Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was pictured at Williton on Saturday 31st January 2026 while undergoing an engine test run to keep her in good working order in readiness for 28th March, when she will haul her first public service of 2026. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 is going to feature in a special program of running on the weekend of 28/29 March to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the re-opening of the Minehead branch. After closure of the branch by BR in January 1971, the first public services under the auspices of the WSR ran on Saturday 28th March 1976, initially from Minehead to Blue Anchor, then extending to Williton in the summer and then to Stogumber, finally reaching Bishops Lydeard in 1977.
BACKGROUND: After being acquired directly from BR by the DIESEL & ELECTRIC GROUP (D+EG) in May 1975, D7017 was moved to Taunton and was stabled there until the WSR was able to accept traffic. The move took place on 25th March 1976 when D7017 was hauled to Minehead by Bagnall 0-6-0ST 2996 ‘VICTOR’ along with ex-GWR 0-6-0PT 6412. Therefore, D7017 has been based on the WSR since the start and will proudly take part in the 50th anniversary celebrations !
Click here to go to wsr.org.uk to browse the photos from that first year.
Bagnall 0-6-0ST 2996 ‘VICTOR’ was pictured approaching Blue Anchor with 0-6-0PT 6412, ‘Hymek’ D7017, four Mark 1 coaches, two 2-car Class 103 Park Royal DMUs and an Auto Trailer, en route to Minehead to prepare for the re-opening of the line just a few days later. Pictured on 25th March 1976 by Steve Martin © CC BY-NC 4.0
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the re-opening, long-term WSR resident Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 will be in use on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th March 2026 and will be working alongside home fleet steam locos to both kick-off the 2026 season and to commemorate the hard work and dedication of all those who made the re-opening possible, 50 years ago. Click here or on the image below for more details of this anniversary weekend.
As covered in the roundup last week, five of our diesels celebrate their 65th anniversaries this year, so the WSR have arranged a DIESELS AT 65 event that will take place on the three days of the August Bank Holiday weekend, where an enhanced timetable will provide interesting haulage opportunities featuring Classes 09, 33 and 35. The details are being worked out now, but meanwhile, KEEP THIS DATE FREE in your diaries and make a plan to attend to enjoy a great weekend of 65-year-old ‘modern traction’ !
Here’s the Facebook posting that was published by the WSR earlier this week:
The DIESELS at 65 event adds to the KEY DATES FOR 2026, some of which covered in the graphic below. The WSR’s EVENTS and EXPERIENCES web page gives details on some of these events, and will be expanding soon to include the recently-announced events. Click here or on the graphic below to go to the WSR Calendar Page for details and dates.
SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL
The WSR have announced Class 37 37250 (D6950) as the first guest loco for their June event and this will definitely be a crowd-pleaser and will result in a very healthy attendance, perhaps even better than the very successful 2025 event. The ’37s’ are still active on the main line, covering the length and breadth of the UK on special workings of all kinds, making them favourites with the younger generation. The WSR will be announcing another guest loco next week and that will be another well-known type that will also bring in the visitors, so this is going to be another excellent event !
The DEPG depot at Williton will be open to the public and will be offering hot drinks and snacks from the ever-popular ‘Irie 7’ team, together with a seated viewing area, Rod’s model railway sales stand and the DEPG merchandise stand, plus cab visits to locos on shed including D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and depot tours. NOT TO BE MISSED !
Click here or on the image below to go to the WSR’s event page:
Our popular DIESEL RUNNING DATES page is in the process of being updated to cover the planned diesel-hauled services for 2026, but it will take a little longer to define the loco allocations. Meanwhile, the basic framework is there and the loco allocations will be added as soon as the information has been confirmed by the WSR. There is a lot of diesel running planned for the WSR this year. Click here or on the image below to take a look:
08401 (D3516) Dual Braking Conversion Project – UPDATE
Class 08 shunter 08401 (D3516) was pictured ‘on shed’ in 1988, probably at Immingham. This image has been kindly provided by Rail Image Collections. Photo by Paul Rothley © CC BY-NC 4.0
As covered in previous roundups, the DEPG have launched an appeal for donations toward the estimated £5,200 cost of converting recently-acquired Class 08 shunter 08401 (D3516) from air brake to dual brake by the restoration of the vacuum brake equipment that was originally fitted to the loco when built at Derby in 1958.
In addition to funds being raised via the popular fundraising site Gofundme, donations have also been received via our online store, via our membership app ‘Membermojo’ and directly into the DEPG bank account. The balances of these four fundraising channels have been totalled up and are as follows:
| Donations via | Donation amount | Gift Aid |
| Gofundme | £1,400 | £195 |
| DEPG online store | £230 | £58 |
| Membermojo | £250 | £62 |
| Direct to bank | £652 | £163 |
| TOTALS | £2,532 | £478 |
| COMBINED TOTAL |
£3,010 |
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Donations to the 08401 Dual Braking Conversion Project, as at 6th February 2026
THANK YOU VERY MUCH to all who have donated to this cause !
This is EXCELLENT NEWS for 08401 and will help us get the work done in the shortest possible time and help to get this loco into service on the WSR. This loco has never been used for passenger haulage, so 2026 could be a big year for 08401 !
As stated previously, we have a ‘mystery benefactor’ waiting in the wings with a pledge for match-funding that will double the value of all donations towards this cause. As a charity, the DEPG is also able to claim Gift Aid that will add another 25% to the value of donations, where the donor is a taxpayer and agrees to allow the DEPG to claim Gift Aid. It all adds up, so please help if you can and click here or on the image below or further below, thank you very much !
For those who prefer to donate directly, rather than via Gofundme, we have set up several donation ‘products’ on our online store. Click here or on the image below to go to the 08401 donations page:
If you prefer to use online banking, the DEPG bank details are as follows (note – please email contact@depg.org after making Gift Aid donations via online banking, so that we can properly identify your donations):
Sort Code: 09-01-54 Account Number: 79983488
Account name: THE DIESEL AND ELECTRIC PRESERVATION GROUP LIMITED
Click here to visit the 08401 (D3516) dual-braking project page
As the DEPG is a registered charity, any donations made to a defined cause are applied only to that cause, so your donation will make a difference to the project of your choice. Thank you very much !
LOCO NEWS:
Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’– more photos of more work on the ‘B’ bogie this week, but revealing more detail as we progress with the Non-Destructive Testing work. Some areas of the bogie frame have now been passed as OK to paint, the first step being to clean the area yet again to remove the residue of the penetrant and the developer !
The true value of the dye penetrant process came through last weekend when a small crack was detected in the region of the thrust plate. The presence of a large weld fillet over the top of the original weld fillet tells us that this crack had been detected in the past (in BR days) and the welding repair clearly did the job, because the crack is old and has not progressed. The thrust plates were fitted during the modification work that took place in the early 1960s and the crack is in line with the end of the thrust plate, therefore at a point where there is a significant change in stiffness. The additional welding was probably carried out during a subsequent bogie overhaul, therefore dating back to the mid 1970s at the very latest, and the weld remains intact.
We do not consider this crack to be significant, but we will be obtaining advice before passing that area as fit for painting. The detection work will continue this weekend – let’s hope that we don’t find anything else !
D1010 – Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) using the Dye Penetrant Inspection technique – the white powdery coating is sprayed over an area that has been treated with red penetrant ink. Any cracks or crevices hold the ink and then cause the developer to change from white to pink. All such areas need closer inspection or re-testing. The area marked up in red is worthy of detailed attention. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 31st January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0
D1010 – the bogie thrust plate is on the right. The area within the red outline shows evidence of a crack that originated from the point where there is a significant change in stiffness, or in other words, a stress raiser (indicated by the yellow arrow). Pictured at Williton on Saturday 31st January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0
D1010 – looking more closely, the heavier line of weld has been added on top and inboard of the original weld, possibly as remedial action due to cracks being found in bogies after many thousands of miles of hard work at high speeds. This area will be cleaned up and tested again before deciding how to proceed. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 31st January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0
D1010 – the team at work (L-R) – after having applied developer to the centre transom, Ian F was preparing a previously-tested area for painting while Thomas examined the welds around the spring apertures. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 31st January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0
D1010 – the satisfying signs of progress – the freshly painted areas have been tested and inspected closely, so they get a coat of primer and we move to the next section. There is still quite a lot of bogie frame to be tested, so we are going to be busy for a while. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 31st January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0
Class 08 08401 (D3516) – this loco is stabled in the South Yard at Williton and is available for use (in air brake mode) for any shunting duties that might be required. Meanwhile, design work is taking place to draw up the new pipework that needs to be installed around the existing pipework to reinstate the vacuum brake system.
08401 (D3516) – Gofundme appeal poster – by Linda Trott
Class 09 D4107 (09019) – this loco is getting priority attention so that she can be returned to duty at Bishops Lydeard in time for the start of the 2026 running season (late March). The cab floor needs some further work to replace the rotted plywood layer but the more invasive task of repairing the cab roof will need to wait until 08401 (D3516) is dual-braked and able to take over from the ’09’ so that this loco can then be taken out of service for a complete cab and roof overhaul. Meanwhile, Ian R and his team are working their way through the list of maintenance tasks and making good progress.
Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is outdoors on No 1 road and is next in line to enter the loco shed so that her leaking engine room roof can be removed and repaired. While in the shed, several other maintenance tasks will be carried out, including the removal and replacement of one of her two vacuum exhausters.
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is based at Bishops Lydeard where she will remain ‘on duty’ and available for use if required.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is stabled outdoors on number 1 road at Williton and is receiving some light maintenance and undergoing internal cleaning. The loco will undergo Ultrasonic Axle Testing at a date to be arranged, in preparation for some visits to ‘other railways’ (to be announced as soon as contracts have been finalised).
To keep her engine in good condition and allow her systems to be tested and exercised, the loco was pre-heated and started up by Neil last Saturday. The benefits of pre-heating were evident by the immediate start and the clean exhaust, an altogether much more civilised way of starting an engine !
D7017 – Neil emerged from the loco after completing the engine run and systems tests, and pronounced that all was well – which is good because this loco will be at work on the WSR in 7 weeks from now, for their 50th anniversary weekend. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 31st January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco is currently under cover at Swithland on the Great Central Railway and will remain there until called into action at the end of February. The GCR will be using the loco for some charter services and also for their SPRING WEEKEND (although this is not yet showing on the GCR website), in addition to their DIESEL GALA in April. Please do try and go along to one or more of these events to show your support for D7018 and help ensure that her visit is a big success !
Here are the running dates for D7018 on the GCR:
We have also just been made aware that dates have been announced for DRIVER EXPERIENCE opportunities on the GCR – click here or on the image below to go to the GCR website – be quick because these places won’t be available for long !
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the two teams (Saturday and Tuesday) are working in parallel to keep the progress on this loco marching forward. The photos below show the crankcase end housing being prepared for re-fitting, which should be taking place during the next week or two, once the seals and gaskets have been prepared. Hopefully we will have more photos in the next roundup.
D9518 – this large and substantial casting is used to close up the crankase at the output end of the engine and after fitment, is partly hidden by the flywheel that fits within the large circular recess. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 31st January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is currently based at Bishops Lydeard where she will remain until relieved by Class 09 shunter D4107 (09019).
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is based at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway but has been ‘stopped’ because of an issue with her ‘triple pump’ – which is an electrical machine that is a combined water pump, oil pump and fuel pump, all driven from one big DC electric motor. The spare has been taken from stock at Williton and sent to a specialist subcontractor for reconditioning before sending it to the NYMR for installation into 47077. This work is planned for completion by the end of February.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this little loco was moved from Number 4 road to Number 1 road at Williton last Saturday so that her batteries could be re-charged. However, after start-up, the loco refused to run smoothly and is thought to need some attention to her fuel filters. Attention will be given when the resources are available and the weather permits. Meanwhile, Class 08 shunter 08401 (D3516) is available for shunting duties.
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 Saturdays and Tuesdays 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:
Feeling the cold ? Go ahead and order a fleece jacket or sweatshirt via our ONLINE STORE, just click on this link or on the images below to give it a go !
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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, or both in blue. Please let us know if you would like to order a combination that is not obvious on our online store – we are adding more options on a weekly basis. We intend to offer a Class 14 design in the coming weeks.
The range of colours has 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 |
These garments 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 – this week, we head north and west to another stabling point, this time adjacent to the West Coast Main Line at Carlisle Station, where we find an almost brand-new Class 90 resplendent in her INTERCITY ‘Swallow’ livery. A fine livery indeed, and perhaps a lot better looking than the livery in which this loco runs these days (a photo of a sister loco is included for a comparison, courtesy of Freightliner Ltd).
Here’s the narrative that was provided by the photographer, ANDY GALPIN:
“I’ve just returned from a brief visit to Carlisle and one of the things I saw there was 90004, in its Freightliner Orange livery. This got me searching for a picture I took nearly 38 years ago (23rd April 1988), also at Carlisle, showing a virtually brand new 90004 in its Inter-City colours. I know which colours I prefer!”
Many thanks to Andy for sharing this image with us all.
Class 90 90004 makes a striking image in INTERCITY livery which includes a very subtle ‘Swallow’ motif adjacent to the cab door. This BREL-Crewe-built loco was just 19 days old (and still remarkably clean) when pictured at Carlisle Station on 23rd April 1988. Photo by Andy Galpin © CC BY-NC 4.0
And for comparison, the photo below shows the livery that is currently carried by 90004:
Class 90 90044 leads a sister loco on a lengthy ‘intermodal‘ train. Photo from the Freightliner website.
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
There have been TWO NEW RELEASES from Bernard Mills and Platform 5 in the last week or so, with Parts 2 and 3 of the ‘PADDINGTON TO PENZANCE during the Diesel Era‘ going on sale together – which is a little strange, but it is correct !
Both books are now in stock and shipments are going out from today onwards, so PLACE YOUR ORDERS via our online store NOW ! Click here or on the images below to go to the relevant pages on our online store. WELL DONE BERNARD, we look forward to reading and enjoying these two new books !
There are many other new and pre-owned book titles on our online store – click here for details.
DEPG NEWS: the latest edition of the DEPG Newsletter has now been printed and is being mailed and emailed to DEPG members this weekend (hard or soft copy depends on the preferences that you have set in your membership account). WELL DONE to editor Mark Bladwell for getting the Newsletter completed on time once again!
The DEPG newsletter is free for DEPG members – join us to get your copy, either by email or post, depending on your preference.
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 !