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Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was pictured in the bay platform at Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 16th March 2024 in the company of Class 09 Shunter D4107 (09 019). The locos were outdoors while repairs were being carried out on the roof of Westridge Shelter. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

The WSR is preparing for the re-start of public services on Saturday 23rd March with two steam locos in use on the BLUE timetable (4 services each way). In a change to the expected rostering, the 12:30 service from Bishops Lydeard on Sunday 24th will now be hauled by Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) standing in for a steam loco, and the diesel will remain on the diagram for the rest of the day, finishing at Minehead.

 

Class 09 shunter D4107 (09019) has encountered some trouble with a jammed or failed droplight window scissors mechanism that has allowed the window to fall and smash the toughened glass into thousands of pieces. The repair involves some disassembly and we will be able to do a more thorough job with the loco back at Williton, so Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 is going to stay at Bishops Lydeard a while longer than planned to cover for the ’09’ while repairs are being carried out. We hope to swap the locos back to their usual roles by mid-April.

Class 09 Shunter D4107 (09 019) and Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was pictured in the bay platform at Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 16th March 2024. The ’09’ has a broken window, cause by jamming or failure of the scissors mechanism that supports the ‘droplight’ glass – which dropped and destroyed itself. The loco will undergo repairs at Williton during the next few weeks. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES:

The first major event of the year will be the SPRING STEAM SPECTACULAR which will take place throughout the Bank Holiday weekend, 3rd through 6th May, during which our loco shed will be open to the public, with Rod’s Model Railway sales stand alongside our own DEPG sales stand. Click here or on the image below for more information via the WSR’s website.

 

WSR DIESEL GALA 2024 – Thursday 6th through Saturday 8th JUNE

The WSR’s Diesel Gala will take place from Thursday 6th through to Saturday 8th June with mixed traction running on Sunday 9th, hopefully with at least one of the visiting locomotives at work.

The first visiting locomotive to be announced was English Electric Class 50 50033 (D433) ‘Glorious’, no doubt to the delight of the many followers of the class, and the second visitor has now been announced as BR-Derby Class 46 ‘Peak’ D182 (46 045), courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Company and a fine example of another well-loved ‘Type 4’ class. A further announcement will be made as soon as arrangements have been finalised. PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF THESE DATES and do your best to attend. It is going to be a great event !

 

Our popular ‘DIESEL RUNNING DATES‘ page has been updated to cover the WSR public services that are planned for diesel haulage this year, so CLICK HERE or on the image below to visit the page and see the range of dates available. We will be providing the loco allocations soon and will keep this page up to date as we get clarification on the details.

 

 

AC RAILBUS W79978 UPDATE:

DEPG member Martin Rouse has provided an update on the restoration of his AC RAILBUS number W79978 at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway as he prepares the loco for its appearance at the special event being held at the S&CR over the weekend of 6th and 7th April. The photo below shows the new steel (painted in red primer) and the extent of the disassembly that had to be done to access the frames and perform the welding safely. Martin just has to get the windows in, the skin panels on and painted, the seats and interior panels refitted and the floor refitted, and then do all of the checks and inspections that are necessary to get clearance to run, so he is going to be very busy during the next few weeks. We wish him well and hope to hear that the Railbus is the star of the upcoming show.

AC Cars Ltd Railbus W79978 in the restoration shed at Hayes Knoll on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on Sunday 17th March 2024. Everything in red primer is new steel – what an excellent job ! Photo by Martin Rouse © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the planning work for the lifting of the loco is making very good progress and we are getting closer to being able to define the procedure. The next step will then be to perform a Risk Assessment then feed the results of that back into the procedure, making improvements on a step-by-step basis until we are satisfied that the risks have been identified and mitigated. This takes a little time, but the costs of hiring two 100-ton cranes are in the region of £10,000 so we have to be sure that we have everything prepared so that everything goes to plan. We also need to consider our 62-year-old loco and make sure that we do not do anything that could twist or distort the loco body and cause damage to pipework or wiring. There’s a lot to think about.

Meanwhile, we have plenty of work ahead of us on other aspects, in particular the bogies, and we will need MORE HANDS to help us get the work done. If you want to see this locomotive back on the rails soon, then PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ! There is a wide range of tasks that need to be done, so simply use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

D1010 – top marks to Viv for his efforts at removing the build-up of solidified brake dust on the bogie frames of of the loco, with access made possible by the absence of the transmission that usually occupies that space. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 16th March 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the overhaul of the ‘A’ transmission has now been completed and the huge assembly is now ready for painting before it goes into temporary storage. Pictured at Williton along with ‘transmission team’ member Geoff on Monday 11th March 2024 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the internal panels and doors all need to be cleaned up and repainted, so Gordon took advantage of a dry dry to take the task outdoors. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 16th March 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Sponsorships for patches on D1010 continue to come in, for which we are VERY grateful indeed. We have many more patches waiting for sponsors, so please support the CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER and click here or on the image further below to get your name engraved into the metal of the locomotive. We will be having another engraving session as soon as the weather allows.

The certificates are now being emailed to the sponsors and we have hundreds to be sent out, so we are very busy with this work. Here’s an example of what we are sending out:

Sponsorship includes a photograph and a certificate via email, but we can print the certificates on photo paper and mail them out upon request, in which case we will be asking for an additional £2.50 donation per certificate to cover photo paper, ink and postage (donate via our website or via Membermojo).

The drawings that have been developed in parallel will provide a formal record of the position of each sponsored patch and this will allow sponsors to look up the location of their patch when they visit the depot at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT – and your PATIENCE !

Click the image below to sponsor a patch:

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

 

Class 09 D4107 (09019) – this loco has suffered a broken droplight window on the driver’s side, as a result of a failure of the scissors mechanism that supports the window. The loco will be moved to Williton so that the work can be done, and we hope to provide photos of the internal ‘scissors’ mechanism in the next edition of roundup.

D4107 – the message applies to both the window and the loco because good visibility is essential for shunting operations. The repair will be carried out at Williton and is expected to take a few weekends. Pictured at Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 16th March 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D4107 – looking down into the recess where the window should be when in the lowered position, all we can see is the remnants of the shattered toughened glass. The cab heating radiator is on the left and the metal surface on the right is the cab side sheet, which carries the original green paint from when the loco was built, back in 1961. Pictured at Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 16th March 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco underwent an electrical equipment exam during the weekend, with Ian R and Tom servicing the control cubicle, the generators and the auxiliary machines (exhausters, compressor, blowers and pumps) as part of the planned maintenance regime that keeps the loco in good working order.  This loco is currently based at Bishops Lydeard and will next be in use on Sunday 24th March on the 1230 departure to Minehead and the subsequent 60-mile diagram.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – the need to attend to maintenance work on sister D6566 took resource away from this loco, but it still received attention from Ian F and Tony and will receive a lot more attention in the coming weekend as we work towards completion of the work and the return to traffic.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco also received planned maintenance attention last weekend, culminating in an engine run to make sure that all systems were functioning correctly. This loco is ready to return to service subject to some loaded test running that will be used to accumulate hours and ensure reliability. We are planning to run this loco for three consecutive days during April, hauling empty coaching stock across the length of the WSR to thoroughly exercise all of her systems and allow us to deal with any small issues arising from her lack of use.

D7017 – this loco received attention in the form of an inspection and engine run at Williton on Saturday 16th March 2024. Pictured in the South Yard with Barclay 578 (ROF 1) visible on the left, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) beyond and Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ in the foreground. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the transmission has now been removed from the loco and thorough cleaned externally in preparation for a move into our ‘clean work’ facility at Williton. The repair will be carried out by our ‘Transmission Team’ and will involve removal of the control blocks and the removal of the gear train so that the reverser clutch can be replaced. While out of the loco, the transmission control block will be examined and will be tested to ensure that all of the valves are fully functional.

D7018 – viewed from between the body and the bogies – with the transmission removed, the cardan shafts that drive the bogies need to be supported using wooden blocks to make sure that the universal joints are not being strained. The temporary wood packing will soon be replaced with a custom-made support so that the loco can be shunted in the yard. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 16th March 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Although we hope to be able to use spare parts that we have available, we will still need to replace seals, bearings, gaskets as necessary and we also need to drain the oil and have new oil available. All of these things cost money. PLEASE HELP by making a donation of £10 or by buying our 64-page A4 HYMEK D7018 BOOKLET (£10) which covers the history of this locomotive from build through to her return to service in 2019 following her major overhaul. THANK YOU VERY MUCH !

Click here or on the image above to order your copy of our ‘HYMEK D7018’ booklet, available for £10.

 

Click here or on the donation image above to go to the donations page on our website. If you feel able to donate more than £10, simply increase the quantity when on the donations page. Thank you in advance for your support !

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – further progress was made on the restoration of the many small parts that are needed for the cab assembly, which is a complex mixture of pipes, wires, switches and controls. The cab is being completely rewired and will be built up alongside the loco frames until such time as the cardan shafts are installed, after which the cab will be lifted up on to the loco frames so that the two can be joined together. Details of the work remaining to be done on this restoration project along with a status report of the funding have been included in the new issue of the DEPG Newsletter, which has now been distributed to DEPG members. A summary will be posted via roundup soon, but JOIN THE DEPG to get the information in more detail and more quickly.

This loco is the subject of a fundraising appeal so please follow this link to find out more. We need your help ! In addition to funds, we also need plenty of HANDS. If you love the ‘Teddy Bears’ and you are not already a member of the DEPG, please join us so that you can become one of the team that is going to return D9518 to fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is on standby at Bishops Lydeard. The loco has not been used for a while, so she will be checked over by Terry and Colin G and the engine run up on Saturday 23rd March to make sure that everything is functioning correctly. 

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco has now resumed duties on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and was pictured while hauling  Empty Coaching Stock, including an ELEVEN COACH rake that was reminiscent of the BR days when Type 4 locos regularly hauled ten or more coaches. We look forward to seeing her out and about on scheduled passenger services in the very near future.

47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was in use for Empty Coaching Stock moves on Wednesday 13th March 2024, and was pictured while hauling an ELEVEN COACH rake without even breaking a sweat. Photo by Richard Newman © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is stabled in the yard at Williton, ready for action and in between getting lavished with TLC by volunteer Jon Tooke. His latest improvements have been a new set of ‘Traffolyte’ style placards for the various switches and controls in the cab. Very smart indeed !

Barclay 578 (ROF 1)– this loco has just received new ‘Traffolyte’-style placards for its cab control and switches. The Battery Isolation Switch (BIS) displayed its new markings at Williton on Saturday 16th March 2024. 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 !

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – we are featuring a NEW BOOK by well-known railwayman, photographer and author BERNARD MILLS, his latest work being Part 1 of the journey from Waterloo to the Atlantic Coast in the era of the diesel. This 96-page A4 book was due to be released this week but is a little late coming off the printing press. We already have our stock on order and we are TAKING ORDERS at £19.95 per copy, and we will start mailing this book as soon as we receive it from the publishers, Platform 5. Well done Bernard !

 

We also recommend the NEW HARDBACK BOOK BY ROGER GEACH entitled ‘HYDRAULIC MEMORIES’ comprising a very well-selected set of colour images derived from the vast image repository at TRANSPORT TREASURY. We have received a BOOK REVIEW from regular contributor Neale Long and have posted it to our website; click on this link to find out what Neale thinks of this new book. Here’s an extract:

     “In his latest publication, well known railwayman, photographer and enthusiast, Roger Geach takes us on a virtual journey over the former Western Region from Paddington to Penzance with a few diversions, depicting the days when ‘Westerns’, ‘Warships’, ‘Hymeks’ and North British Class 22s ruled supreme in their relatively short heyday in the mid to late 1960s …” CLICK HERE to read further.

This book is a MUST HAVE and very good value at £17.50. In stock now and available from our online store by clicking HERE or by clicking on the image below. By agreement with Roger, all proceeds go to the D1010 Restoration Fund.

 

In the pre-owned category, we have posted several new titles and they are selling as fast as we are posting them, so PLEASE DONATE YOUR SURPLUS BOOKS so that we can replenish our stocks and keep the funds flowing in. Click HERE for our contact form.

All monies gathered from the sale of pre-owned books go directly to DEPG funds for the upkeep of our locomotive fleet, so we would like to say thank you very much to all who have donated and all who have purchased from our online store. Check our online store regularly and change the ‘default sorting’ to ‘sort by latest’ to keep an eye on new postings.

Book: Rail Centres – Reading Author : Laurence Waters	Book: Profile of the Deltics Author: J S Whiteley and G W Morrison
Price : £3.50 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store	Price : £5.00 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store

 

ON SHED – we previously shared a photo by ROB CRISPIN that was taken at Laira Depot open day in April 1982, and this week we can share two more photos from that same visit, showing the ALMOST complete dominance of diesel-electric traction, being five years after the demise of the ‘Westerns’. Why do we say ‘ALMOST’ ? Click here to reply using our CONTACT FORM or email contact@depg.org

An interesting point is that all of the machines in these photos still exist today !

Two products of the English Electric Company – sparkling clean Class 50 ‘Hoover’ 50021 ‘Rodney’ appears to be the focus of attention at Laira Depot open day on 25th April 1982, while an equally clean Class 37 ‘Growler’ 37142 stands alongside. Experimental Railbus RDB977020 is visible in the background on the left. Photo by Rob Crispin © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The HST was the result of a highly successful collaboration by BR, Brush and Paxman and went on to be welcomed and appreciated across almost all corners of the BR network. In this photo, a HST has been allocated to shuttle duties, ferrying visitors between Plymouth station and the depot for the open day. Pictured at Laira on 25th April 1982 by Rob Crispin © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – a Board Meeting took place on Saturday 9th March. A synopsis will be prepared and will be emailed ASAP to all DEPG members for whom we hold a valid email address.

More progress has been made on infrastructure work, including some excellent help from Matt B on the preparation and levelling of the ground to allow further container moves and the creation of a large-assembly storage area. A full-time member of the WSR Infrastructure team, Matt shares his volunteering time between the volunteer Infrastructure Team, the DEPG and the footplate, providing additional benefits to the WSR. Well done Matt !

Williton Infrastructure – One of the WSR’s Road-Rail Vehicles (RRVs) at work in Williton South Yard with DEPG member and volunteer Matt B at the controls, clearing the ground to allow the repositioning of our 20ft storage containers. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 16th March 2024 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please JOIN US and if you are already a member, please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you want to join or are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to open MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 has had her ‘Mekydro’ hydraulic transmission lifted out so that repairs can take place. Pictured with the mobile crane alongside at Williton on 8th March 2024 by Graham Perry © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D7018 – with her transmission in the air and ready to be lowered onto the purpose-built stand at Williton on 8th March 2024. Photo by Graham Perry © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

A major step forward in the plan to return Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 to service took place on Friday 8th March when the damaged Stone-Maybach ‘Mekydro’ hydraulic transmission was lifted out of the loco at Williton to allow repairs to take place. The lift was performed by contractors HEAVER BROTHERS and coincided with the delivery to Williton of two new 20 ft ISO containers, so that the cost of bringing the crane on site could be shared across multiple activities.

The 6-tonne transmission was lowered onto a purpose-made stand that will allow the transmission to be cleaned then safely moved into our ‘clean work’ area using the Fork Lift Truck. The stand had previously been occupied by a ‘spare’ but non-functional transmission that had to be lifted onto a temporary stand, which was made by Tony using our Maybach MD870 engine stand as a base. The hard work involved in disconnecting the transmission and preparing for the lift was shared between the ‘Transmission Team’ and the ‘Infrastructure Team’, involving eight volunteers in total and the work took place during the two weeks prior to the lift. Repairs are expected to take several months, but the loco should be back in service later this year.

D7018 – the Stone-Maybach ‘Mekydro’ K184U hydraulic transmission from D7018 has now been mounted in the purpose-built stand and is ready for external cleaning before being moved into the ‘clean work’ area for dismantling and repair. Pictured at Williton on 8th March 2024 by Graham Perry © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

Friday 8th March was a very busy day, with two new 20 ft containers arriving at the yard to replace two old and corroded examples that were leaking badly and putting our spare parts and special tools at risk. We now have four new (one trip) containers that were supplied and delivered by HEAVER BROTHERS and were supplied with power connections and LED lighting, and one included a side door that was cut out of the old container and welded into the new one, so that it would line up with the doorway from our loco shed. We have found an excellent supplier and we are very happy with their products and service. Thank you to everyone involved in the upgrading of our infrastructure !

The fourth of a batch of new (one trip) 20 ft containers was supplied and delivered to our yard at Williton on Friday 8th March 2024 by HEAVER BROTHERS of Broadclyst, near Exeter. The on-board crane will leave the new container on the left while it slews over to the right to pick up the old corroded container (out of picture) and place it on it’s flat bed, then will pick up the new container and slew over again before lowering it into the proper place. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

WSR NEWS:

The embankment repair work at TRIBBLE BRIDGE has been completed in good time for the re-opening date for the WSR (23rd March), with the addition of plenty of steel and concrete at the base of the embankment to provide strength, and the provision of drainage to prevent a repeat of the issue. To recap, the embankment collapsed back in December 2022 (see roundup dated 18-Dec-22) when rainwater running off fields on the higher ground to the northeast of the line resulted in too much pressure building up behind the wall. The photos below show the additional strength and quality of finish of the new wall:

 

	Photos taken from the WSR Facebook page, all attributable to the WSR’s Infrastructure Department.

An excellent job, completed on time and to a very high standard, so well done to all involved !

 

The WSR is scheduled to re-open on Saturday 23rd March and the first diesel-hauled service will run on Sunday 7th April. The first major event of the year will be the SPRING STEAM SPECTACULAR which will take place throughout the Bank Holiday weekend, 3rd through 6th May, during which our loco shed will be open to the public, with Rod’s Model Railway sales stand alongside our own DEPG sales stand. Click here or on the image below for more information via the WSR’s website.

 

WSR DIESEL GALA 2024 – Thursday 6th through Saturday 8th JUNE

The WSR’s Summer Diesel Festival will take place from Thursday 6th through to Saturday 8th June with mixed traction running on Sunday 9th, hopefully with at least one of the visiting locomotives at work.

The first visiting locomotive to be announced was English Electric Class 50 50033 (D433) ‘Glorious’, no doubt to the delight of the many followers of the class, and the second visitor has now been announced as BR-Derby Class 46 ‘Peak’ D182 (46 045), courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Company and a fine example of another well-loved ‘Type 4’ class. A further announcement will be made as soon as arrangements have been finalised. PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF THESE DATES and do your best to attend. It is going to be a great event !

 

Our popular ‘DIESEL RUNNING DATES‘ page has been updated to cover the WSR public services that are planned for diesel haulage this year, so CLICK HERE or on the image below to visit the page and see the range of dates available. We will be providing the loco allocations soon and will keep this page up to date as we get clarification on the details.

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – last week, we welcomed a team from the DIESEL TRACTION GROUP (DTG) to Williton to help us with our planning for the lifting of D1010 so that the bogies can be overhauled. Our loco has not been lifted since BR days and we need to be very well prepared before we book the cranes and organise the actual lifting, because it is a very expensive exercise and we don’t want to have to stop and do it all again another day because we missed a detail.

We are eager to get the work done but we want to prepare thoroughly, and these two requirements are at the opposite ends of the timescale. The way to pull them closer together is to engage with people who have done this kind of bogie work before, and that includes the DTG and the WESTERN LOCOMOTIVE ASSOCIATION (WLA), who have also kindly offered their help and expertise. The degree of co-operation between all of the owning groups is commendable, and is all aimed at keeping as many of these marvellous machines as possible fit for service for as long as possible.

Although not within the scope of this edition of Roundup, we bend the rules to include the news of the SUCCESSFUL MAINLINE TEST RUN carried out by the DTG’s D1015 ‘WESTERN CHAMPION’ on Tuesday 12th March 2024. The loco ran from Kidderminster to Oxford, to Didcot, to Cheltenham and back to Kidderminster at speed, and performed perfectly. As a result, the loco has been lined up for two mainline railtours and no doubt more will follow. CONGRATULATIONS to the team at the DTG who have put a huge amount of time and effort into reaching this stage of readiness. What a fantastic sight (and sound) !

The DTG’s D1015 ‘WESTERN CHAMPION’ was pictured passing Haresfield, Gloucestershire, at speed on Tuesday 12th March 2024, heading for home on the final leg of its round trip test run. Picture taken from a video by Graham Perry © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Back to D1010 and the lifting plan, our Stress Analysis Report is being finalised but the conclusion is that the ex-BR stands that we have at Williton are capable of supporting the loco body without any further alteration. they are also capable of handling a 100-mph side wind while still maintaining a high Factor of Safety. So, with that hurdle overcome, the work has now progressed to defining exactly how we intend to use the stands, where and when, and with what additional safety measures. It is a project within a project !

Meanwhile, the ‘Transmission Team’ have received the replacement oil pump shaft and have installed it into the ‘A’ transmission, which is now COMPLETE and ready for painting. We now have TWO overhauled transmissions ready and waiting, so WELL DONE TEAM !

 

We still have plenty of work ahead of us on other aspects, in particular the bogies, and we will need MORE HANDS to help us get the work done. If you want to see this locomotive back on the rails soon, then PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ! There is plenty to do, so simply use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

D1010 – pictured in the yard at Williton on 23rd December 2023 while being shunted outdoors for the winter. The move will be reversed in the near future and D1010 will go back inside the shed, to the relief of the volunteers! Photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Sponsorships for patches on D1010 continue to come in, for which we are VERY grateful indeed. We have many more patches waiting for sponsors, so please support the CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER and click here or on the image further below to get your name engraved into the metal of the locomotive. We will be having another engraving session as soon as the weather allows.

The certificates are now being emailed to the sponsors and we have hundreds to be sent out, so we are very busy with this work. Here’s an example of what we are sending out (we have changed the photo below compared to the last few weeks, just to show that we do actually have more than one sponsor!):

The marking process involves the use of an ink pen to allocate a patch number and define the patch boundaries, then the sponsor’s name or chosen message is written using the ink pen. The vibratory engraving tool is then used to trace the marking while making a deep impression into the steel of the patch. The patch is then painted over using multiple coats, but the engraving remains in the metal and will withstand many rubdowns and repaints, in fact it is very difficult to remove (which is how we learned to write the text using the ink pen first!). The engraving will last as long as the metal. Here’s a close-up:

Sponsorship includes a photograph and a certificate via email, but we can print the certificates on photo paper and mail them out upon request, in which case we will be asking for an additional £2.50 donation per certificate to cover photo paper, ink and postage (donate via our website or via Membermojo).

The drawings that have been developed in parallel will provide a formal record of the position of each sponsored patch and this will allow sponsors to look up the location of their patch when they visit the depot at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT – and your PATIENCE !

Click the image below to sponsor a patch:

Details of the work remaining to be done on this restoration project along with a status report of the funding have been included in the new issue of the DEPG Newsletter, which has now been distributed to DEPG members. A summary will be posted via roundup soon, but JOIN THE DEPG to get the information in more detail and more quickly.

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

Class 09 D4107 (09019) – this loco is outstationed at Bishops Lydeard and has suffered a broken droplight window on the driver’s side, as a result of a failure of the scissors mechanism that supports the window. A new window is on hand but the larger part of the task will be to remove and replace the scissors mechanism and clean out the broken glass fragments and other debris that will have accumulated over the years. More on this next week.

D4107 – this very useful engine was pictured at Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 10th June 2023 while positioning to work the shuttle service to and from Norton Fitzwarren, providing 6 miles of rare haulage per round trip at the WSR’s Diesel Gala. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is currently based at Williton and will next be in use on a ‘Tidy Train’ working to Norton Fitzwarren on Friday 22nd March.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – the fibreglass roof section has been lifted back onto the locomotive and is now ready to be secured in place. The completion of the exhaust system work has been delayed by the need to wait for a replacement expansion joint (bellows) to be delivered, (expected at the end of this month or early April) and then the work will be completed. The loco will be given a thorough cleanup and will then undergo inspection and testing before being returned to service.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – as reported last week, this loco is ready to return to service subject to some loaded test running that will be used to accumulate hours and ensure reliability. We are planning to run this loco for three consecutive days during April, hauling empty coaching stock across the length of the WSR to thoroughly exercise all of her systems and allow us to deal with any small issues arising from her lack of use.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the transmission has now been removed from the loco and will undergo repair in the hands of our ‘Transmission Team’. The work will involve removal of the command blocks and the removal of the gear train so that the reverser clutch can be replaced. While out of the loco, the transmission control block will be examined and will be tested to ensure that all of the valves are fully functional.

D7018 – Williton’s ‘Transmission Team’ leader Colin F was pictured while working inside the cooler group tunnel to remove some pipework to provide clearance so that the transmission could be lifted out of the loco later in the week. Pictured at Williton on Monday 4th March 2024 by Geoff Miles © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D7018 – A rare sighting – ‘Transmission Team’ leader Colin F was captured at Williton on Friday 8th March 2024. Photo by Graham Perry © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Although we hope to be able to use spare parts that we have available, we will still need to replace seals, bearings, gaskets as necessary and we also need to drain the oil and have new oil available. All of these things cost money. PLEASE HELP by making a donation of £10 or by buying our 64-page A4 HYMEK D7018 BOOKLET (£10) which covers the history of this locomotive from build through to her return to service in 2019 following her major overhaul. THANK YOU VERY MUCH !

Click here or on the image above to order your copy of our ‘HYMEK D7018’ booklet, available for £10.

 

Click here or on the donation image above to go to the donations page on our website. If you feel able to donate more than £10, simply increase the quantity when on the donations page. Thank you in advance for your support !

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – with so much activity going on around the yard, it was inevitable that some resources would be drawn away from the major projects but visible progress was made, especially in relation to the new pipework and the re-fitting of the sanding valves (these were missing from the loco when it was acquired by the DEPG). The new valves are standard parts but the pipework and bracketry all had to be made specially to fit the loco. Meanwhile, Colin G continued his work on the components for the cab assembly and master electrician John C progressed with the wiring of the driver’s desk. Well done all !

D9518 – the new pipework for the sanding valve is clearly visible in this view, pictured at Williton on Tuesday 5th March 2024 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the sanding valve pipework was treated to a coat of paint by team member Andy P at Williton on Saturday 9th March 2024. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the first signs of wiring returning to the driver’s desk were visible at Williton on Saturday 9th March 2024. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Details of the work remaining to be done on this restoration project along with a status report of the funding have been included in the new issue of the DEPG Newsletter, which has now been distributed to DEPG members. A summary will be posted via roundup soon, but JOIN THE DEPG to get the information in more detail and more quickly.

This loco is the subject of a fundraising appeal so please follow this link to find out more. We need your help ! In addition to funds, we also need plenty of HANDS. If you love the ‘Teddy Bears’ and you are not already a member of the DEPG, please join us so that you can become one of the team that is going to return D9518 to fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is on standby at Bishops Lydeard for use on engineering trains. The loco has not been used for a while, so she will be checked over and the engine run up on Tuesday 19th March to make sure that everything is functioning correctly. 

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco has now resumed duties on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and was pictured while hauling  Empty Coaching Stock, both last week and this week. We look forward to seeing her out and about on scheduled passenger services in the very near future.

47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was in use for Empty Coaching Stock moves on Tuesday 5th March 2024, pictured alongside the new carriage shed at Trout Farm, just outside Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Photo by Antony Kornas © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is stabled in the yard at Williton, sporting her cabside lettering and looking the part with a gleaming cab, in readiness for the busy year ahead.

 

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 week, we feature a NEW BOOK by well-known railwayman, photographer and author BERNARD MILLS, his latest work being Part 1 of the journey from Waterloo to the Atlantic Coast in the era of the diesel. This 96-page A4 book is due to be released next week but we already have our stock on order and we are TAKING ORDERS at £19.95 per copy. We will start mailing this book as soon as we receive it from the publishers, Platform 5. Well done Bernard !

 

 

We also recommend the NEW HARDBACK BOOK BY ROGER GEACH entitled ‘HYDRAULIC MEMORIES’ comprising a well-selected set of colour images derived from the vast image repository at TRANSPORT TREASURY. We have received a BOOK REVIEW from regular contributor Neale Long and have posted it to our website; click on this link to find out what Neale thinks of this new book. Here’s an extract:

     “In his latest publication, well known railwayman, photographer and enthusiast, Roger Geach takes us on a virtual journey over the former Western Region from Paddington to Penzance with a few diversions, depicting the days when ‘Westerns’, ‘Warships’, ‘Hymeks’ and North British Class 22s ruled supreme in their relatively short heyday in the mid to late 1960s …” CLICK HERE to read further.

 

This book is a MUST HAVE and very good value at £17.50. In stock now and available from our online store by clicking HERE or by clicking on the image below. By agreement with Roger, all proceeds go to the D1010 Restoration Fund.

 

In the pre-owned category, we have posted several new titles and they are selling as fast as we are posting them, so PLEASE SEND US YOUR SURPLUS BOOKS so that we can replenish our stocks and keep the funds flowing in. Click HERE for our contact form.

All monies gathered from the sale of pre-owned books go directly to DEPG funds for the upkeep of our locomotive fleet, so we would like to say thank you very much to all who have donated and all who have purchased from our online store. Check our online store regularly and change the ‘default sorting’ to ‘sort by latest’ to keep an eye on new postings.

Book: Diesels on the Regions – WR Author : Brian Morrison	Book: North-West Rails in Colour Author: Kevin Derrick
Price : £7.50 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store	Price : £5.00 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store

 

 

ON SHED – we will need to skip this feature this week, due to lack of space, but we will be back with more unpublished photos next week.

 

DEPG NEWS – a Board Meeting took place on Saturday 9th March and was a long and arduous session that covered an unusually long list of subjects. A synopsis will be prepared and will be emailed ASAP to all DEPG members for whom we hold a valid email address.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by responding to this email or by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please JOIN US and if you are already a member, please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you want to join or are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to open MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

 

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) took up her position at the head of the WSR Infrastructure ‘Tidy Train’ working before departing Williton on Sunday morning, 3rd March 2024. Photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

As we get closer to the re-opening date for the WSR (23rd March), the Infrastructure teams have been busy in multiple locations along the line, replacing life-expired sleepers and cutting back overgrown areas to ensure adequate visibility for crossings, and reducing the risk of obstructions from fallen trees or broken branches. This work results in redundant material and debris accumulating along the trackside, so the ‘Tidy Train’ operates periodically, moving along the line slowly and stopping frequently for the volunteers to gather such items and load them onto the flat wagons for recycling and disposal.

 

The ‘Tidy Train’ operated again last Sunday, starting from Williton and running towards Dunster with Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) leading, then ran in the other direction with the ’33’ propelling. The lineside is looking a lot better as the result of the hard work by all of these teams over the winter, so WELL DONE ALL INVOLVED !

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) led the WSR Infrastructure ‘Tidy Train’ working out of Williton on Sunday morning, 3rd March 2024. The brake van was well stocked with volunteers who would no doubt be getting a thorough workout as the day progresses. Webcam image by Railcam UK and the WSR © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) was positioned at the rear of the ‘Tidy Train’ when pictured alongside Castle Hill on the afternoon of Sunday 3rd March 2024. The wagons were well loaded with old sleepers and other debris, all of which had been gathered from the lineside. Photo by Malcolm Anderson © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES:

The WSR is scheduled to re-open on Saturday 23rd March and the first diesel-hauled service will run on Sunday 7th April. The first major event of the year will be the SPRING STEAM SPECTACULAR which will take place throughout the Bank Holiday weekend, 3rd through 6th May, during which our loco shed will be open to the public, with Rod’s Model Railway sales stand alongside our own DEPG sales stand. Click here or on the image below for more information via the WSR’s website.

 

WSR DIESEL GALA 2024 – Thursday 6th through Saturday 8th JUNE

The WSR’s Summer Diesel Festival will take place from Thursday 6th through to Saturday 8th June with mixed traction running on Sunday 9th, hopefully with at least one of the visiting locomotives at work.

The first visiting locomotive to be announced was English Electric Class 50 50033 (D433) ‘Glorious’, no doubt to the delight of the many followers of the class, and the second visitor has now been announced as BR-Derby Class 46 ‘Peak’ D182 (46 045), courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Company and a fine example of another well-loved ‘Type 4’ class. A further announcement will be made as soon as arrangements have been finalised. PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF THESE DATES and do your best to attend. It is going to be a great event !

 

Our popular ‘DIESEL RUNNING DATES‘ page has been updated to cover the WSR public services that are planned for diesel haulage this year, so CLICK HERE or on the image below to visit the page and see the range of dates available. We will be providing the loco allocations soon and will keep this page up to date as we get clarification on the details.

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the focus last week was preparing the loco for lifting so that the bogies can be released for overhaul. This is a project in itself and involves a lot of detailed planning, with Risk Assessments having to be prepared for each aspect of the lifting operation. Our knowledge is expanding with every week that passes, so our lift plan is being refined and developed accordingly.

The ex-BR Class 52 loco body stands that were acquired by the DEPG many years ago have recently undergone a clean-up and re-paint in the hands of Gordon and Ian F, and detailed measurements were taken by Paul C and Barry for the purposes of creating a solid model for stress analysis. The solid model comprises three sections – the original stands as built for the construction and maintenance of the ‘Westerns’, and the small modification made in the late 1960s when the locos were having dual brakes (vacuum and air) installed to make them compatible with the newer freight and passenger vehicles. The need to install an additional compressor underneath the loco resulted in the need to raise the height of the stands to provide the necessary clearance.

Then, in the late 1970s when the stands were made redundant by the withdrawal of the ‘Westerns’ from service, the stands were again modified to increase their height, but also their width, to make them compatible with Mark 1 coach frames, as needed for the Kent Coast Electrification Scheme work that was underway at Swindon Works. This second modification needed to be evaluated mathematically to ensure that a sufficiently high Factor of Safety was achievable, both for indoor use as designed and also for outdoor use, where side winds of up to 100 mph would need to be taken into account.

The Finite Element Analysis has now been completed and the results are being reviewed (but appear to be favourable). More news on this will be shared next week.

Above – solid model of Class 52 loco body stand, as modified by BR at Swindon Works for the Kent Coast Electrification Scheme.

Below – with the two modifications and their heights identified.

 

Meanwhile, with the transmission team temporarily diverted onto ‘Hymek’ D7018 and Tony temporarily diverted onto the bodyside repair on ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33057), the resources on D1010 were limited and the progress was confined to the bogies and the planning, but this is set to change with a more diverse effort this coming weekend.

We still have plenty of work ahead of us on other aspects, in particular the bogies, and we will need MORE HANDS to help us get the work done. If you want to see this locomotive back on the rails soon, then PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ! There is plenty to do, so simply reply to this email or use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

D1010 – two of the service doors from the bottom of the cooler group. When installed inside the cooler group in the loco, these doors can be opened to reveal the transmission below. The cooler group frame lies on its side in the background.  Pictured at Williton on 24th February 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Sponsorships for patches on D1010 continue to come in, for which we are VERY grateful indeed. We have many more patches waiting for sponsors, so please support the CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER and click here or on the image further below to get your name engraved into the metal of the locomotive. We will be having another engraving session as soon as the weather allows.

The certificates are now being emailed to the sponsors and we have hundreds to be sent out, so we are very busy with this work. Here’s an example of what we are sending out (we have changed the photo below compared to the last few weeks, just to show that we do actually have more than one sponsor!):

The marking process involves the use of an ink pen to allocate a patch number and define the patch boundaries, then the sponsor’s name or chosen message is written using the ink pen. The vibratory engraving tool is then used to trace the marking while making a deep impression into the steel of the patch. The patch is then painted over using multiple coats, but the engraving remains in the metal and will withstand many rubdowns and repaints, in fact it is very difficult to remove (which is how we learned to write the text using the ink pen first!). The engraving will last as long as the metal. Here’s a close-up:

Sponsorship includes a photograph and a certificate via email, but we can print the certificates on photo paper and mail them out upon request, in which case we will be asking for an additional £2.50 donation per certificate to cover photo paper, ink and postage (donate via our website or via Membermojo).

The drawings that have been developed in parallel will provide a formal record of the position of each sponsored patch and this will allow sponsors to look up the location of their patch when they visit the depot at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT – and your PATIENCE !

Click the image below to sponsor a patch:

Details of the work remaining to be done on this restoration project along with a status report of the funding have been included in the new issue of the DEPG Newsletter, which has now been distributed to DEPG members. A summary will be posted via roundup soon, but JOIN THE DEPG to get the information in more detail and more quickly.

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is currently based at Williton and was in use on Sunday 3rd March on an engineering train (as reported above).

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – the corrosion damage to the bodyside was swiftly dealt with by Tony, who cut out the corroded metal and welded-in the patches of new sheet steel. The first layer of filler has already been applied and the job will be completed within the next week or two after the application of several coats of paint.

The fibreglass roof section that fits above the engine had previously been pressure washed by Ian R and the team and looks much cleaner, but it needed re-sealing using a two-part protective coating of the type that is commonly used on boats. The coating task didn’t take very long, but the chemical odour hung around for quite some time!

We are waiting for a replacement exhaust bellows to be delivered before we can close up the engine work, but this is expected to arrive in time to allow the loco to return to service later this month.

D6575 (33 057) – Tony has completed the welding work and has moved on to the filling and sanding stage. Another week or two and these tasks will be completed. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 2nd March 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 (33 057) – the fibreglass roof section that covers the engine room has been pressure washed and needed re-sealing using a clear two-part coating. Ashley got the task of coating the edges with what was left of the first batch while Tom and Ian R (in the background) mixed another batch of coating material. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 2nd March 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 (33 057) – Ian R was pictured at work with the roller on the roof section of the loco at Williton on Saturday 2nd March 2024. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – as reported last week, this loco is ready to return to service subject to some test runs that will be used to accumulate hours and ensure reliability. This loco will undergo an oil change when warmer weather returns and will be ready for test running as soon as the WSR re-opens.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – work has progressed well with the preparations for the removal of the transmission, which was due to be lifted out of the locomotive on Friday 8th March using a hired-in crane. The transmission will then be cleaned externally before moving to our transmission overhaul area where disassembly will commence.

D7018 – this loco is being prepared for transmission removal and was pictured on No. 3 road at Williton on 1st March 2024 alongside one of the two loco body stands that will be used under D1010. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Although we hope to be able to use spare parts that we have available, we will still need to replace seals, bearings, gaskets as necessary and we also need to drain the oil and have new oil available. All of these things cost money. PLEASE HELP by making a donation of £10 or by buying our 64-page A4 HYMEK D7018 BOOKLET (£10) which covers the history of this locomotive from build through to her return to service in 2019 following her major overhaul. THANK YOU VERY MUCH !

Click here or on the image above to order your copy of our ‘HYMEK D7018’ booklet, available for £10.

 

Click here or on the donation image above to go to the donations page on our website. If you feel able to donate more than £10, simply increase the quantity when on the donations page. Thank you in advance for your support !

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – work continued on the many small parts that each need to be cleaned, inspected and renovated before joining the queue for re-fitting to the loco. The standard of the work is excellent as usual, and will show through when the loco is completed and returned to service.

D9518 – a selection of parts in various colours, the gloss red and dull red undercoated parts being for the fire suppression system. Pictured at Williton on Friday 1st March 2024 by Colin Girle © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – this unusually-shaped container will be mounted on the cab wall and is for the emergency flags and detonators. Pictured at Williton on Friday 1st March 2024 by Colin Girle © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the handbrake wheel has now been re-assembled and painted and is ready to be re-installed at the appropriate point in the re-assembly sequence. Pictured at Williton on Friday 1st March 2024 by Colin Girle © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Details of the work remaining to be done on this restoration project along with a status report of the funding have been included in the new issue of the DEPG Newsletter, which has now been distributed to DEPG members. A summary will be posted via roundup soon, but JOIN THE DEPG to get the information in more detail and more quickly.

This loco is the subject of a fundraising appeal so please follow this link to find out more. We need your help ! In addition to funds, we also need plenty of HANDS. If you love the ‘Teddy Bears’ and you are not already a member of the DEPG, please join us so that you can become one of the team that is going to return D9518 to fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is on standby at Bishops Lydeard for use on engineering trains.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – after receiving a top-end overhaul at Grosmont Works, this loco has now resumed duties on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. We look forward to seeing her out and about on passenger services in the very near future.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is stabled in the yard at Williton, sporting her cabside lettering and looking the part with a gleaming cab, in readiness for the busy year ahead.

 

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 week, we feature one NEW book and two more pre-owned books from a collection that has been very kindly donated to the DEPG. First the NEW HARDBACK BOOK BY ROGER GEACH entitled ‘HYDRAULIC MEMORIES’ and covering that rich period during the history of BR’s Western Region where seven classes of diesel-hydraulic mainline locomotives could be seen at work, covering all four power type classifications. By careful use of the image repository at TRANSPORT TREASURY, Roger has complied this book such as to create a virtual journey from Paddington to Penzance, a journey where many of the hydraulic classes could be seen at work in the wonderful backdrop of the West of England countryside. DEFINITELY A MUST HAVE and very good value at £17.50. In stock now and available from our online store by clicking HERE or by clicking on the image below. By agreement with Roger, all proceeds go to the D1010 Restoration Fund.

We will be posting a BOOK REVIEW from regular contributor Neale Long on our website in the coming days, so check this link in a few days to find out what Neale thinks of this new book.

 

In the pre-owned category, we have posted several new titles and they are selling as fast as we are posting them, so PLEASE SEND US YOUR SURPLUS BOOKS so that we can replenish our stocks and keep the funds flowing in. Click HERE for our contact form.

All monies gathered from the sale of pre-owned books go directly to DEPG funds for the upkeep of our locomotive fleet, so we would like to say thank you very much to all who have donated and all who have purchased from our online store. Check our online store regularly and change the ‘default sorting’ to ‘sort by latest’ to keep an eye on new postings.

Book: Westerns, Warships and Hymeks at Work Author : Geoff Endacott	Book: Western Wonders Author: Kevin Derrick
Price : £12.50 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store	Price : £12.50 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store

 

 

ON SHED – this week, we share another image from Rob Crispin’s archive, this time from 1982 and featuring LAIRA DEPOT in Plymouth, and some of the Class 50s that were based there. Here’s the narrative that Rob has provided:

     “I was fortunate to have grandparents living in Plymouth. My growing interest in trains, and their location so close to Laira, opened up new opportunities! Laira was my first Open Day. British Rail provided an ‘HST shuttle’ to the halt at the depot. Unfortunately, my new ‘Olympus Trip’ hadn’t been used indoors before and I was only just turned 13!

     I don’t know the background to it, but 50023 Howe, faltered late on and didn’t quite make it into preservation like some of the others, lasting until 2004 I believe.”

Many thanks to Rob for sharing his photos and his memories with us all. 

English Electric Class 50s at Laira Open Day on 25th April 1982. Nearest the camera is 50023 ‘Howe’ featuring in a re-railing demonstration, with 50019 ‘Ramilies’ behind. Photo by Rob Crispin © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – the next Board Meeting will take place on Saturday 9th March, so please let us know if you have a question that you would like to place before the Board.

The yard at Williton is dominated by infrastructure projects at the moment, with advantage being taken while the engineers hold possession of the line. Visitors to Williton last week were the two Road-Rail Vehicles, the ‘RRVs’, the versatile workhorses that can go anywhere and be put to use either on or around the railway. MANY THANKS to all involved in making the WSR an even better place to visit and work at.

WSR Infrastructure asset – one of the RRVs is in the south yard at Williton to help clear a space for another storage container. Pictured at Williton on Friday 1st March 2024 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

WSR Infrastructure asset – another of the RRVs was stabled on the down line complete with two detachable trolleys, showing the versatility of these machines. Pictured at Williton on Friday 1st March 2024 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

WSR Infrastructure asset – one of the ‘Turbot’ tipper wagons is stabled in the south yard at Williton to take the spoil from the excavation site that is visible on the right of the picture. Photo dated Friday 1st March 2024 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by responding to this email or by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please JOIN US and if you are already a member, please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you want to join or are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to open MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post