sanding and the application of multiple coats of paint. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the auxiliary cardan shafts received attention from Gordon at Williton on Saturday 4th November 2023. There are two shafts at each end of the loco, one being the dynastarter shaft (for engine starting and power generation) and the other being the Serck pump shaft (for the cooling fans). Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the cast steel transmission housing sections needed careful remediation work to restore damaged threads, but time spent now will make the re-assembly task that much easier. Geoff was obviously enjoying his work when photographed at Williton on Monday 30th October 2023. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – one of the many large and expensive bearings that have been purchased for the overhaul of the ‘A’ transmission. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 1st November 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Tim installs the spur gear onto the auxiliary shaft (Group 8) by using a combination of oil injection at the shaft taper and gentle pressure from the hydraulic cylinder. The pressure controls are basic and manual so that Tim can maintain a close feel for the progress as the two parts slide into place. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 1st November 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – The completed auxiliary shaft (Group 8) now runs smoothly and silently in new bearings. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 1st November 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

We engraved 20 patches on the ‘B’ end of the locomotive last Saturday and we still have another 60 patches to engrave on the loco this coming weekend, starting at the ‘B’ side at the ‘B’ end. There is still plenty of new metal to be marked, so please keep up this amazing level of support and help get D1010 back to working order ASAP. Many thanks to those who placed their orders during the last few weeks.

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 now stabled at Bishops Lydeard to take on the role of ‘Duty Loco’ and will be covering the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that start on Friday 24th November. Test runs for staff training will be carried out on 22nd and 23rd November.

Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

 

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco returned to Williton on Saturday 21st October to undergo winter maintenance, including an overhaul of her exhaust system. The loco will remain available for service until December and is scheduled to go into the loco shed on 23rd December, and will probably remain there for two months while the work is being done.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – apart from some minor details that will be sorted out during the coming weeks, this loco is ready for action and will be sent out for a loaded test run as soon as possible when the line re-opens in the spring. Meanwhile, the loco will be ‘winterised’ to protect her from the elements, as far as possible, while she rides out the winter in the yard at Williton.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the Root Cause Analysis has identified several probable causes for the uncommanded engagement of the torque converter and each has been ranked for probability, based on the available evidence. Some additional testing will need to be performed to focus in on the most probable cause. Meanwhile, several other maintenance tasks are outstanding on this locomotive and will be progressed during the winter.

D7018 – this loco was enjoying the peace and quite on Number 3 road outside the loco shed in Williton when pictured on the calm and sunny afternoon of Saturday 4th November 2023. Photo by Andy Royal  © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the focus is now switching to the installation of the electrical control cubicle and the refurbishment of the driver’s desk, complete with the new wiring and overhauled controllers. There are many parts that have to be cleaned, inspected and restored in the background before major steps forward can be reported. All of this work takes a huge amount of time and effort and is often unsung. The following five photos amount to a lot of volunteer hours !

D9518 – the vacuum brake controllers have been carefully restored and are ready to be re-installed onto the driver’s desk when that subassembly is ready for them. Photo by Colin Girle © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – above and below (x3) – the various sheet steel components from the cab assembly have been restored and spray painted in grey undercoat. Photo by Colin Girle © 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 is stabled at Williton and is fully serviceable. As reported earlier, her covers have been applied to try and keep the worst of the weather out of her more delicate workings.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The progress on ‘NORTH STAR’ continues in between having to work on the other diesel locos in their care. We look forward to her being back out and about again.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – to correct last week’s report, the two drivers who were evaluated at Williton on Saturday 28th October were Colin G and Martin, both undergoing their re-certification. Neil and Paul T will get their turn soon !

 

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 – we will continue to promote these three best selling titles this week, partly because we have them in stock and partly because we don’t have time left this week to include the next book review from NEALE LONG (thanks again Neale !).

Click on the images below to buy these books from our online store and in doing so, support the DEPG.

  

 

Also available via the DEPG ONLINE STORE is this sought-after new book by former BR apprentices Mike Woodhouse and Graham Howell describing the ‘PYRAMID OF DIESEL HYDRAULICS‘ that comprise the D600, D800, D1000, D6300, D7000 and D9500 series of locomotives (classes 41, 42/43, 52, 22, 35 and 14). This book has been selling like hot cakes and has already had to be reprinted to meet the demand !

Available from the DEPG for £15 plus £3.50 P&P. Click here or on the image below to order this book.

 

We are grateful to regular contributor NEALE LONG for providing a very thorough and detailed book review, an extract from which is reproduced below. Click here to go to the full review on our website.

     “Of the many books published about British Rail’s foray into diesel-hydraulic traction over the years, very few have featured any account by staff involved in either the operation or maintenance of the fleet. This handily sized A5, 146-page softback by two ex-British Railways Engineering Limited apprentices, Mike Woodhouse and Graham Howell, sets out to redress this particular imbalance. The book tells the fascinating story from within British Rail from the planning of the diesel-hydraulic pyramid as part of the 1955 Modernisation Plan, to its final collapse in 1977. This story is presented …..” click here to read more.

 

Many thanks to Neale for putting so much time and effort into this book review to help prospective buyers decide. Much appreciated !

 

 

ON SHED – a few weeks ago, we featured this photo of D1041 ‘WESTERN PRINCE’ on the Midland Main Line (MML) near Luton:

D1041 ‘WESTERN PRINCE’ was pictured far from home on 15th April 1976, working the 6V76 Luton Crescent Road Yard to Westbury stone empties. This loco survived in service to the very end of the diesel-hydraulic era and is now cared for by the Bury Hydraulic Group on the East Lancashire Railway. Photographer unknown.

 

This photo was brought to our attention by PAUL FLEET and he reports below on the workings that took the ‘WESTERNS’ onto the MML in the late days of their careers:

 

     “During my (many) years working on the Midland Main Line, we had a period where we were privileged to two ‘WESTERN’ workings on a regular basis! From memory starting late ‘75 through to late ‘77 we had a freight flow from ARC Tytherington through to Hendon, north London which used the same route as the Westbury-Leagrave workings ie via Oxford, Bletchley and Bedford. 

     A ‘WESTERN’ plus 30 or so MSV’s, the aggregate was used to complete the southern end of the M1 Motorway through to Staples Corner – and getting lorries off the road is a new concept ???

     The ‘WESTERNS’ on this working seemed to be even more unkempt than those from Westbury, but it was an opportunity to see them in ‘full flight’ as their southbound (through Luton) path was after the evening peak almost guaranteeing a clear run – and spectacular they always were!

     Having access to TOPS we were able to see which loco was working the train and of course there was always disappointment if a 47 was ‘subbed ’ for a ‘WESTERN’, a permanent situation after February 77 of course! However pictures of this working seem to be extremely rare – unless anyone out there knows better ? “

 

Does anyone else have photos of the Class 52s working on the MML ? Many thanks to PAUL FLEET for sharing this information with us.

 

 

DEPG NEWS – the exceptional workload of 2023 has taken a toll on some administrative and editorial tasks, the delivery of the Board Meeting Synopses and the Newsletter to name but two. These important items are ‘in the works’ and will be distributed as soon as possible. Apologies for these delays.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure 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. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

WSR 2-6-0 ‘Mogul’ 9351 stands at Williton Station on Sunday 29th October 2023 carrying a wreath in memory of the WSR and DEPG volunteers who have passed away during 2023. Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) with Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 behind and Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 with Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 alongside, all stand silently as a mark of respect for Simon, Chris and Mike. Photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Autumn is well and truly upon us, and the last public services of the 2023 season ran last weekend and featured steam haulage in both directions, to ensure that the occupants were kept warm. As a fitting tribute to those volunteers from all across the ‘WSR family’ that have passed away recently, both trains on Sunday 29th October carried wreaths in remembrance of those who gave so much of their time, effort and skills for the causes that they loved. We took a moment while the trains crossed at Williton to be silent and pay our respects to our friends, Simon, Chris and Mike.

 

PETER NICHOLSON 1948-2023 R.I.P.

Sadly, the following day, we learned via young DEPG member Josh Brinsford that his Grandad, well-known railway journalist and photographer PETER NICHOLSON had passed away at the age of 75 and would no longer be reporting via his ‘Classic Traction’ columns in the ‘Railway Magazine’ and elsewhere. Peter was a frequent visitor to the WSR and introduced his grandson to the joy of heritage railways at a very early age. The pair would often be seen on platform ends and on bridges, capturing images for the benefit of all. Peter will be sorely missed, and we send our condolences to young Josh and the entire family.

The late Peter Nicholson on board Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 at Bishops Lydeard on 18th June 2022. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

The poor weather during this last week has reminded us that most of our locomotives are stabled outdoors, having to endure the ever-changing conditions, from heatwaves in October to gale-force winds in November. The creation of covered accommodation for all of our locomotives is a priority for the DEPG and we are currently working on plans that will achieve this objective, subject to funding, of course.

Meanwhile, we have to do what we can to cover up the locos and try and keep the worst of the weather out of them, which is always a challenge. We also have wagons and spares that are kept outdoors, and these also deteriorate and need regular refurbishment. Where is this leading, I hear you ask ? …. FUND RAISING is the answer !

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the loco is back inside the loco shed and will remain there until late December, after which the covered space is needed for an exhaust system overhaul on Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057). This gives us two months to get as much of the bodywork completed as possible and get another coat of gloss applied for protection against the elements for when the loco goes outside again. While waiting for the new bearings that are on order for the ‘A’ transmission, the team has continued with the cleanup and inspection of the casings and the oil pipework, in preparation for the reassembly operation and to allow the rate of progress to be sustained. This is one task that looks like it is going to be completed ahead of schedule!

D1010 – the inside of the intermediate casing of ‘A’ transmission was the subject of Geoff’s attention at Williton on Monday 23rd October 2023. Each piece of pipework was removed for cleaning and careful inspection. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the inside of the lower casing of ‘A’ transmission was also cleaned up and readied for reassembly. Pictured at Williton on Monday 23rd October 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

We now have almost 80 patches to engrave on the loco this coming weekend, starting at the ‘B’ end and then going to the ‘A’ side behind the ‘A’ cab, where there is a significant area of new metal that can carry the names of the sponsors. There is still plenty of new metal to be marked, so please keep up this amazing level of support and help get D1010 back to working order ASAP. Many thanks to those who placed their orders during the last few weeks.

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) – after a through check of her cooling system to confirm that there were no leaks, this loco has now moved to Bishops Lydeard to take on the role of ‘Duty Loco’ and will be covering the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that start on Friday 24th November. Test runs for staff training will be carried out on 22nd and 23rd November.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) departed from Williton on Wednesday 25th October 2023 for a ‘light engine’ move to Bishops Lydeard to take up her winter position as WSR Duty locomotive. The ‘Crompton’ was pictured at Crowcombe Heathfield while waiting for the ‘down’ service to pass. Photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco returned to Williton on Saturday 21st October to undergo winter maintenance, including an overhaul of her exhaust system. The loco will remain available for service until December and is scheduled to go into the loco shed on 23rd December, and will probably remain there for two months while the work is being done.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – there are some minor tasks to be carried out on this loco, but nothing major and nothing preventing her from being returned to service at short notice.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the Root Cause Analysis has identified several probable causes for the uncommanded engagement of the torque converter and each has been ranked for probability, based on the available evidence. Some additional testing will need to be performed to focus in on the most probable cause. Meanwhile, several other maintenance tasks are outstanding on this locomotive and will be progressed during the winter.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – a significant step forward has been made by the reinstatement of the brake rigging after many months of hard work by the team, including the manufacture of new parts and the straightening of some original parts that had been bent following derailments during the loco’s years of hard labour at Ashington Colliery. The photos below show the progress:

D9518 – a view of one of the six brake hangers, now attached to the crossbeam and rigging that connects to the air brake cylinders that are hidden between the frames. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 24th October 2023 by Terry Deacon  © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the centre axle provides a clearer view of the crossbeam and rigging that connects each brake hanger to the air brake cylinders. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 24th October 2023 by Terry Deacon  © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – a view of the underside, looking from the front of the loco (the long end), showing the three crossbeams linked by the tension rods. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 24th October 2023 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 is stabled at Williton and is fully serviceable. This loco may move to Bishops Lydeard later in the year if Class 09 shunter D4017 (09 019) is to have her bodywork repaired at West Somerset Restorations Swindon Shed. The ’09’ is used during the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ season and is also the backup loco in the event of a last-minute issue arising with either the booked steam or diesel loco.

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was pictured in the South Yard at Williton on Saturday 21st October 2023 while shunting D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ into the loco shed. Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) can be seen on the left and Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 can be seen on the right. Photo by Jon Tooke © 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. The photos below show the size of the task and the careful progress being made. We certainly look forward to her being back out and about again.

47077 – in this view of the engine room on on Wednesday 25th October 2023, four of the twelve large and heavy cylinder heads had been lowered into place via the roof-mounted access doors. The work is being carried out by Finn (pictured) and Josh at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Photo by Josh Smith © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

47077 – in this picture taken from the other direction later in the day on Wednesday 25th October 2023, five of the twelve cylinder heads had been installed and bolted down. Photo by Josh Smith © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – to make this powerful little loco even more useful, a driver recertification session was held at Williton last Saturday 28th October, resulting in Colin G and Martin being passed to continue as drivers by WSR Chief Traction Inspector Merv Hebditch. Well done guys !

 

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 – in stock and selling well are these three new titles, each available from our online store. Click on the images below to buy these books from our online store and in doing so, support the DEPG.

 

 

Also available via the DEPG ONLINE STORE is this sought-after new book by former BR apprentices Mike Woodhouse and Graham Howell describing the ‘PYRAMID OF DIESEL HYDRAULICS‘ that comprise the D600, D800, D1000, D6300, D7000 and D9500 series of locomotives (classes 41, 42/43, 52, 22, 35 and 14). This book has been selling like hot cakes and has already had to be reprinted to meet the demand !

Available from the DEPG for £15 plus £3.50 P&P. Click here or on the image below to order this book.

 

We are grateful to regular contributor NEALE LONG for providing a very thorough and detailed book review, an extract from which is reproduced below. Click here to go to the full review on our website.

     “Of the many books published about British Rail’s foray into diesel-hydraulic traction over the years, very few have featured any account by staff involved in either the operation or maintenance of the fleet. This handily sized A5, 146-page softback by two ex-British Railways Engineering Limited apprentices, Mike Woodhouse and Graham Howell, sets out to redress this particular imbalance. The book tells the fascinating story from within British Rail from the planning of the diesel-hydraulic pyramid as part of the 1955 Modernisation Plan, to its final collapse in 1977. This story is presented …..” click here to read more.

Many thanks to Neale for putting so much time and effort into this book review to help prospective buyers decide. Much appreciated !

 

ON SHED – the DEPG is fortunate in having more than one example of three different classes of locomotive under its care. We have two Class 14s, two Class 33s and two Class 35s. However, it is very difficult to find photographs from BR days featuring both of our locos, but one such find was made by volunteer Class 33 loco manager Ian Robins when searching on Facebook, and is featured below. We would very much like to find out more details about this photograph and hopefully get permission to use this photo in a forthcoming publication about our locos. Can you help ?

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 33 057 (D6575) leads 33 011 (D6512) at Exeter St. Davids station on an arrival from Brighton while 33 048 (D6566) runs through to attach to a service to Barnstaple, some time in 1984. Photographer unknown.

 

 

DEPG NEWS – a scheduled Board Meeting took place at Williton last Saturday 28th October 2023, a synopsis of which is being prepared and will be shared ASAP with all DEPG members for whom we hold a valid email address.

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure 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. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post