DIESELGEN

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 stands at Williton Station on Friday 10th June 2022 alongside sister D7017 who is now on the wrong side of the fence, having failed with a leaking Number 1 cylinder head joint when working the last service of the previous day. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The second day of the gala went well with all services operating, albeit with different traction on the diagrams that were affected by the failure of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 on the previous day.

The 87-litre V16 engine in the errant ‘Hymek’ was test run by Maybach specialist Bob Clegg on Friday 10th June and Bob’s verdict was that the number 1 cylinder had developed a cylinder head joint ring leak that had compromised an adjacent transition rubber that carried the oil supply to the cylinder head. This explains both the abnormal noise and the oil that was seen to be leaking from around the cylinder head area.

Although this is not a major failure, the engine needs a partial strip down to access the cylinder head and this will take several weeks, so the loco is going to be out of action for a while until the work is completed.

 

To ensure the integrity of the timetable for Saturday 11th June, BR(W) 4-6-0 steam locomotive 7828 ‘ODNEY MANOR’ will take over the morning services that would have been worked by D7017. This move allows all services to run as scheduled (NOTE – the 1815 BL-MD and 2200 MD-BL services were removed from the timetable earlier in the week. The 1710 BL departure will run through to MD).

 

The revised running for SATURDAY 11th June 2022 is covered in the table below:

Loco Type	Loco No.	First service	No. of return trips	Mileage
Class 25 ‘Rat’	D7612	08:00 BL-MD	2 + 1 x NF*	86 miles
Class 33 ‘Crompton’	D6575	08:45 BL-MD	2 + 1 x NF*	86 miles
Class 33 ‘Crompton’	D6566	09:00 BL-MD	2 + 1 x NF*	86 miles
Class 17 ‘Clayton’	D8568	09:35 MD-BL	2 + 2 x NF*	92 miles
BR(W) 4-6-0 ‘Manor’	7828	09:42 BL-MD	1	40 miles
Class 35 ‘Hymek’	D7018	12:45 BL-MD	2	80 miles

*NF = Norton Fitwarren extension (BL-NF-BL)

Date	Timetable	Locos rostered
Thursday 9th June	TT for 09JUN22	D6575, D7017, D7018, D7612, D8568
Friday 10th June	TT for 10JUN22	D6566, D6575, D7018, D7612, D8568
Saturday 11th June	TT for 11JUN22	D6566, D6575, D7018, D7612, D8568, 7828 (steam)
Sunday 12th June	BLUE timetable	D8568

NOTE – although Sunday is not a Diesel Gala day, the 1000 MD diagram in the BLUE timetable on Sunday 12th June is rostered for the visiting Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568.

 

We have just introduced a new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and we will be maintaining this in parallel to DIESELGEN bulletins. This new page is a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to diesel running on the WSR.

 

The DTG’s Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 heads a pre-gala lineup comprising Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and Class 25 D7612 and Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 alongside sister D7017 at Westridge, Bishops Lydeard in the evening of Wednesday 8th June 2022. Photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Towards the end of the first highly enjoyable day of diesel running, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 developed an oil leak that indicated a possible cylinder head joint failure on one cylinder of her Bristol Siddeley Maybach MD870 engine and was shut down at the platform at Blue Anchor while working the last ‘up’ service of the day, from Minehead in the direction of Bishops Lydeard.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 was dispatched from Minehead to assist and hauled the train to Williton where the errant ‘Hymek’ was detached, the train continuing to Bishops Lydeard behind the ‘Crompton’.

The precise details of the failure are not yet known, but it will not be possible to return the loco to service during the remaining gala days so the timetable has been altered to take account of one loco being unavailable and one loco being wrongly positioned.

The revised running for FRIDAY 10th June 2022 is covered in the table below:

Loco Type	Loco No.	First service	No. of return trips	Mileage
Class 33 ‘Crompton’	D6575	09:00 BL-MD	2 + 1 x NF*	86 miles
Class 17 ‘Clayton’	D8568	09:42 MD-BL	2 + 1 x NF*	86 miles
Class 25 ‘Rat’	D7612	09:45 BL-MD	2	80 miles
Class 33 ‘Crompton’	D6566	10:38 MD-BL	2	80 miles
Class 35 ‘Hymek’	D7018	10:25 BL-MD	2	80 miles

*NF = Norton Fitwarren extension (BL-NF-BL)

 

Date	Timetable	Locos rostered
Thursday 9th June	TT for 09JUN22	D6575, D7017, D7018, D7612, D8568
Friday 10th June	TT for 10JUN22	D6566, D6575, D7018, D7612, D8568
Saturday 11th June	TT for 11JUN22	D6566, D6575, D7018, D7612, D8568
Sunday 12th June	BLUE timetable	D8568

NOTE – although Sunday is not a Diesel Gala day, the 1000 MD diagram in the BLUE timetable on Sunday 12th June is rostered for the visiting Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568.

 

We have just introduced a new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and we will be maintaining this in parallel to DIESELGEN bulletins. This new page is a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to diesel running on the WSR.

 

The DTG’s Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 arrived at Bishops Lydeard on Wednesday 8th June 2022 and is expected to enter service on the 10:38 service from Minehead on Thursday 9th June 2022 as planned. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

South Devon Diesel Traction’s Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) arrived at Bishops Lydeard on Tuesday 7th June 2022 and is expected to enter service on the 09:45 service from Bishops Lydeard on Thursday 9th June 2022 as planned. Photo by Ian Camp © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The two visiting locos have arrived at Bishops Lydeard and are being prepared so that they will be ready to enter service tomorrow as planned. The owning groups will be working into the evening with DEPG and WSR staff to get the locos unloaded, inspected and fuelled prior to them being accepted as ready to enter service on the WSR.

As the Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8658 starts its diagram from the Minehead (MD) end, it will reposition tomorrow morning, either as a ‘light engine’ move or attached to the first service out of Bishops Lydeard (BL).

For the first day of the WSR’s SIXTIES DIESEL GALA, Thursday 9th June 2022, the following locos will be in action:

Loco Type	Loco No.	First service	No. of return trips	Mileage
Class 35 ‘Hymek’	D7018	09:00 BL-MD	2	80 miles
Class 33 ‘Crompton’	D6575	09:42 MD-BL	2 + 1 x NF*	86 miles
Class 25 ‘Rat’	D7612	09:45 BL-MD	2	80 miles
Class 17 ‘Clayton’	D8568	10:38 MD-BL	2 + 1 x NF*	86 miles
Class 35 ‘Hymek’	D7017	10:25 BL-MD	2	80 miles
Class 33 ‘Crompton’	D6566	Standby Loco	–	–

*NF = Norton Fitwarren extension (BL-NF-BL)

Date	Timetable	Locos rostered
Thursday 9th June	TT for 09JUN22	D6575, D7017, D7018, D7612, D8568
Friday 10th June	TT for 10JUN22	D6566, D6575, D7017, D7018, D7612, D8568
Saturday 11th June	TT for 11JUN22	D6566, D6575, D7017, D7018, D7612, D8568
Sunday 12th June	BLUE timetable	D8568

NOTE – although Sunday is not a Diesel Gala day, the 1000 MD diagram in the BLUE timetable on Sunday 12th June is rostered for the visiting Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568.

 

We have just introduced a new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and we will be maintaining this in parallel to DIESELGEN bulletins. This new page is a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to diesel running on the WSR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE: for clarification, although the red timetable shows ‘STEAM/DIESEL’ for the midday service, the DEPG locos are unable to provide steam heating for the train so these services will normally be rostered for steam haulage throughout March and April. The DMU will take over the weekday services when it completes its overhaul.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) leads sister loco D6566 (33 048) up Castle Hill near Williton on an Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) move with the then newly-painted maroon ‘Quantock Belle’ set on 2nd November 2020. Photo by Peter Nicholson © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) will move from Williton (WN) to Bishops Lydeard (BL) on Wednesday 16th March by attaching to the rear of a steam-hauled Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) working from Minehead (MD) to Bishops Lydeard when it passes through Williton.

The approximate times for these movements are as follows:

     Depart MD 1230 arrive WN 1310 (steam)

     Depart WN 1400 arrive BL 1435 (steam with diesel at rear)

 

As this move is for operational purposes only, the timings are approximate and the movement may be delayed or postponed or cancelled as circumstances require. It may also run early.

Upon arrival at Bishops Lydeard, the coaches will be shunted to their designated stabling points in preparation for an engineering working that will run the following day Thursday 17th March 2022 between Bishops Lydeard and Crowcombe Heathfield, using both Class 33s in top-and-tail mode. This working has a booked departure time from BL of 1030 but again this may be varied according to operational needs.

 

The webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Here are the links:

Bishops Lydeard : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-bl2.htm

Crowcombe Heathfield : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ch1.htm

Williton : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-wn2.htm

Blue Anchor : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ba1.htm

Seaward Way : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md2.htm

Minehead : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md1.htm

 

 

Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

Have you considered joining the WEEKLY ROUNDUP e-newsletter list? Click here for details.

 

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Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was at the tail end of the 1230 service to Dunster on Saturday 18th September 2021 as sister loco D6566 (33 048) prepared to depart with the 1225 service to Norton Fitzwarren. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) is rostered for a light engine (LE) move from Bishops Lydeard (BL) to Minehead (MD) on Friday 5th November 2021 to collect empty coaching stock (ECS) and haul it to BL using the newly-upgraded Seaward Way Level Crossing.

The approximate times for these movements are as follows:

     Depart BL 0857 arrive MD 1009 (LE)

     Depart MD 1030 arrive BL 1141 (ECS)

As these moves are for operational purposes only, the timings are approximate and the movement may be delayed or postponed or cancelled as circumstances require.

 

If you are unable to attend, the webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Here are the links:

BL: http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-bl2.htm

CH: http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ch1.htm

WN: http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-wn2.htm

BA: http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ba1.htm

 

Please note the the two webcams at Minehead are now back online. Here are the links:

Minehead : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md1.htm

Seaward Way : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md2.htm

 

Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

Have you considered joining the WEEKLY ROUNDUP e-newsletter list? Click here for details.

 

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Beyer-Peacock ‘Hymek’ D7018 waits alongside the signalbox at Bishops Lydeard with a service to Norton Fitzwarren during the Mixed Traction Event on Saturday 18th September 2021. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

This season’s final chance to ride behind ‘Hymek’ D7018 will be the ‘excursion special‘ that will run this Saturday 16th October 2021 featuring haulage from Bishops Lydeard to Dunster and return with an extension to Norton Fitzwarren on the return leg. The load will be five Mark 1 coaches so there will be plenty of ‘Maybach Music’.

The departure time is 1135 from Bishops Lydeard, returning at 1535.

Tickets can be pre-booked via the WSR website or can be purchased on the day.

The departure time is 1135 from Bishops Lydeard, returning at 1535.

Please do try to come along and support the WSR and the DEPG and enjoy the occasion !

 

If you are unable to attend, the webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Here are the links:

BL: http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-bl2.htm

CH: http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ch1.htm

WN: http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-wn2.htm

BA: http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ba1.htm

 

Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

Have you considered joining the WEEKLY ROUNDUP e-newsletter list? Click here for details.

 

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