Continuing to make the news is our Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526, as she settles into her new surroundings while on hire to the KENT & EAST SUSSEX RAILWAY. The loco is going to be based at Rolvenden for the rest of this year, covering for sister loco D9504 while that loco undergoes a high-hour overhaul after giving many years of sterling service. We have learned that the side rods and brake gear of D9504 are undergoing repair at the moment.
D9526 was out and about on a test run on the K&ESR last Monday and a video clip was forwarded to our FaceBook account by the RAILWAY MAGAZINE, so thanks to the staff at the RM for bringing it to our attention. It can now be found on our Facebook account – but you don’t need to have an account or be a Facebook user to view it, you only need to click on the picture below to view our Facebook page, then scroll down to find this article and the video will play automatically:
We have also received an excellent photo of D9526 hauling some very old carriages during her test run on Monday of last week:
Class 14 D9526 completed a loaded test run on the K&ESR on Monday 5th July and performed faultlessly, as we knew she would. Photo by K&ESR Operations Manager Pete Salmon © CC BY-NC 3.0
After her exertion during the previous day, D9526 ended up tucked away safe and sound inside the carriage shed at Rolvenden, Kent, and this will be her home during her six-month stay when not working on the K&ESR. Not so bad, eh ?
Class 14 D9526 at rest inside the carriage shed at Rolvenden on the K&ESR on 6th July 2021. Photo by Simon Purvis © CC BY-NC 3.0
Meanwhile, our ‘celebrity’ Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ is still marooned at Bishops Lydeard because of delays in obtaining permission for her road haulage move from Bishops Lydeard to Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. This is very frustrating because the NYMR want to put the loco to work and the DEPG needs the income that will arise from it, but we are in the hands of Highways England and we all have to wait. We will send out a DIESELGEN bulletin as soon as we know the date, time and route for the move.
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ carries her ‘DEPG’ banner at Bishops Lydeard in preparation for road haulage to the NYMR. Photo dated 7th July 2021 by Chris Lawton © CC BY-NC 3.0
OTHER LOCO NEWS:
Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – we are pleased to announce that the appeal for funds to support the £100,000 restoration of D1010 has opened to a great start because of the funds already generated by sales of our D1010 booklet and by sales of books by Roger Geach and sales of pre-owned books. We also have multiple pledges of help from DEPG members that will amount to significant sums and quickly take us past the 10% mark.
Although we intend to raise £100,000 for the whole restoration project, we don’t expect to raise this in one year. In fact, we only need to raise the amount needed for a specific phase of work and we will be devising a graphical means of showing how the funds are being allocated and applied as the restoration proceeds, but we do need fundraising to run in advance of restoration work so that we take the right decisions and progress as quickly as we can. Our objectives are achievable with a little help from all ‘Western’ fans, wherever you are and whichever group you belong to. We are fully inclusive !
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 DH number 578 alongside Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ in the main shed at Williton on 10th July 2021. Gordon is removing the sandbox filler trims as a precursor to bodyside repairs on this loco. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
In addition to funds, we also need plenty of HANDS. If you love the ‘Westerns’ and you are not already a member of the DEPG, please consider joining so that you can become one of the team that is going to return D1010 to full operational condition.
Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco underwent an oil and oil filter change at Williton depot this weekend, due to ongoing concerns about the low viscosity of the oil. More details will be provided next week.
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is outstationed at Bishops Lydeard in support of WSR services, same as last week.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – no change this week.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – This loco emerged from the shed yesterday and was started up so that she could take some ‘exercise’ in the confines of our yard at Williton. All went well except for some problems with low battery voltage, probably caused by one or two failed cells in the 48-cell battery. This is being investigated and a temporary expedient will be to borrow some cells from another loco because D7018 is slated for front-line service starting next Saturday, 17th July 2021.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 is caught on camera while taking exercise in the South Yard at Williton on Saturday 10th July 2021. Photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – having completed the radiator fan guard and retaining rings (see picture below), the ‘Tuesday team’ turned their attention to the battery boxes, one of which was retrieved from storage on the ‘LOWMAC’ wagon and taken to the shed for metalwork repairs. The extent of the corrosion, caused not only by weather but also by careless battery acid spillage when in service, is self-evident.
D9518 radiator fan guard and retaining rings ready to into store after corrosion removal and repaint at WN on 6th July 2021. Photo by Terry Deacon. © CC BY-NC 3.0
One of D9518‘s heavily corroded battery boxes being moved to the shed by Nick and Chris at Williton on 6th July 2021. Photo by Terry Deacon. © CC BY-NC 3.0
D9518 battery box inverted, showing the extent of corrosion and the resulting wafer thin metal. Photo by Terry Deacon. © CC BY-NC 3.0
More excellent work by Colin F has allowed the air intake filter housing to be patched and the repaired component now awaits needle-gunning to remove the light corrosion in other areas before priming and painting. We can safely predict that Colin is not going to run short of work any time soon !
This loco is also the subject of an appeal that is shortly to be posted to our website along with restricted donation ‘products’ that will allow donors to select the precise value of their donations and be safe in the knowledge that their funds are only to be used for the specific purpose of restoring D9518. This online facility should be ready by next weekend.
If you love the ‘Teddy Bears’ and you are not already a member of the DEPG, please consider joining so that you can become one of the team that is going to return D9518 to operational condition – and see her haul passenger coaches for the first time in her life!
Andrew Barclay 578 (ROF 1) – this loco has now moved into the space in the loco shed that was vacated by D7018, so bodywork repairs can continue without exposing the loco to the glorious British summer weather. The next steps involve removing some of the worst-affected body panels so that they can be patched and repaired as necessary before priming and painting. The livery chosen for this loco will be the Government-standard (in 1972) deep bronze green that the loco carried during her days in service at the Royal Ordanace Factory (ROF) in Puriton, near Bridgwater, Somerset.
Many thanks to all of our volunteers who are hard at work cleaning, painting, maintaining, restoring, managing and fund raising for our fleet of heritage locomotives !