A welcome improvement in the weather provided an opportunity to photograph several locomotives basking in the afternoon sunshine at Williton on Saturday 1st March 2025. From left to right, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048), Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526, Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 (ROF 1) and Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Working at a busy diesel traction maintenance depot with like-minded and knowledgeable people while surrounded by one’s favourite locos cannot be considered as a hardship at any time of the year, but it feels even better when the weather improves ! The cold but clear weather brought some much-appreciated and warming sunshine, making outdoor tasks significantly more attractive than being in the loco shed – in fact it was colder inside the shed than outside !
For some, the need to complete the time-sensitive work on Class 09 shunter D4107 (09019) and the re-wiring on Class 14 D9518 (NCB Ashington No 7) compelled them to work indoors, but the team working on D1010 were more than happy to do a bit more scraping and cleaning on the loco body – outside in the sunshine.
Class 14 D9526 is currently stabled outdoors on No 1 road, but will move into the loco shed as soon as Class 09 D4107 (09019) comes out. We are getting close to that changeover, which will then allow Terry and his team to undertake some engine maintenance work on D9526 and allow Colin G to deal with some bodyside corrosion and refresh the paintwork, with all tasks to be completed in good time for the WSR’s SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL that will take place from Thursday 5th through Saturday 7th June (with a mixed traction day on the Sunday).
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 !
We are delighted to announce that the revised target for donations to the D7017 bodywork overhaul fund HAS BEEN REACHED, so a BIG THANK YOU goes out to the 74 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).
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 to make sure that we have sufficient funding to cover any unexpected costs, so don’t despair if you haven’t yet donated, because we can still accept your donation !
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 want to 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 !
Here are some photos of the progress being made on D7017 at Minehead: 
D7017 – two of the four roof panels have been repaired so far and are now receiving a coat of paint. DEPG volunteer Jeffrey was doing the painting at Minehead on Saturday 1st March 2025, with the DEPG’s ‘Vanwide’ goods van B784676 in the background. Photo by Neil McCannon © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 – the engine room is going to be a much brighter place after this bodywork overhaul ! Two done, two to go. Pictured at Minehead on Saturday 1st March 2025. Photo by Neil McCannon © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 – one of the roof sections that have received corrosion repairs in the hands of the WSR engineering team was pictured at Minehead on Saturday 1st March 2025 by Leroy Ford © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 – the largest of the roof sections is that which covers the engine bay. This panel is is need of repairs to perforations along the lower edges on both sides of the roof. Pictured at Minehead on Saturday 1st March 2025 by Leroy Ford © CC BY-NC 3.0
Many thanks to the WSR engineering team at Minehead for doing such a great job on D7017 !
WSR NEWS
The month-long pre-season training program is almost complete. The weekend of 8/9 March will bring the volunteer briefing sessions and train crew refresher sessions to a close so that the focus can switch to preparing for the return of public services on the weekend of 22/23 March.
The crew refresher training involves duty loco Class 33 D6575 (33048) operating between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren. Attending these mandatory training sessions does deplete the available hours for volunteering at Williton in the short term, but it is essential to ensure safe and efficient operation of the railway, so it takes first priority.
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’ – it was a case of more of the same for this loco this week, with the task of scraping off the 50-year-old crust of dirt and grime from the underframe continuing, but with the benefit of some warming sunshine, some of which managed to get far enough under the loco to brighten the task for our volunteers. Back in the shed, Jon T progressed the re-paint of the Serck motor and fan from the ‘A’ cooler group, making it ready for re-installation into the frame. The detailed technical work of preparing the list of bogie parts took place in the nice warm messroom !
D1010 – one of the two cooling fans from the ‘A’ cooler group received the ‘JT’ treatment at Williton on Friday 28th February 2025. Photo by Jon Tooke © 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) – we are delighted to report that we have now acquired SIX buffers for this loco, two of the sprung type that are already in our hands and will be fitted to the loco so that it can re-enter service at the earliest date possible, and four serviceable Oleo hydraulic types that we have purchased from another group and will be fitted to the loco at some convenient time in the future. The two sprung buffers have been loaned by the WSR and were last in use as platform buffers at BATH GREEN PARK STATION, which closed to public services in March 1966, so they have been waiting 59 years for their next opportunity!
The above photo shows the buffers at BATH GREEN PARK STATION and has been reproduced from THE RAILWAY HUB website which can be found online by clicking on this link.
D4107 – the pair of sprung buffers that have been loaned by the WSR were last in use at Bath Green Park Station back in 1966. Pictured at Williton on Friday 28th February 2025 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
D4107 – volunteer loco manager Ian was pictured at Williton on Saturday 1st March 2025 while attending to a fuel injection pump issue. Volunteer Tom can also be seen in the picture, just inside the engine compartment. Photo by Terry Deacon © 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 based at Bishops Lydeard and will be in use on Friday 7th and Sunday 9th of March between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren for crew training purposes.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – covered previously.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the re-installation of the transmission continued with the re-connecting of the electrical solenoids and the direction interlock contactors. The transmission was filled with fresh oil, but efforts to re-fill the cooling system were halted by the need to replace a damaged hose. The replacement has now been obtained and fitted. Another task that has to be attended to before the running season starts is to get the spare fire extinguisher bottles tested and recharged, so they can be used to replace the cylinders that are carried on the locos. A complication is that the ‘Hymeks’ use the ‘Pyrene’ type rather than the ‘Kidde’ type that is used on some other locos, so we have to keep two types of bottle in stock, some of which are rather old, as the photo below shows.
D7018 – the electrical solenoids and the directional interlock contactors have been re-connected to the loco control system (the relevant parts are painted orange). Pictured at Williton on Monday 24th February 2025 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7018 – the auxillary cardan shafts received an injection of grease from volunteer Tim at Williton on Tuesday 25th February 2025. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7018 – the ten spare ‘Pyrene’ fire bottles were gathered up and made ready for shipment to the specialist firm for inspection and recharging. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 1st March 2025 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7018 – some of the spare ‘Pyrene’ fire bottles date back to the early 1960s. These bottles were manufactured by The Pyrene Company Limited and are of a very substantial construction ! Pictured at Williton on Saturday 1st March 2025 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the work on the electrical rewiring is making very good progress, with new cable runs being installed between the engine compartment and the cab-mounted electrical control cubicle. The engine work is also moving forward, with a steady supply of new and refurbished components reaching the ‘Tuesday Team’ volunteers, for re-assembly into the engine block. Great work by all involved !
D9518 (NCB Ashington No. 7) – the refurbished electrical control cubicle is now being connected to the engine bay using new cabling throughout. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 1st March 2025 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0
D9518 (NCB Ashington No. 7) – the gears that drive the camshaft and the fuel injection pumps have been cleaned and inspected and are ready for re-installation into the engine block. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 1st March 2025 by Terry Deacon © 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 she worked a rake of Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) from Pickering to Grosmont. We hope to see this loco in regular use this season and we will try to provide advance notice where possible.
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 book titles have recently been added to our online store – click on the images below for details:
ON SHED: in response to the response about headcode 2V48 carried by D1069 ‘WESTERN VANGUARD’ that we featured last week, we received the following alternative possibility from well-known photographer and author ROGER GEACH:
“Good work by your man on this headcode, but it could also be 2B48 with the ‘V’ in place of the ‘B’. I’ve often seen this letter out of place.
2B48 was the 2015 Exeter – Newton Abbot which 1069 worked on 4th December 1974. The next day it was on 4M05 1250 Penzance – Crewe vans, so Cardiff does not fit on that date, but we don’t have a huge amount of sightings for 1069 that month.
I would say the display of headcodes being correct on the loco was not 100 per cent with the further west one went, the worse it got !”
Many thanks to Roger for responding and sharing this information with us all.
To change the theme this week, we return to Cardiff Canton and the photographic collection of the late Mike Evans, but this time with a ‘Slim Jim Crompton’ 33202 (D6587) on shed displaying a Southern Region headcode of ’19’. That’s all that I am going to say about this, and we look forward to receiving your feedback on the activities of this loco in what we believe to have been August of 1985.
Class 33 ‘Slim Jim Crompton’ 33202 (D6587) was pictured resting on shed at Cardiff Canton in the company of some other Sulzer-engined locos in what we believe to be August of 1985. Photo by Mike Evans © CC BY-NC 3.0
If you are tiring of photos from my ‘home shed’, simply send us some photos of YOUR home shed and we will gladly include them in the roundup !
DEPG NEWS – the leaking roof of the Portacabin that serves as the classroom and meeting room at Williton has been causing some concern of late, but this issue has now been solved by DEPG volunteer and trustee David Oswald who has constructed a new roof on top of the failed roof, with sufficient strength and substance to outlast the rest of the structure ! Well done David, and thank you very much !
The classroom at Williton has been protected by installing a new roof over the failing roof of the elderly Portacabin. Pictured on Wednesday 5th March 2025 by David Oswald © CC BY-NC 3.0
The new roof will avoid the need to have to replace the Portacabin for many years to come. Pictured on Wednesday 5th March 2025 by David Oswald © CC BY-NC 3.0
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 !