An unusual study of Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 (ROF 1) and DEPG volunteer and driver Colin G engaged on shunting activities at Williton on Saturday 7th September 2024. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
The focus of activities at Williton last Saturday 7th September 2024 was the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) of the DEPG, an essential and mandatory gathering of members to listen to the reports presented by the Chairman and Treasurer and approve them and appoint the Board of Trustees and Directors for another year. The meeting started at 14:00 and the formal business was completed by 14:35, after which WSR Assistant General Manager SEB WELSH gave a presentation and outlined the performance of the railway in 2024 and the outlook for 2025. The meeting was attended by 30 members and proxy forms received from 20 more, so there were 50 votes in play.
The proposals made by the Board were accepted unchanged and the Board was voted back in for another year, again unchanged. Many thanks to those who came along to the AGM to take their opportunity to help guide the Group in the desired direction.
DEPG Chairman Martin Howard was pictured while presenting his report to the assembled members at the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the DEPG. Not many AGMs have a pair of Bristol Siddeley Maybach MD-655 engines as a backdrop, these two being those belonging to D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’. Pictured at Williton on 7th September 2024 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Several members arrived on the Class 33-hauled service from Bishops Lydeard at 13:07 and departed on the 15:17, treating themselves to a double dose of ‘Crompton’ haulage. The AGM proceedings were timed to fit into this well-established pattern. Other members chose to arrive on earlier trains or by car, to take advantage of the opportunity to tour the depot and talk to the volunteers involved with the restoration of their favourite locomotives. Thank you to all who attended !
Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33057) was carrying the ‘GK’ headcode in memory of former DEPG volunteer the late PAUL BRITTON (covered in the Roundup on 01-Sep-24) when pictured during the Williton station stop on Saturday 7th September 2024. Stabled in the DEPG yard on the left are Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 and Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
DIESEL RUNNING DATES
This coming weekend is the WSR’s special FORTIES EVENT so our 1960s locos will play only a minor supporting role and be mostly concentrated in our yard at Williton, all except Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33057) which will be working the 08:55 departure from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 14th and the 16:10 return service to Minehead on Sunday 15th.
There will a main line diesel presence in the form of a WEST COAST RAILWAY COMPANY Class 47 which will be at the rear of the ‘BLACK FIVE‘ hauled ‘WEST SOMERSET STEAM EXPRESS‘ railtour. This railtour is due to arrive at Bishops Lydeard at 1137 on Saturday 14th, continuing to Minehead and arriving at 1305, departing from Minehead at 1520 to return to Paddington (departing Bishops Lydeard at 1640). The ‘Black Five’ and the ’47’ will be in charge of the train throughout.
Then, on Tuesday 17th, the MIDLAND PULLMAN will be visiting Dunster and Minehead on an out-and-back trip from Carnforth. The MIDLAND PULLMAN services are fully booked way in advance and showcase the HST which forms the basis for the service these days (the original 1960 train sets did not survive beyond 1975).
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 will be hauling the BLUE timetable diesel turns on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd September with 80 miles of haulage available each day.
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.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS on the WSR (click on the links below for more details):
Saturday and Sunday 14th and 15th September – The Forties event
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’ – with the AGM dominating the activities last weekend, the team only had time to gather up the parts and move the ‘B’ bogie out of the loco shed to allow space for the AGM attendees. The ‘B’ bogie was moved back inside as soon as the visitors had left the building, and work will start again this coming weekend.
The next step for the bogie is the cleaning out of the mass of dirt and grease that has accumulated in the spring pockets and the inside of the bogie frame, before attempting the removal of the equalising beams and pedestals. The general scheme of work is as follows, with status information added:
- Remove the cardan shafts – completed on 10th August
- Remove the brake rigging – completed on 24th August
- Remove the primary springs – completed on 24th August
- Remove the equalising beams and pedestals – planned for the weekend of 14th September.
- Remove the secondary springs
- Inspect the bogie frames, wheel bearings and gearboxes
- Replace the torque reaction rubbers
- Re-assemble using repaired or replacement parts as required.
As a parallel activity, the re-assembly of the first repaired cooler group is proceeding well, with the top coat of paint applied and the grilles and walkway re-fitted. As always, there is plenty to do on this massive locomotive, so please CONTACT US if you are a DEPG member and would like to come along to help.
D1010 – the space that is normally occupied by one of the primary suspension leaf springs can be seen to be full of oily dirt and grease from almost 50 years of running. All six spring pockets need to be thoroughly cleaned out so that we can inspect the bogie frames before repainting. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 31st August 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – the cooling fan grilles and disused (but authentic) walkway have now been re-fitted to the first repaired cooler group at Williton. This cooler group is now ready to turn over to allow repairs to take place on the other side. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 7th September 2024 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – a corroded water pipe has been repaired by welding-in a patch of new steel. This pipe is now ready for painting into the designated colour for coolant pipes, which is ‘French Blue’. Pictured at Williton on Monday 16th August 2024 by Tony Austin © CC BY-NC 3.0
Please help us with this very important work by making a donation to the D1010 Restoration Fund and support the repair work that is taking place right now. Thank you in advance for your help.
We are still offering the SPONSOR A PATCH scheme where your name or message will be engraved into the metal of the loco body as acknowledgement of your donations to the D1010 RESTORATION FUND. We are a bit behind with the engraving but now that the loco body has been determined as safe to work on, we can resume the engraving and catch up. There is plenty more metal yet to be engraved, so GET YOUR SPONSORED PATCH BY CLICKING THIS LINK !
Class 09 D4107 (09019) – this loco is based at Bishops Lydeard and is in regular use in support of WSR activities.
Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – This loco is now back at Williton where she will undergo maintenance and attention to minor faults that have been reported by the loco crews. The loco remains serviceable and could be called upon at short notice.
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is now outstationed at Minehead and will be in use on a single 20-mile working during each day of the FORTIES EVENT that takes place on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th September.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is stabled at Williton and is ready for her next booked duties, which will be the diesel diagram of the BLUE TIMETABLE on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd September.
Click on this link or on the graphic below to visit our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – our ‘transmission team’ continued taking their well-earned break last week, so our coverage of work on this loco will be paused until next week, when there will be plenty to report !
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the AGM prevented any work being done on Saturday 7th but the team had been busy on the previous Tuesday, preparing for the removal of the pistons from the Paxman 6YJXL engine that was previously installed in sister loco D9526. More news on this loco next week.
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 currently stabled at Williton, but will move to Minehead on Saturday 21st (along with ‘Hymek’ D7017) and will then position over the pit for an underframe exam and a brake adjustment. The loco will return to Williton later that same day, working ‘Light Engine’.
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is based at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway but is currently out of service because of a coolant leak from the liner of cylinder B3. Only one of the 12 cylinders appears to be affected, but further investigations will be carried out as part of the repair work. A subcontractor has been engaged to allow the work to proceed quickly, and the completion date is scheduled for early October.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco was inside the loco shed on No. 2 road but had to be moved out to make space for the AGM. This loco was then used to shunt the yard on Saturday 7th to make space to allow D1010‘s bogie to be rolled out of the loco shed, and then ended up boxed in between D6566 and D7017. This will be sorted out some time before Saturday 21st to allow D7017 and D9526 clear passage to depart from No. 1 road and run to Minehead,
BOOK REVIEW: with the closedown news from PROJECT 22 reported in the Roundup for 25-Aug-24 still fresh in our minds, we will continue to feature Anthony Sayer’s detailed analysis of the Class 22 and we will also include the Class in the ‘ON SHED’ feature further below. Both volumes of these books are in stock and ready for those who want to learn more about these extinct machines. Even though they were seldom at the top of the loco spotter’s list of favourites, they still have a right to exist and it is sad that not a single example of Classes 16, 21, 22, 29, 41 or 43 remain, a total of 164 main line locomotives that were built in Glasgow for BR by the North British Locomotive Company.
To find out more, consider purchasing VOLUMES 1 and 2 of THE NORTH BRITISH CLASS 22 by Anthony P. Sayer.
VOLUME 1 – Setting the Scene VOLUME 2 – Detailed Insights
Volume 1 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. Volume 2 delves into their service record and extensive modifications list, ending with details on their final disposal. None were saved.
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 !
DEPG CALENDAR 2025
The DEPG 2025 CALENDAR is now available for mailing, comprising 14 printed pages of A3 (twice A4 size) glossy paper on a spiral wire binder. This calendar features the DEPG’s locomotives, both in service and in preservation, with all of the photos being provided by members and supporters. Click here or on the image above to GET YOUR COPY – WHILE STOCKS LAST – for £14 plus p&p.
ON SHED: staying with the Class 22 theme, we have another photo from regular contributor BARRY GAY, this one taken on a Sunday morning in February 1971 at Exeter Stabling Point, opposite Exeter St Davids station and at that time, absolutely brimming with North British diesel hydraulics. Here are Barry’s words on the subject:
“This is a view of Exeter stabling point on Sunday, February 14, 1971, taken from where Exeter Panel Box is now, at midday. There were 15 locos on shed, comprising: L-R: D6315, 6323, 813 ‘DIADEM’, D864 ‘ZAMBESI’, D6307, D7005 and 867 ‘ZENITH’. On the single road in the yard were two Class 08s and 857 ‘UNDAUNTED’ (in the foreground). Hidden in the shed were D7040, D6334, D4167 and Class 45 ‘Peak’ 56 plus D826 ‘JUPITER’.
This was my regular Sunday morning visit. I was after a photograph of D6307 in particular, as it was the only Class 22 to survive into 1971 fitted with larger headcode boxes. It was withdrawn six weeks later, on 27th March 1971.
You could walk around the depot unhindered, take your time, get your photos. For me 1971 was the best year for variety of classes and liveries. It was possible to see around 13 different types of loco on an ordinary day. Of course we did not know what was just around the corner – the big hydraulic cull of October 1971.
Going to Newton Abbot on October 10, I saw 30 diesel hydraulics withdrawn from traffic. 11 of which were in Hackney yard. The other 19 were in the depot and yard area. The locos were all classes 22, 42 and 43. I managed to get into Hackney yard unobserved to get my photos, the only ones I have of engines in there.
Gradually over the weeks locos disappeared, but we still had plenty to see. Good job the ’52s’ lasted longer than anything else hydraulic.”
Many thanks to Barry for sharing his photos and his memories with us all.
Exeter St Davids stabling point on Sunday 14th February 1971, with (L-R) D6316, 6323, 813, D864, D6307, D7005 and 867. In the foreground is 857, so eight locos plus a DMU in view and another seven locos lurking nearby. By Class, there were 3 x 08, 4 x 22, 2 x 35, 2 x 42, 3 x 43, 1 x 45 on shed that day. All 15 locos were still registered as being in service at the end of that month, but only 6 survived beyond the end of the year, and only two of those were hydraulics. Photo by Barry Gay © CC BY-NC 3.0
DEPG NEWS: as reported above, the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) of the DEPG took place at Williton on Saturday 7th September. The Financial Report for 2023 will now be filed with Companies House (this must be done before 30th September) and the appropriate data extracted for filing with the Charity Commission (this must be done before 31st October).
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 !