Another step forward for Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 as DEPG volunteer, driver and trustee Paul Tucker worked hard in the confined space under the loco and between the fuel tanks re-connecting the final drive shafts to the repaired transmission. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
The start-up of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 came another step closer on Saturday 22nd February when the final drive shafts from the bogies were re-connected to the repaired transmission, an arduous task that is made more difficult by the need to get into the space between the underslung fuel tanks. Our willing volunteer, DEPG driver and trustee Paul Tucker, is no stranger to the task and got to work straight away, the result being that the two large and heavy shafts were soon bolted to the transmission output flanges, which will allow the loco to be shunted into a more suitable position for start-up (currently planned for Saturday 8th March).
There are seven cardan shafts in a ‘Hymek’ – the first is the shaft that connects the engine to the transmission. This was re-connected earlier in the week by the ‘transmission team’, along with the two auxiliary shafts (for the Dynastarter and Serck pump). The two shafts that Paul re-connected provide the output from the transmission to the final drive gearboxes that are on the inner axles of the bogies, and the final two shafts connect the inner axle to the outer axle on each bogie (these two did not need to be touched). All shafts are now connected !
The re-start of the engine after transmission repair will be a tightly controlled activity and requires several risk mitigation measures to be in place before we ‘press the button’. We still have some tasks to do before we are ready for that big moment, but we are certainly getting closer.
D7018 – the shaft between the engine and the transmission was reconnected by Geoff and Colin F on Monday 17th February 2025. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7018 – the two auxiliary shafts that connect the transmission to the Dynastarter (combined generator and starter motor) and the transmission to the Serck pump (hydrostatic pump for the cooling fan motor) were reconnected by the transmission team on Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th February 2025. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 UPDATE
The work being done on both of the ‘Hymek’ sisters is taking a high priority because of the need to have these locos back in use during their 50th anniversary in preservation. The WSR have very kindly allocated the weekend of Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st August for showcasing ‘Hymek’ haulage, and we are working on the event format and hope to make an announcement in conjunction with the WSR very soon. Meanwhile, SAVE THE DATES !
With all of the body repair work that has been taking place on D7017, it is easy to overlook the mechanical maintenance work that also has to be done during the winter period, and this is being carried out by DEPG volunteers while the loco is at Minehead. Progress during the last week has included the installation of the two newly-overhauled auxiliary cardan shafts, along with a considerable amount of cleaning taking place in the engine room. Having the roof removed for repair and repainting has made it a much nicer place to work, which is just as well because D7017 has a work-stained interior, not the fully restored and nicely painted interior of her sister D7018 !
Here are some photos to show what has been happening inside the loco: 
D7017 – the tunnel between the two banks of radiator elements is the home for the Dynastarter and the Serck pump, but also the workplace for Leroy as he prepares to re-install the newly-overhauled cardan shafts. Pictured at Minehead on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Neil McCannon © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 – the view looking down on the transmission shows the newly overhauled shafts but also shows the work-stained appearance of this veteran performer. Pictured at Minehead on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Neil McCannon © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 – with the roof removed for repair and repainting, the interior of the loco immediately becomes a much nicer place to work! New DEPG volunteer Jeffrey Curd grabbed a selfie while working at Minehead on Saturday 22nd February 2025. © CC BY-NC 3.0
We continue to receive donations to the D7017 bodywork overhaul fund, so a BIG THANK YOU goes out to the 70 people who have donated to this project so far, keeping it moving forward to ensure that the loco will be back in service in time for the WSR’s Summer Diesel Festival (5-7th June).
The fundraiser for the bodywork repairs for ‘Hymek’ D7017 has been kept open with a new target of £12,000 with a total of £11,315 being raised so far.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR FANTASTIC SUPPORT !
The repair work is expected to cost around £15,000 so the new target will cover most of the work being done on the loco, the remaining £3,000 being provided from the DEPG’s general fund. The sub-contract route was taken to make sure that the loco gets repaired during the winter and is able to take pole position in the celebration of 50 years of ‘Hymek’ preservation that will take place on 30th and 31st of August this year.
The fund will remain open until the work is completed (not much longer then!) to make sure that we have sufficient funding to cover any unexpected costs and make sure that a thorough and long-lasting repair is carried out. All funds donated via this appeal will be allocated to returning D7017 to service in time for the forthcoming season.
Can you help ? Click here to donate £17 to D7017 !
If you can help with this short-term appeal, please make a donation via our website (click on the icons above or below) or by bank app or by sending a cheque to the DEPG at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH !
WSR NEWS
The footplate and train crew refresher training continues with three days of hands-on training taking place last week and two more days next week, all involving duty loco Class 33 D6575 (33048) operating between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren. This does deplete the available hours for volunteering at Williton, but it is essential to ensure safe and efficient operation of the railway, so it takes first priority.
Another priority is the winter program of infrastructure repair and renewal work that is taking place at multiple sites along the 23-mile length of the WSR. An example is the digging out and relaying of the ‘down’ line through Crowcombe Heathfield station, to provide a long-lasting and durable solution to a ‘wet bed’ condition.
The WSR Infrastructure team have been busy digging out the trackbed and replacing 60 sleepers on the ‘down’ line through Crowcombe Heathfield station to resolve a ‘wet bed’ condition. Pictured in mid-February 2025 by Jake Genge. © CC BY-NC 3.0
The WSR have published their running calendar for 2025 on their website and social media channels, and we have updated our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page including provisional loco allocations, some of which are subject to change to align with the availability of the locos and the crews. As the information becomes more refined, we will update our page and send out a DIESELGEN bulletin with the clarification. Click here or on the banner below to view the provisional allocations:
Click here or on the image below to visit the WSR’s timetable page:
The WSR’s SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL has been confirmed as being Thursday 5th through Saturday 7th with a Mixed Traction Day on Sunday 8th of June 2025.
Click here to go to our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page
Click here to go to our ONLINE SHOP
Thank you very much for your support !
LOCO NEWS:
Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the time-consuming task of evaluating and listing the many component parts of the ‘B’ bogie is ongoing, so the rest of the team have been spending some time underneath the loco body, scraping off the 50-year-old crust of dirt and grime that has probably acted as a protective skin, because the underlying steelwork is in very good condition, as the photos show. The repair work on the ‘A’ cooler group has also progressed although there is more to do on this cooler group when compared with the one from the ‘B’ end of the loco. No worries, we will get it fixed !
D1010 – the underside of the loco at ‘B’ end was the focus of attention for Viv and his hammer and chisel at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – meanwhile, at the ‘A’ end of the loco, Gordon and Ian F were busy scraping to expose the red paint that was applied at Swindon Works back in the mid 1970s. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – looking into the transmission bay from the underside of the ‘A’ end of the loco, the absence of both engines allows sight of the ‘B’ preheater cradle in the dark distance. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – repurposed steel plate has been welded into the corner of the ‘A’ cooler group, replacing the corroded material that was in that position previously. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Our appeals for MORE VOLUNTEERS are working but WE STILL NEED MORE HELP to get this huge loco back on the rails, so please get in touch by using our CONTACT FORM if you are able to join the team.
As mentioned before, apologies to those D1010 sponsors who have yet to receive the photos and certificates for the patches that they have sponsored. The bitterly cold and/or wet weather is preventing us from spending outdoor time on the engraving, so we will need to leave this work a little longer, at least until the temperature is back in (positive) double digits.
Rest assured that every sponsor will receive their certificate and the details of where to find their sponsored patch. We will be making a further push for funds soon, because we have some big ticket items for refurbishment, including the remaining cardan shafts and 32 springs from the suspension system.
MANY THANKS to all who have sponsored and supported the RESTORATION of D1010 !
Class 09 D4107 (09019) – as we reported last week, only one of the two Oleo hydraulic buffers have been overhauled by the specialist subcontractor, because the other was corroded and beyond repair. This gives us a problem because Oleo buffers for Class 08/09 are rare indeed. To get the loco back into service, we will have to fit sprung buffers, the same as at the cab end of the loco and the same as when the loco first entered service in 1961. We still want to upgrade it to ‘Oleos’ if we can, but as yet, no-one has replied to our question, so here it is again:
Do you happen to have a spare Oleo buffer for a Class 08/09 ? If yes, please use our CONTACT FORM to get in touch with us.
Otherwise, the loco is making good progress towards her return to service, which is expected to be in early March, thanks to the efforts of our volunteers !
D4107 – the buffer beam has been cleaned up and painted in readiness for the re-fitting of the buffers, which may have to be of the sprung type. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D4107 – recently-joined DEPG volunteer Ben applies flexible sealant to some gaps that will be dealt with when the loco undergoes a bodywork overhaul next winter. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco will undergo some planned maintenance while resident at Williton.
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is the Duty Loco and is based at Bishops Lydeard and was in use on 21/22/23 February between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren for crew training purposes, and will be in use again on Friday 7th and Sunday 9th of March
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – covered previously
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – also covered previously
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – although several members of the team were involved with crew training activities for some part of the week in review, the work on the electrical rewiring marched on, helped by the staging that has been erected around the loco to provide safe and level access to the work area. In parallel, the engine work also made progress in the hands of the ‘Tuesday’ team, with more photos of that work expected in the roundup next week.
D9518 (NCB Ashington No. 7) – the staging that has been bolted into place alongside the loco allows for safe and protected access to the area that is currently undergoing a rewire. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd February 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Quality work needs to be funded, so we will continue to appeal for funds to support the work, right up to the point where the loco is completed. Any surplus will then be used to ensure her proper care and upkeep. If you like what we are doing, please make a donation via our website (click on the icon below) or by bank app or by sending a cheque to the DEPG at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT !
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco will enter the loco shed as soon as D4107 vacates and will undergo engine maintenance and receive a paint refresh in time for her appearance at the WSR’s SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL 2025.
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is based at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and was in use on Wednesday 12th February 2025 when it worked a rake of Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) from Pickering to Grosmont. We hope to see this loco in regular use this season and will try to provide advance notice when we receive it.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – as previously stated, this loco is now back in service after having an issue with her starter motor !
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 is a new release from Pen & Sword, another in the series of locomotive studies by ANTHONY P. SAYER and no doubt destined for similar positive reviews, as has been the case for other publications from this author (click here for details). His target this time is the short-lived Class 23 ‘Baby Deltic’, a rare example of a product from the English Electric stable that did not deliver on it’s promises. Anthony digs deep into the background and presents the story in his usual style, complete with fine detail.
Price £32 – NOTE: RRP is £35 so save £3 by buying from the DEPG !
Click here to obtain your copy of this new book.
Other books in this popular series are also available from the DEPG online store (classes 14, 17 and 22)
Four new books have just been added to our online store – click on the images below for details:
ON SHED: in response to the question about headcode 2V48 carried by D1069 ‘WESTERN VANGUARD’ that featured in our Roundup of the week ending 28-Jul-24, long time DEPG member and volunteer Gary Lemon has been researching and provides us with the following response and a lot more besides :
“2V48 ? A puzzling headcode indeed. I’ve scoured the WR working timetables for the period and the closest match I can come up with is the 06.26 Salisbury – Exeter St Davids (Mon – Sat) which was coded 2V58. This would have been an unusual working for a ‘Western’ but not impossible. Returning from a PW train or stone traffic in the Westbury area to its home region perhaps? Looking closely at the headcode panel the ‘4’ character isn’t fully in the frame although this could be owing to the blinds becoming slack.
I’ve been following the saga of the 18.12 (FO) Paddington – Taunton (1B30) with interest. I recall covering this train after school on Friday 25 April 1975 with 1037 ‘WESTERN EMPRESS’ to Swindon. I remember gazing out of the window of this service at Paddington’s platform 5 and alongside was 1023 ‘WESTERN FUSILIER’ on the 18.30 Paddington-Plymouth (1B43) and adjacent to that 1068 ‘WESTERN RELIANCE’ on the 18.27 (FO 1B39) Paddington-Truro. Three ‘Westerns’ awaiting departure on adjoining platforms. During the journey we passed 1070 ‘WESTERN GAUNTLET’ leaving Pangbourne on the 18.03 Paddington-Oxford (1A92). 1023 was paired up with 1051 ‘WESTERN AMBASSADOR’ on the following Sunday’s ‘Western Enterprise’ tour. I returned from Swindon on the 18.30 Bristol – Paddington. As we left Didcot 1011 ‘WESTERN THUNDERER’ was rounding the avoiding line on the 18.25 Birmingham- Paddington (1V68) which ran on the up relief. I left the 18.30 ex-Bristol at Reading & joined 1011 for the final 36 miles.
The reason the 18.12 ex-Paddington was formed of Mk 1 stock on Fridays was that the air brake, air con. set that formed this service Mon-Thurs. was utilised on a FO 16.00 Gloucester- Paddington having previously worked the 11.45 Paddington-Bristol and then empties to Gloucester. Malago Vale therefore had to find a spare set to form the 15.30 Bristol – Paddington on a Friday which happened to be a rake of vacuum Mk 1s which then formed the 18,12 Paddington – Taunton on a Friday. During the 74-75 timetable, the loco was ‘officially’ supposed to be off the 18.40 ThO Burngullow – Sittingbourne ‘clayfreighter’ service, this train being handed over to SR motive power at Old Oak Common.
Following the re-routing of the mid afternoon Cardiff – Paddington via Gloucester from May 75, the 16.00 FO Gloucester – Paddington was discontinued.”
Many thanks to Gary for sharing this information with us all. We feature another of his many photos of this fascinating era below, with thanks !
After their re-allocation ‘en bloc’ from the Stoke Division of the LMR to the WR, the six-year-old Class 50s were pictured surrounding out-of-use Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7093 at Old Oak Common in October 1974, the 10-year-old ‘Hymek’ being officially condemned on 26th November of that year. Photo by Gary Lemon © CC BY-NC 3.0
DEPG NEWS – the February edition of the quarterly DEPG Newsletter has been produced on schedule by editor Mark Bladwell and has been mailed or emailed (according to member preferences). If you are a member and haven’t yet received your copy one way or another, please get in touch by using our CONTACT FORM and we will get another copy out to you.
The DEPG Board of Trustees and Directors will hold a scheduled Board Meeting at Williton on Saturday 1st March 2025. If you have any questions that you would like to put to the Board, please use our CONTACT FORM and we will respond to you ASAP.
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 have been enjoying the roundup for free, have you considered joining us for just £1 a month ? You can then add your name to all of those helping out on the above projects and play your part in the future of our locos for a lot less than the price of a cup of coffee!
JOIN US using whichever membership class is appropriate for your situation and means. CLICK HERE or on the image below or use the QR code to get the 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 !