Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) was in action on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June 2024 when she worked the 80-mile diagram out and back from Minehead (two roundtrips to Bishops Lydeard each day). Pictured at Williton on the Saturday while passing Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
It was the turn of Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) to haul the weekend BLUE timetable runs on 22/23 June with 80 miles of haulage each day. The weekend turns are shared between the two ‘Cromptons’ and Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017, with a double dose of ‘Hymek’ haulage scheduled for this coming weekend, 29/30th June.
The pattern changes in July after the first weekend being ‘Crompton’ hauled, then the second weekend being split between the ‘Hymek’ on the Saturday and the ‘Crompton’ on the Sunday. The rest of July is rostered for steam haulage. We are close to finalising the plan for the August weekends, each of which include diesel haulage on both days.
Keep an eye on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for details of diesel-hauled public services and sign up to our DIESELGEN email bulletin service to get advance notice of non-public service running.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 PHOTO CHARTER:
As advised last week, here’s a reminder that DON BISHOP has organised a PHOTO CHARTER for 22nd July using Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 and has carefully defined the rolling stock requirements and the optimum movements to get the best photographic experience. Below is an extract from his webpage:
Right loco, right stock and right line…. something we all crave for.
“I am organising a photo charter day with a ‘Hymek’ diesel hydraulic at the West Somerset Railway. This idea has proved popular from the messages of support I received, and subsequent bookings from my regular photo charter followers. It has taken quite a while to pull this together, but I have now agreed plan & date etc. on which this charter can be run.
The Diesel & Electric Preservation Group (DEPG) as main providers of diesel traction on the WSR made ‘Hymek’ D7017 available for the charter. As you probably know, D7017 is one of very few locos to have spent their heritage era career on one railway, having been based at the WSR for some 49 years, since its arrival in 1975. ‘Hymeks’ were once a regular motive power on the Minehead branch in the 1960s, often seen hauling stopping and through holiday trains between Taunton and Minehead. These trains could often be formed, as they were elsewhere on the Western Region, of mixed Maroon and Choc/cream rakes of coaches – the later having been split from previously formed named express sets. I’ve requested a short rake of 4 coaches, very typical of many Western Region secondary trains of the period. This will be a chance to recreate an authentic scene from the 1960s.
The charter will commence from Minehead at 09.00hrs. We will proceed and stop for run pasts along the line, using the train as our transport, at both lineside and some stations, through to Bishops Lydeard. A lunch break will be taken here, and the cafe will be available. In the afternoon we will return to Minehead with run pasts at various locations, in the opposite direction of course for different picture opportunities. The charter is expected to finish around 17.00 – 17.30hrs.
These events do cost quite considerable sums to put on, so will only be available to those booking a place and paying for the privilege. All funds collected are to cover direct costs and provide a revenue for the WSR & DEPG.
Cost for the day is £96.00 per head.”
To book your place please click on the link below, which will take you direct to the correct page on Don’s website.
Many thanks to Don for choosing a DEPG loco as the basis for his photo charter !
FORTHCOMING EVENTS on the WSR (click on the links below for more details):
Tuesday and Wednesday 2nd and 3rd July – services running between Bishops Lydeard and Watchet only
Week of Tuesday 16th July – 150th anniversary of the WSR extension to Minehead
Don Bishop’s D7017 Photo Charter – Monday 22nd July
Saturday and Sunday 27th and 28th July – Grange, Manor and Hall weekend
Saturday and Sunday 3rd and 4th August – the WSRA Steam Rally at Norton Fitzwarren.
Saturday and Sunday 14th and 15th September – The Forties event
LOCO NEWS:
Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the date of Monday 8th July has been set for the body of this loco to be lifted from her bogies and slewed over to the adjacent track, where the ex-BR Swindon stands will be (by then) positioned and levelled, ready to carry the 50-tonne load. The lift will be performed by two 120-tonne road cranes that will be supplied by BALDWINS CRANE HIRE working in tandem. The lifting will start by removing the two Bristol Siddeley Maybach MD-655 engines, each of which weighs close to 6 tonnes each, to reduce the weight of the loco body and minimise the stresses on the 62-year-old loco body structure. The transmissions and cooler groups were removed for overhaul last year, so the interior of the loco will be easy to access and will be ready for a thorough clean-up and re-paint once the body is safely lowered onto the stands.
Railcam view of Williton Yard on the evening of Friday 28th June 2024, showing (L-R) Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 along with the subject of the planned lifting, Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’. Image courtesy of Railcam UK and the WSR © CC BY-NC 3.0
The diagram below was drawn up by DEPG volunteer Barry Quest and shows the planned positions of the two cranes relative to the locomotive. The curvature of the track layout introduces some issues, but we will be re-positioning the loco before the lift to reduce these effects and allow the suspension to align itself more comfortably.
Plan view of the cranes positioned at each end of Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ on number 4 road at Williton, showing the stands positioned on number 5 road. The loco body will be lifted up to a height of 2m to clear the bogies, then will be slewed over and lowered onto the stands. When the cranes have left the area, the bogies will be rolled into the DEPG loco shed for overhaul. Drawing by Barry Quest © CC BY-NC 3.0
One of the genuine ex-BR Swindon Works stands that were used for ‘Westerns’ right up until the end of their days. The uppermost section was a modification to suit the Mark 1 coach frames that were the basis of the Kent Coast Electrification Project work that was being undertaken at Swindon in the late 1970s. Pictured alongside D1010 at Williton on Saturday 22nd June 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
A very welcome visitor to Williton on Saturday 22nd June was DTG and DEPG member PAUL KOCH, who called in to talk us through the lifting procedures and cast an eye over our lift planning. We welcomed the chance to further expand our knowledge and Paul gave us some valuable tips that will no doubt help the process go along more smoothly. Thank you very much, Paul !
D1010 – the preparations necessary for quick and easy engine removal were described in detail by DTG and DEPG member PAUL KOCH as Gordon, Martin, Thomas and Andy listened carefully. Pictured at Williton on 22nd June 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
The hire of two 120 ton cranes is a very expensive undertaking and will be paid for by the funds raised from D1010’s SPONSOR A PATCH scheme, where the sponsor’s name is engraved into the new steelwork that has been used to repair the corrosion that has resulted from many years of exposure to the weather. MANY THANKS to ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS THIS MAJOR OVERHAUL !
Click here or on the image above to have your name engraved onto D1010 !
Meanwhile, Ian F continued his diligent work on the restoration of one of the cooler groups, with a view to getting these enormous assemblies ready for the return to service. Although they won’t be needed for a while, it is important to get them finished because they take up a lot of space when they are disassembled and spread around the shed !
D1010 – the hydrostatic radiator fan assemblies were the target for Ian F at Williton on Saturday 22nd June 2024. The two fans in each cooler group are powered from a Serck pump that is driven by the relevant engine, via a step-up gear in the transmission. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Repeating some FEEDBACK on a QUESTION: During the WSR Summer Diesel Festival, several visitors enquired as to why D1010 was covered up with tarpaulins and not properly ‘on show’. The reason for this was that the cooler groups had been removed from the loco so there were large sections of roof missing, so fitting and removing the tarpaulins is not a quick job (it is MUCH harder than it looks). The weather forecast was good but not perfect, so we couldn’t take the chance of letting the internals of the loco get a soaking while we cleared the area and gathered an army of volunteers. Apologies to the photographers, but we hope to have her properly dressed in good time for the next gala !
Class 09 D4107 (09019) – this loco is based at Bishops Lydeard and is in regular use in support of WSR activities, including the loading and unloading of visiting locomotives !
Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco was in service on Saturday and Sunday 22nd/23rd June on the 1000 Minehead diagram under the BLUE timetable.
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco was at Williton over the weekend of 22/23rd June and underwent an ‘A’ examination (performed every 50 running hours) in preparation for planned use during the following week. Ian R and Ashley continued their remedial work on the two cylinder heads that were removed from the loco during the winter. These massive items will be refurbished and put back into stock for use on a future occasion.
D6575 (33057) – the two Sulzer cylinder heads that were removed from the loco during the winter were put on a pallet and prepared for relocation to the overhaul bench. Some special tools will be needed to facilitate the work, so there will be a delay before these items can be completed and returned to the storage container. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – as already covered, this loco is in full working order and will next be in use on Saturday and Sunday 29/30th June, under the BLUE timetable. Additional dates will be allocated ASAP. Keep an eye on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page or sign up to our DIESELGEN email bulletin service to get the news as soon as it is released.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the ‘spare’ transmission that previously ran in D7018 back in 1995 has now been disassembled so that the housings can be inspected and hopefully used as replacements for the transmission that is currently undergoing repair. The parts were carefully organised into groups and will be cleaned and inspected by the ;transmission team’ that is led by Colin F. When Colin gives the ‘green light’, the housings will be moved to the transmission overhaul area and swapped with the cracked castings, which will then be used to package up the ‘spare’ internal components. The cracked castings are not beyond repair, but the necessary specialist processes would be both costly and time consuming, so they will be deferred to some time in the future, after the loco has been returned to service. Here are a selection of photos of the ‘Mekydro kit’, as pictured by Colin Foxhall (CF) and Martin Howard (MH):
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Above – the torque converter assembly (MH, © CC BY-NC 3.0) |
Above – the underside of the central housing section (MH, © CC BY-NC 3.0) |
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Above – The lower housing of the final drive (MH, © CC BY-NC 3.0) |
Above – The input shaft and intermediate gear wheel (MH, © CC BY-NC 3.0) |
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Above – The upper side of the upper housing section (MH, © CC BY-NC 3.0) |
Above – The final drive assembly (MH, © CC BY-NC 3.0) |
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Above – The damaged bearing journal on the torque converter (CF, © CC BY-NC 3.0) |
Above – the spare transmission before disassembly and cleaning (CF, © CC BY-NC 3.0) |
Please help us with this very important work by making a donation to DEPG funds and allowing us to support the repair work that is taking place right now. Thank you in advance for your help.
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – as reported last week, we have some VERY GOOD NEWS – we now have two cardan shafts that are fit for further service ! The two shafts (the long one goes between the engine and the transmission, the short one goes between the transmission and the final drive) have now been re-balanced and are now ready to be re-installed in the locomotive.
D9518 – the longer of the two massive cardan shafts is the one that fits between the engine and the transmission, running in a tunnel under the cab floor. It is very important that this shaft is in very good condition for obvious reasons! Nicely spray painted by Colin G and pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd June 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Having these shafts available allows us to move forward with the work between the frames in parallel with the restoration of the cab, and we can now start planning for the day when the cab assembly gets re-mounted onto the frames and the loco starts to take on its true shape !
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO OUR VOLUNTEERS AND ALL WHO HAVE FINANCED THE WORK ON D9518 !
D9518 – the cab assembly is progressing towards the stage where it will be re-united with the loco frame. Colin G applied the first undercoat at Williton on Saturday 22nd June 2024. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Click here or on the image below to make a donation towards the restoration of D9518. Thank you very much for your support !
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is stabled at Williton and is available for service.
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco was a very popular attraction at the DIESEL GALA that took place on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway recently, but has now been withdrawn from service for a few weeks to allow a leaking exhaust silencer to be repaired and a split turbo input bellows to be replaced. Work is in progress and the loco should be back in service for the peak of summer.
47077 – the bellows that feeds the air into the turbocharger is made from leather and has a relatively short life, compared to the items around it. A replacement is on order and will be fitted in the coming weeks. Pictured at Grosmont on 20th June 2024 by Josh Smith © CC BY-NC 3.0
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – stabled outdoors on number 1 road, this loco is fully serviceable and available for yard pilot duties.
BOOK REVIEW: this week, we have a NEW book on offer:THE NORTH BRITISH CLASS 22 by Anthony P. Sayer.
These curious beasts were designed and built by the North British Locomotive Company in the late 1950s and soon gained a reputation for unreliability and erratic performance that was not helped by their builder going into liquidation in 1962. This book tells the story of the origins and development of the NBL Class 22 locos, and covers each member of the class in some detail, in the usual style of the author.
Highly recommended and offered at £26 per copy via the DEPG online store. Click here or on the image above to get your copy and in doing so, support the DEPG !
ON SHED: apologies, we will need to skip this feature again this week.
DEPG NEWS: the DEPG is a charity and is run entirely by volunteers, many of whom give both their time and their money to the continuance of work on the locos in the DEPG fleet. If you like reading about the work that is done at the DEPG, the least that you can do is JOIN US using whichever membership class is appropriate for your situation and means. CLICK HERE for details.
If you would like to go one step further and come along to help with the work on the locos in our fleet, then please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know that you would like to volunteer and we will respond with more details.
We look forward to hearing from you !
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