The WSR’s Autumn Steam Weekend (17-19 October 2025) is being augmented by Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33057) standing-in for a steam loco that could not be made available in time. The ’33’ has been pictured at Minehead on several previous mixed traction occasions, such as Tuesday 1st August 2023, with WSR 2-6-0 ‘Mogul’ 9351 due to depart next from the opposite platform. Photo by Tim Edmonds © CC BY-NC 3.0
The WSR’s AUTUMN STEAM WEEKEND is taking place from Friday 17th through Sunday 19th October, featuring an intensive gala timetable with several visiting locos including LSWR T3 Class 4-4-0 No. 563 and GWR Castle Class No. 5029 ‘NUNNEY CASTLE’. The lineup also includes Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33057) covering for GWR 4-6-0 7812 ‘ERLESTOKE MANOR’ which had to undergo repairs that could not be completed in time. The event also includes shunting activities taking place at Minehead and local services to/from Williton and Crowcombe Heathfield, in addition to extended services to Norton Fitzwarren. Several goods train movements are also included using a variety of traction types, all of which bodes well for future gala events on the WSR. From the Railcams, it is evident that the first day of the event was very well patronised, so we hope that autumn events can become a regular feature in the calendar going forward.
Here are the Class 33-hauled service times for the mixed traction treat this weekend:
| Day | Date | Departing Minehead | Departing Bishops Lydeard |
| Friday | 17th October | 09:08 | 11:40 |
| Saturday | 18th October | 09:08 | 11:40 |
| Sunday | 19th October | 09:58 | 11:40 |
| 13:43 | 17:40 |
The DEPG loco shed and yard is NOT open to the public this weekend due to the need for our volunteers to make the most of the dry weather that is forecast for tomorrow. We do have ROD’s MODEL RAILWAY SALES stand based in the Classroom at Williton (just inside the depot gates) and the AUTOTRAILER 169 group will be using the space adjacent to the Classroom for a display of the fine woodworking skills that are needed to restore their GWR Autotrailer.
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| Rod’s Model Railway Sales stand is located in the DEPG Classroom, just inside the DEPG depot gates at Williton. | Autotrailer 169 is being restored by a dedicated group at Williton. Come into the DEPG yard on Saturday 18th to see a demonstration of some of the skills involved. |
Next week, the WSR is operating the RED timetable (3 trains each way per day) on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday with a mix of steam traction and diesel in the form of the Class 115 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) except for Wednesday 22nd which will be all-steam.
Keep an eye on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page in case the motive power allocations change (we will TRY and keep this page aligned with the latest information).
Click here to go to the WSR’s Timetable page then click on the day of interest then click VIEW TIMETABLE.
Sign up to our DIESELGEN bulletin service for advance notification of unplanned services.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2026 will be posted ASAP. Dates posted via previous roundups are subject to confirmation by the WSR (apologies for ‘jumping the gun’).
LOCO NEWS:
Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’– the weather forecast suggests that Saturday 18th will see the end of the dry weather for a while, so we will be continuing work on the bogies outdoors for as long as we can before moving to the backup tasks of cleaning and repainting the many parts that have already been removed from the bogies. The target this coming Saturday will be the removal of the secondary suspension springs from the ‘A’ bogie, which involves having to heat up the eight massive nuts that are used to keep the coil springs properly tensioned. The nuts have a 2 inch thread diameter (51 mm) and have been in the same position and exposed to the elements for 50 years, so they don’t want to come off. Previous experience with the ‘B’ bogie showed that a few minutes under the oxy-acetelene torch is the answer and the nuts will then be easy to remove.
The next step will be to move one of the bogies inside the loco shed so that the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) can take place using the Dye Penetrant Inspection process.
The primary suspension leaf springs are undergoing refurbishment at OWEN SPRINGS LTD. in Rotherham and will be on their way back to Williton during the next few weeks, which will then allow the reassembly work on the ‘B’ bogie to commence.
Class 09 D4107 (09019) – outstationed at Bishops Lydeard in support of WSR operations. This loco will move to Williton at the end of the operating season so that the bodywork repairs that were started last winter can be continued. Class 14 D9526 will be moving to Bishops Lydeard to cover for the ’09’.
Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco has now returned to Williton so that her planned maintenance work can be continued and she will be undergoing some remedial work on her leaking engine room roof while back at Williton.
Pictured while repositioning in the yard at Williton on Saturday 11th October 2025, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) will be at Williton for a while to undergo planned maintenance and have repairs made to a crack in the fibreglass section of her engine room roof. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is in use during the Autumn Steam Weekend event that takes place from Friday through Sunday 17-19th October 2025. Click this link for details.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – now back at Williton and undergoing planned maintenance and condition monitoring checks. The loco is stabled on number 1 road at Williton.
Also back at Williton for some ‘TLC’ during the closed season is Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017, pictured on Saturday 11th October 2025 on No. 1 road at Williton with Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) for company. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco will be in use on the GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY (GCR) on Saturday 22nd November, this being a charter that has been organised by DTG and DEPG member STEVE FULCHER. Here are the details, please contact Steve directly using the details below if you would like to ride on this special train. WELL DONE STEVE for arranging this, we hope that it is the first of many such charters !
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – work on the electrical system re-wire has resumed and plenty of progress has also been made on the rebuild of the Paxman ‘Ventura’ 6YJXL engine that last served in sister loco D9526. Work continues and we will have a new batch of photos shortly.
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is now indoors on No. 2 road at Williton and is undergoing an underframe cleanup and repaint. This loco will move to Bishops Lydeard in November to cover for Class 09 shunter D4107 (09019).
D9526 – the recently-acquired ‘cherry picker’ was standing in front of D9526 on No 2 road at Williton on Saturday 11th October 2025. Sister loco D9518 (NCB No 7) can just be seen on the right hand side, behind the red fork lift truck. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco continues to be in regular use on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and is a popular choice for the diesel-hauled services on that railway, subject to driver availability.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this little loco is stabled outdoors on Number 3 road at Williton and was put to work on Saturday 11th October 2025 to shunt the yard so that the locos were in the correct sequence for subsequent use.
Barclay 578 (ROF 1) was at work in the yard at Williton on Saturday 11th October 2025 and is pictured after positioning Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 at the far end of number 1 road. Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) was on number 2 road. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Barclay 578 (ROF 1) enjoyed her opportunity to be of use at Williton on Saturday 11th October 2025 and was pictured while returning to her stabling position via number 4 road. 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 !
NEW CLOTHING RANGE:
Our supplier encountered some production holdups last week so APOLOGIES again if your order has been delayed (please let us know if you are still waiting in case we have slipped up). Deliveries have now resumed and the backlog is being dealt with. Don’t let this stop you from placing your NEW order via our ONLINE STORE, just click this link to give it a go !
So far, we have launched the 50 YEARS of HYMEKS range and a configurable HYMEK and WESTERN range, and we now have the new design for the Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ featuring two locos side by side, one in green livery and the other in blue (both in blue is also an option).
New design for the DEPG Class 33 ‘Cromptons’. Click here to place your order !
We hope to have a new design for the Class 14 ‘Teddy Bears’ soon, probably becoming available in November. Here’s a review of what is on offer and available to order NOW via our website:
The range of colours has now been expanded and the range of sizes now includes LADIES SIZES. Please let us know via our CONTACT FORM if the colour and size combination that you want is not showing as an option online.
The new designs are available in the following garment types, some of which have not yet been added to our website, so again please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know what you want. Here are the prices:
| Garment type | Price |
| T shirt | £22 |
| Polo shirt | £25 |
| Sweatshirt | £35 |
| Hoodie | £37 |
| Fleece | £40 |
| Other ? Tell us what you want ! | Use our CONTACT FORM |
Although the prices of the new range are higher than before, the prices are competitive and are in line with the quality of the garments. These are really nice pieces of work and the ability to personalise your choice is another definite advantage.
We look forward to receiving your order, the profits from which will directly support the DEPG !
ON SHED – last week, we featured a photo by Andy Galpin showing Class 47 1677 ‘THOR’ (47091, 47647, 47846 then 57308 ‘TIN TIN’) at Crewe Works being prepared for a refresh to her ‘Full Yellow Ends’ even though her paintwork remained in a heavily faded condition. As the cab door was already yellow and was not being prepared for repainting, we wondered if the loco had received repairs to collision damage. Here’s the feedback we received from DEPG volunteer Viv Jones:
“Regarding the latest weekly roundup, you wondered if 1677 had collision damage. The answer would be NO, because I read a series of articles in Railway Magazine at the time the Virgin ’57s’ were being created and Brush insisted they all had no accident damage. Indeed, they rejected one ’47’ they found to have damage after they had stripped it, and had it substituted by a different undamaged ’47’.”
Many thanks to Viv for sharing this information us. The mystery remains unsolved, so here is the photo again:
Class 47 1677 ‘THOR’ (47091, 47647, 47846 and then 57308 ‘TIN TIN’) was pictured in Crewe Works on 23rd July 1972 while receiving a refresh to her ‘full yellow ends’ but curiously remaining in her faded two-tone green livery. Does anyone know why this piece of selective re-painting was carried out ? Photo by Andy Galpin © CC BY-NC 3.0
At the other end of the diesel traction scale, this week we have two photos from regular contributor Rob Crispin, this time featuring the Ruston & Horsnby locos that were built for the Permanent Way Depeartment of BR’s Western Region between 1953 and 1959. This small batch of five 0-6-0 locomotives were 165hp diesel-electric machines with electrical equipment by British Thompson-Houston and three of the five are still with us today. Rob provided the following information along with his photos :
“Having recently been to the Swindon and Cricklade Railway, I was reminded of a photo I took in the early 1980s. Taken in January, 1983, it shows 97650, still in BR Blue and still also displaying its PWM650 number on the cabside and at the cab end. Several of these five Ruston and Hornsby ‘Class 97s’ spent periods of time at Gloucester, as well as Radyr, Reading and, of course, Taunton. How many would have guessed when I took the photo back in 1983, I would be taking a passenger train from Swindon station (albeit Moulden Hill) hauled by one of its fellow former Gloucester-based brothers 42 years later! Equally amazingly, 60% of the class survive today, including 97650.
As well as displaying the extra small back windows unique to PWM650, the photo shows what looks like a Class 101 DMU on the left, Gloucester Royal Hospital on the far right, and below that a Reliant Robin, a Hillman Hunter estate and a Mark 1 Ford Capri.
For comparison, in the other photo, PWM651 heads an unlikely ensemble (in 1983 terms) in September 2025, as it passes through Hayes Knoll with carriages full of excited, seated passengers, and with Class 03, D2152 on the back.”
Ruston & Hornsby Class 97 0-6-0DE 97650 (PWM650) at Gloucester Depot on 29th January 1983. Photo by Rob Crispin © CC BY-NC 3.0
Ruston & Hornsby Class 97 0-6-0DE PWM651 (97651) at Hayes Knoll on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway in September 2025 with Class 03 D2152 (03152) at the rear. Photo by Rob Crispin © CC BY-NC 3.0
Many thanks to Rob for sharing his photos and his memories with us all !
Please continue to send in your photos of locos on shed, at the platform or in action, because we appreciate them all, any Class, any place, any time, the more varied, the better. Use our CONTACT FORM to get in touch. Thanks !
NEW BOOKS ON SALE – with apologies for the recent delays in shipping. Normal service will be resumed during the coming week.
The FIFTH volume of ‘THE BEATEN TRACK’ by ANDY CHARD continues to sell well, as does the excellent ‘The Railways of SOUTH WALES 1975-1995‘ trilogy by Michael Rhodes, the latest release being PART 3 which is in stock at Williton now.
We have run out of time to update this feature this week but the next roundup will include information about a new release that will be of interest to crews and followers of the Class 33 ‘Cromptons’. Watch this space !
There are many other new and pre-owned book titles on our online store – click here for details.
DEPG NEWS: the next meeting of the Board of Directors and Trustees will take place at Williton on Saturday 18th October 2025. Please use our CONTACT FORM if you are a DEPG member and have a question that you would like to put to the Board.
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 !