Weekly Roundup

  • Weekly Roundup – 03-Jul-22

    Beyer Peacock Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 was again working the Minehead to Bishops Lydeard return service on both Saturday and Sunday 2nd/3rd July 2022. This drone image capture shows the loco and six-coach train climbing out of Bishops Lydeard, having just crossed Watersmeet Bridge (where the B3224 to Exmoor leaves the A358) on the return leg of the second round trip on the Sunday. Photo by Don Bishop © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Another enjoyable weekend with ‘Hymek’ D7018 working the Minehead to Bishops Lydeard diagram (two round trips totalling 80 miles), the weather starting wet but ending with glorious sunshine and clear skies – what else would we expect for July !

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 waits for the token at the delightful and colourful Williton station as the steam-hauled service to Minehead arrives at platform 1. The ‘Hymek’ will take a break for the next two weekends and hand the baton over to the ‘Cromptons’. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    For our next two running dates, Sat/Sun 09/10 and 16/17 July, the ‘Hymek’ is taking a well-earned rest. Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) is currently in position at Minehead and is expected to haul these services, although Class 33 volunteer loco manager Ian has requested that the loco be swapped with D6575 (33 057) for the weekend of 16/17 July to even up the running hours (each loco needs an ‘A’ exam every 50 hours). If this change takes place, we will publish the change via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

     

    The BLUE timetable applies and can be found by clicking this link or by visiting our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page. Any additional or updated information will be announced by the WSR and via DIESELGEN as soon as possible. MANY THANKS for supporting this year’s DIESEL RUNNING program on the WSR.

     

    DIESEL RUNNING DATES – we now have a dedicated page on our website and we update it on a regular basis to provide a quick and easy reference to PUBLIC SERVICE diesel running for the whole of the 2022 season. We will be adding the link to all of our most-visited pages soon, but meanwhile the link can be found on our home page or by looking under the DIESELGEN menu header.

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we will be aiming to deliver the above program of running with the locos indicated and we will provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so please sign up to keep up to date.

     

    This last weekend was the launch of the restoration project for Railbus W79978 which is based at Hayes Knoll on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway. The Railbus had been prepared for a weekend of demonstration running, but this was curtailed after the first few runs on the Saturday due to sticking valves in the compressed air system – an issue that affects most rail-based machines that do not get used regularly. The restoration project will resolve all such issues, but the disappointment of DEPG member and Railbus owner Martin Rouse must have been palpable, after the massive effort that was made to get the machine into demonstration fitness, with several succesful runs having taken place on the Friday. We empathise, having been there many times ourselves.

    Railbus W79978 had to be shunted by diminutive Fowler 0-4-0DM 21442 ‘Woodbine’ after failing during its demonstration running at Hayes Knoll on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on 2nd July 2022. Click here to read more about this vintage machine. Photo by Martin Rouse © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    All was not lost, because Railbus W79978 was put to good use as a static exhibit where the public could enter and view the interior – which included an information stand that also offered some DEPG merchandise in the form of our D1010 booklet and D7018 booklet. Many thanks to Martin for keeping the DEPG in mind and making the most of this opportunity to remind Swindonians about the existence of the DEPG.

    Railbus W79978 was open to visitors at Hayes Knoll on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on 2nd/3rd July 2022 and included an information stand that offered DEPG booklets, membership forms and Newsletters alongside other fund-raising items. Photo by Martin Rouse © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    OTHER NEWS: We hosted two visitors from YOUCHOOS on Sunday 3rd July and the WSR kindly issued a cab pass so that they could travel in the cab of ‘Hymek’ D7018 to record the sounds of the loco in operation; not just the engine, but every small detail such as doors opening and closing, engine starting and the sound of controls being moved. The reason – YOUCHOOS provide electronic sound cards to railway modellers so that their miniature locos can sound like the real thing. We hope to provide a link to the finished product as soon as it is ready.

     

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER continues to receive donations and sponsorship of patches, and we now have quite a backlog of patches to engrave. The holdup has been the need to have the patches prepared sufficiently to allow the engraving to work well and provide a proper lasting mark on the metal itself, not just a mark through paint or filler. We still have plenty of patch areas to engrave, but here’s an example of a BIRTHDAY PRESENT WITH A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE:

    Many thanks to the photographers who shared their work under a Creative Commons licence for this not-for-profit DEPG-themed birthday card. The proceeds were allocated to the D1010 Restoration Fund. © CC BY-NC 3.0

    D1010 now carries an engraving commorating the 30th Birthday of Christopher Schiller, thanks to the support of father and DEPG member Ken. Many thanks to all who have supported and continue to support D1010 ! Photo taken at Williton on 25th June 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP, so click on the images below for an update of fundraising status or to make a donation. We are making steady progress on the restoration of this massive locomotive but we have a lot of expenses ahead of us, so we need to keep our fund raising effort going for a while longer yet. We know that times are hard, but please do what you can to help.

     

    Continued progress on D1010 has now reached a milestone as Colin and his team have completed ALL BODYWORK REPAIRS ON THE ‘A’ SIDE OF THE LOCOMOTIVE and have now turned their attention to the ‘A’ cab front. The photos below tell the story. Work also took place on the headcode boxes, removing the layers of old paint, attending to corrosion and overhauling the mechanisms so that the roller blinds can actually roll ! There is a lot to do on this massive and complex locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

    D1010 – this view of the cab roof on the secondman’s side at ‘A’ end shows a cracked weld that ran almost to the centre of the roof, allowing rainwater to enter and slowly rot the skin, especially in the corners. Photo taken at Williton on Monday 27th June 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the damaged skin was removed and the support structure beneath was found to be in good condition, avoiding the need for further peeling. Photo taken at Williton on Monday 27th June 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the big hole that had existed in this corner has now been repaired. The inner weld will be dressed after the windscreen has been removed (the window seals are known source of water leakage). Photo taken at Williton on Tuesday 28th June 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the cab roof has now been repaired – another task that can be ticked off the list. Many thanks to Colin and his assistants Geoff and Tim for this superb work. Photo taken at Williton on Tuesday 28th June 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the headcode boxes are getting attention from Bob and Gordon so that they can be re-fitted to the already completed ‘B’ end of the loco. Photo taken at Williton on Saturday 2nd July 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – Bob is the kind of volunteer who always tackles his work with an infectious smile and a laugh ! Pictured at Williton on Saturday 2nd July 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number will be allocated and engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page or click on the image below for more details !

    NOTE: EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED £25 OR MORE SINCE JULY 2021 HAS BEEN RECOGNISED and has been allocated an appropriate area on one of the patches or parts that have already been applied to the loco. Donations of smaller sums that accumulate to £25 are also eligible, so donate what you can when you can, and we will keep track of your total donations. Use our CONTACT FORM if you want to register your previous donations to D1010 for this campaign.

     

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco will be in use for three days this week hauling a freight train in association with the training of three qualified steam locomotive drivers who want to add the Class 33 diesel to their driving portfolios. The freight movements will be performed under the supervision of WSR Traction Inspector John Leach and details can be found in our latest DIESELGEN posting.

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is currently at Bishops Lydeard, fresh from an ‘A’ exam and available for service after having received attention to one of her exhauster contactors during her recent visit to Williton.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – in a demonstration of the close co-operation between all restoration teams at Williton, Saturday 2nd July saw a re-organisation in the loco shed that allowed Class 14 D9518 to be moved further into the shed so that D7017 could be brought inside as well. This was done to allow the roof of the ‘Hymek’ to be removed to gain access to the engine components that need to be lifted out through the roof aperture. The prospect of having to do this outdoors during seagull nesting season was too dangerous (and unsanitary) to contemplate!

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was shunted into the loco shed on number 3 road at Williton on Saturday 2nd July so that her roof can be removed and the large and heavy engine components lifted out, to allow access to the cylinder head. Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 (ROF1) provided the tractive effort, seen here in the careful hands of Martin Howard. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was moved inside the loco shed on number 3 road at Williton on Saturday 2nd July so that her engine repairs can be progressed without the participation of the local seagull population. A nice touch is the illumination of the road indicator (orange arrow, top left) that was acquired from Bristol Bath Road depot, although we suspect that Martin already knew which road he was to choose – it would be the one with the open door! Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – as covered earlier, this loco is stabled at Minehead and is next due to perform on the 10:00 and 14:30 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard return services on Sat/Sun 23rd/24th July. Keep an eye on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for updates or join the DIESELGEN email bulletin group (which also includes information about non-public services, where the information is available to us sufficiently in advance).

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – progress was affected this week due to the need to re-organise the items that were lined up on number 3 road in the shed, to make space for ‘Hymek’ D7017, but the restoration team did manage to fit in some feats of progress such as re-mounting the cooler group on the ‘long end’ of the loco while preparing the brake system components for re-installation. The below photos show the ‘before and after’ sequence on number 3 road in the loco shed:

    D9518 – the loco frames get towed out of the shed so that the cab assembly can be moved outside and sheeted over, hopefully for no longer than the next few weeks. Volunteer Andy P can be seen in the foreground, working on the brake rigging components. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 2nd July 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the ‘new order’ on number 3 road in the loco shed – the Class 14 cab has been moved outside and the loco frames have been moved forward so that ‘Hymek’ D7017 can be fitted in and the shed doors closed. This will allow the engine repair work to continue without restrictions. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 2nd July 2022 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    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 full operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

    Click on the image to find the options for supporting D9518.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is still in demand and performing well on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. The recent substitution for an unavailable steam engine has resulted in more running and more hours. Excellent !

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 enters Tenterden station at the head of a service train from Bodiam on 28th June 2022. Photo by Mike Grimwood © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – the loco has been ‘in the works’ at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and the latest news is that the triple pump has now been replaced, which is a very difficult task on a dual-braked Class 47 because of the seriously over-crowded equipment room that the loco type ended up with, so well done to the team at Grosmont ! We hope to get news of her being out on a test run soon.

    Class 47 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was pictured in the yard at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on Saturday 25th June 2022 alongside visiting SRPS Class 37 37403 (D6607). Photo by Luke Wayman © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 47 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ had her reconditioned triple pump installed at Grosmont – which is no mean feat on a dual-braked Class 47 – and was undergoing static testing on Saturday 25th June 2022. Photo by Luke Wayman © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – as pictured previously, this little loco has again been proving her worth during depot shunts, although she failed to start at first, due to a faulty non-return valve in her fuel pump. This delayed proceedings for a while, but was resolved in time for the job to be completed, although it did result in some late dinners for several of our volunteers!

     

    If you can help by donating your time, 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 don’t have time for a new book review this week, but we do now have stock of these three books by Anthony P. Sayer – each one is well worth acquiring.  The recent visit of Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 to the WSR has prompted us to obtain stock of the excellent book that was featured in a book review by Neale Long back in August last year. The book review has been posted on our website so please click here to read it and then buy the book from our online store. We are offering this £40 epic for a discounted price of £36 which is the same price as being offered by the publisher. THANK YOU VERY MUCH to Neale Long for providing us with a detailed review of this book.

    PLEASE NOTE that we can supply any book from PLATFORM 5 or PEN & SWORD or AMBERLEY via our online store. If the title that you want is not listed on our webstore, just email us or use our CONTACT FORM to tell us what you want and we will arrange it, the profit margin on the sale going to the LOCO FUND OF YOUR CHOICE.

    Don’t miss these two excellent new titles, the profits from which will go to the D9518 Restoration fund:

     

     

     

    ON SHED – we will have to skip this feature this week, but we will be back with a new thread next week.

     

    DEPG NEWS – the new online membership system has now been updated to allow the use of card payment and Apple Pay, in addition to PayPal, so this system will be the preferred way of renewing membership in future. Our website will be updated ASAP.

    One important point to note is that all members who wish to continue using the previous paper-based system can continue to do so. Our new membership secretary CHRIS SHIELDS will write to members when their memberships are due for renewal and payment can be made by cheque via post as previously. Please send all communications to our Williton address – click this link to our About Us page.

    MANY THANKS to Chris for taking on more work for the benefit of the DEPG !

     

    WSR NEWS: the next event on the WSR will be the ‘FORTIES WEEKEND‘ that takes place from Saturday 10th through Sunday 11th September when the DEPG facility at Williton will again be open to the public, complete with ROD SAUNDERS and his model railway sales stand. Please make a plan to come along to this event in support of both the WSR and the DEPG. Timetables for planned diesel running are now being published via our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and any updates will be shared via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

    Between now and then, the WSRA will be hosting the long-awaited return of the STEAM RALLY at Norton Fitzwarren, so keep these dates free and make a plan to attend what promises to be a very enjoyable event !

    The timetables and the dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

    Go to Depot news

    Go to Join Us page

    Go to Welcome page

    Go to Home page

     

  • Weekly Roundup – 26-Jun-22

    Beyer Peacock Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 was busy working the Minehead to Bishops Lydeard return service (two full round trips) on both Saturday and Sunday 25th/26th June. The 60-year-old loco looked like new and sounded absolutely wonderful ! D7018 was pictured at the first Williton station stop of the day on Saturday 25th June 2022 with DEPG stalwart Terry Deacon covering the secondman duties. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The highly variable weather of the last weekend was made all the more tolerable by the sight and sound of ‘Hymek’ D7018 working a six-coach train on the Minehead to Bishops Lydeard diagram that includes two round trips totalling 80 miles of running. The blustery weather provided spells of bright sunshine punctuated by frequent and very heavy thunderstorms, complete with hail at times !

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 paused at Washford station just after a shower had passed through, providing a perfect opportunity for this wonderful photo of the storm in the background, complete with a rainbow ! This has to be a 2023 DEPG calendar candidate – do you have photos that you think would be good for the next calendar ? Now is the time to submit them for consideration. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    For our next two running dates, Sat/Sun 03/04 July, ‘Hymek’ D7018 will again be hauling the two return services that originate at Minehead, so make the most of this opportunity to enjoy the ‘Maybach Music’ and come along to the WSR and take a ride. The loco will be stabled at Minehead throughout this week, providing a nice early 1960s embellishment to the GWR-era branch terminus.

    The BLUE timetable applies and can be found by clicking this link or by visiting our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page. Any additional or updated information will be announced by the WSR and via DIESELGEN as soon as possible.

     

    DIESEL RUNNING DATES – we have created a new page on our website and we will be updating it on a regular basis to provide a quick and easy reference to diesel running for the whole of the 2022 season. We will be adding the link to all of our most-visited pages soon, but meanwhile the link can be found on our home page or by looking under the DIESELGEN menu header.

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we will be aiming to deliver the above program of running with the locos indicated and we will provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so please sign up to keep up to date.

     

    Last week, we featured a link to a webpage for Railbus W79978 which is about to undergo restoration at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway. This 1958-vintage machine will be showcased at the S&CR Diesel Gala on 2nd and 3rd July where locomotives of classes 03, 08, 09 and 73 will also be active. Click here or on the images below for more information about W79978 that has been provided by owner and DEPG member Martin Rouse.

    Railbus W79978 was undergoing testing at Hayes Knoll on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on 25th June 2022 in preparation for her appearance at the S&CR Diesel Gala on Sat/Sun 2/3 July 2022. Photo by Dave Herbert © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Railbus W79978 was in use for driver training purposes on 25th June 2022, seen here at Hayes Knoll on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway resulting in owner and DEPG member Martin Rouse being passed as a driver in readiness for demonstration runs at the S&CR Diesel Gala on Sat/Sun 2/3 July 2022. Photo by Dave Herbert © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    Several readers have commented on this feature and we will keep the W79978 web page updated with information and photos as we receive them from Martin. We also received some wonderful BR-era colour photos from well-known railwayman and author BERNARD MILLS showing the Railbus ready for work at Boscarne Junction in December 1966, just six weeks before these public services were withdrawn from what is now the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. Many thanks to Bernard for sharing these images with us (see the W79978 page). We wish Martin good luck and every success with this excellent and worthwhile heritage restoration project.

     

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER has been boosted by donations and by sponsorship of patches, but WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP, so click on the images below for an update of fundraising status or to make a donation. We are making steady progress on the restoration of this massive locomotive but we have a lot of expenses ahead of us, so we need to keep our fund raising effort going for a while longer yet. We know that times are hard, but please do what you can to help.

    Continued progress on D1010 has now reached a milestone as Colin and his team have just completed ALL BODYWORK REPAIRS ON THE ‘A’ SIDE OF THE LOCOMOTIVE and will now turn their attention to the ‘A’ cab front and the cab sheeting on the secondman’s side (‘A’ end, ‘B’ side). Work to refit the many parts that have been removed is lagging behind due to attention having been diverted to diesel gala tasks and the repair of ‘Hymek’ D7017, but the dedicated D1010 team are making steady progress behind the scenes. PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

     

    D1010 – this view of ‘A’ end shows the ‘A’ side corner has been fully repaired and is now ready for repainting and for the engraving of sponsor names and numbers (see our SPONSOR A PATCH scheme). Can anyone provide any information about the ‘WESTERN RED GRIFFIN‘ headboard ? Photo taken at Williton on Saturday 25th June 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the driver’s side window frame repair (‘A’ side) has been completed and awaits the installation of the fairing that provides the finished look. The underlying strength has been restored by fresh steel. Photo taken at Williton on Tuesday 21st June 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the driver’s side window frame (‘A’ side) with the fairing added, also showing the 6mm diameter drain hole that will be monitored for water egress in future. Small features such as this will allow the locomotive to resist the forces of nature and prevent internal corrosion damage that often remains hidden until it reaches the outer skin. Photo taken at Williton on Tuesday 21st June 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number will be allocated and engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

    NOTE: EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED £25 OR MORE SINCE JULY 2021 WILL BE RECOGNISED and will be allocated an appropriate area on one of the patches or parts that have already been applied to the loco. Donations of smaller sums that accumulate to £25 are also eligible, so donate what you can when you can, and we will keep track of your total donations. Use our CONTACT FORM if you want to register your previous donations to D1010 for this campaign.

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco has returned to the role of standby locomotive and was also used to position Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 at Minehead in preparation for her two weekends of BLUE timetable duties. The Class 33 wil then be used to provide a training platform for three qualified steam locomotive drivers who want to add the Class 33 diesel to their driving portfolios, under the supervision of WSR Traction Inspector John Leach.

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) hauled Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 from Williton to Minehead on 23rd June 2022 to position the ‘Hymek’ for her weekend duties under the BLUE timetable. The Class 33 also had her own tasks to perform from Minehead the following week. Image by Railcam UK and the WSR © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is currently at Williton undergoing attention to some minor issues, but remains in a serviceable condition in case she is called upon to assist in the running of the railway.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – the loco is ready to go under the crane so that the roof panels can be lifted off. This will then allow the air intake ducting and intercooler to be lifted out so that the cambox that runs across all eight cylinders in the bank can then be removed. This will then reveal the number 1 cylinder head so that the joint ring can be replaced and any other issues attended to. We hope to be able to move the loco under cover to attend to this work, because putting the roof back on after every work session is very tedious ! Keep an eye on the Williton Railcam to monitor the progress with this loco.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – as covered earlier, this loco is stabled at Minehead and is next due to perform on the 10:00 and 14:30 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard return services on Sat/Sun 2nd/3rd July. Keep an eye on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for updates or join the DIESELGEN email bulletin group (which also includes information about non-public services, where the information is available to us sufficiently in advance). Please come along and ride behind the ‘Hymek’ and support our diesel running opportunities if you can. Thanks !

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – more progress this week as the brake frame assembly has now been re-mounted on the loco frames and is ready to be connected up to the various pipes and conduits. This meticulously-restored and complex assembly includes all of the brake system control valves as well as the compressor and the air receivers. In parallel, the task of acquiring replacement couplings for the generator drive shaft has progressed as far as the quotation stage, but they have become very expensive. We are currently looking for opportunities to acquire a pair of new couplings at a more realistic price.

     

    D9518 – the carefully-restored brake frame assembly was readied for lifting back onto the loco frames at Williton on Saturday 25th June 2022. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the brake frame assembly has now returned to its proper position, bolted to the frames and straddling the generator (which is now painted black as per the original paint scheme) at the ‘short end’ of the loco. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 25th June 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the Laycock ‘Layrub’ two-point flexible couplings that are used at each end of the generator drive shaft are in need of replacement. It is too risky to attempt to replace the rubber bushes alone because a failure of this component in service would cause serious damage to all of the parts in the vicinity. So, we need to dig deep and buy two new couplings. Can you help us ? Pictured at Williton on Saturday 25th June 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    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 full operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. The latest news is that the loco has again been substituting for a steam loco on a scheduled public service and is performing well and sounding great ! Well done D9526 !

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 can be seen on the left in this view of the yard outside Tenterden Shed, behind Stroudley A1X ‘Terrier’ 2678 (aka ‘Knowle’), with classmate D9504 opposite on the right. Pictured on 18th June 2022 by Simon Purvis © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – the loco has been ‘in the works’ at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and the latest news is that triple pump has been replaced. There are some overhaul tasks still to be completed, but we hope to get news of her being out on a test run soon.

    Class 47 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was shunted into the yard at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on 8th June 2022 by resident English Electric Class 37 37 264 (D6964). Photo by DEPG member Martin Fisher © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – no change this week.

     

    If you can help by donating your time, 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 – the continuing ‘buzz’ that has been created by the highly successful visit of Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 to the WSR has prompted us to obtain stock of the excellent book by Anthony P. Sayer that was featured in a book review by Neale Long back in August last year. The book review has been posted on our website so please click here to read it and then buy the book from our online store. We are offering this £40 epic for a discounted price of £36 which is the same price as being offered by the publisher. THANK YOU VERY MUCH to Neale Long for providing us with a detailed review of this book.

     

    PLEASE NOTE that we can supply any book from PLATFORM 5 or PEN & SWORD or AMBERLEY via our online store. If the title that you want is not listed on our webstore, just email us or use our CONTACT FORM to tell us what you want and we will arrange it, the profit margin on the sale going to the LOCO FUND OF YOUR CHOICE.

     

    Don’t miss these two excellent new titles, the profits from which will go to the D9518 Restoration fund:

       

     

     

    ON SHED – staying with the Class 17 ‘Claytons’, here’s another shot from regular contributor Barry Gay, taken at a time when the whole class were being withdrawn from service and put into store, awaiting a decision about their future. In the end, all except D8568 were cut up for scrap. Many thanks to Barry for continually sharing his work with us.

    This photograph shows four Class 17 ‘Claytons’ on one of the ‘scrap lines’ at Polmadie depot, Glasgow in 1971. The loco in full view of the camera being D8548. All of these locos had been robbed of parts by this stage, so they were doomed to an early appointment with the cutter’s torch. Some had only worked for three years. Photo by Barry Gay © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DEPG NEWS – the Board met online on Friday 24th June 2022 so that the Saturday could be kept free for supporting the diesel-hauled services under the BLUE timetable. A synopsis of this meeting will be prepared ASAP and will be shared with all DEPG members, either by email or by post in the next Newsletter mailing (August).

    This meeting resulted in several changes, including the appointment of CHRIS SHIELDS as MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY and the approval for the introduction of the ‘Membermojo‘ GDPR-compliant membership system that will help us maintain our membership records up-to-date and encourage new members.

    We have emailed all members for whom we hold email addresses and we will be writing to those who have chosen the ‘paper’ method of communication. We will continue to offer a fully-paper-based membership option including payment by cheque … even by cash for those calling-in at Williton or attending a sales stand at an event.

    MANY THANKS to Chris for taking on more work for the benefit of the DEPG !

     

    AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY – the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the DEPG is scheduled to take place on the afternoon of Saturday 3rd September 2022, at Williton. All members have been advised via the May Newsletter mailing. The AGM document package will be sent out in August along with the next Newsletter.

     

    The DEPG hosted a visit to 25 members of the WELLS RAILWAY FRATERNITY on the very hot afternoon of Wednesday 22nd June 2022 and provided a tour of the depot including cab visits to Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 and Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017. The visitors were suitably impressed and made the most of every minute until they had to head for home on the 17:15 service to Bishops Lydeard. Many thanks to Carol, Natalie and Mark Ireland for attending at Williton in support of this visit !

     

     

    WSR NEWS: the next event on the WSR will be the ‘FORTIES WEEKEND‘ that takes place from Saturday 10th through Sunday 11th September when the DEPG facility at Williton will again be open to the public, complete with ROD SAUNDERS and his model railway sales stand. Please make a plan to come along to this event in support of both the WSR and the DEPG. Timetables for planned diesel running are now being published via our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and any updates will be shared via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

    Between now and then, the WSRA will be hosting the long-awaited return of the STEAM RALLY at Norton Fitzwarren, so keep these dates free and make a plan to attend what promises to be a very enjoyable event !

     

     

    This photograph shows five locomotives on shed at Westridge, Bishops Lydeard on 23rd June 2022, all except one being visitors to the WSR. From left to right, BR ‘standard’ 4-6-2 70000 ‘BRITANNIA’, with Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 the sole representive of the home fleet, then SR ‘West Country’ 4-6-2 34046 ‘BRAUNTON’ then Clayton Class 17 D8568 then a glimpse of BR Class 25 D7612. What a fantastic sight ! Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The timetables and the dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

     

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

    Go to Depot news

    Go to Join Us page

    Go to Welcome page

    Go to Home page

     

  • Weekly Roundup – 19-Jun-22

    The DTG’s unique Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 was pictured while running around her train at Minehead on Saturday 18th June 2022 to position for the second round trip of the day. BR(W) 4-6-0 7822 ‘FOXCOTE MANOR’ can also be seen in this picture, with Barclay 0-4-0DH 579 (ROF 2) stabled beyond. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The 10:00 and 14:30 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard return services were hauled by the unique ‘Clayton’ Class 17 D8568 on Saturday 18th June 2022. The 900 hp loco had to work hard to haul a rake of six Mk.1 coaches, giving passengers a chance to experience both the sight and sound of this rare beast with both of her Paxman 6ZHXL six-cylinder engines running at maximum power. The loco has performed faultlessly during her time on the WSR and has been a popular attraction, drawing visitors from all over the country to experience the combination of the ‘Clayton’ and the challenges of the Minehead branch. The loco will soon be leaving the WSR and heading back to her regular home on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway but we hope to see her back again for a future gala event.

    The DTG’s unique Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 was tasked with six Mark 1 coaches for the scheduled Minehead to Bishops Lydeard return services on Saturday 18th June 2022. The unique profile of the locomotive is captured by this view of the consist approaching Sampford Brett bridge after departing from Williton. Photo by Keith Fender © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The DTG’s unique Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 also boasts a massive cab, the largest of any diesel that ever ran on BR. Strangely, it only has two seats, diagonally opposite, one for each driving direction. The secondman either has to stand on the right hand side of the cab, or rotate the vacant driving seat and sit in the ‘back row’ with a severely impaired view of the line ahead. Photo taken at Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 18th June 2022 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    For our next two running dates, Sat/Sun 25/26th June, it will be the turn of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 to haul the two return services that originate at Minehead, so make the most of this opportunity to hear the ‘Maybach Music’ and come along to the WSR and take a ride. The loco is currently stabled at Williton but will be towed to Minehead on Thursday this week so that she will be in position to start her 80-mile diagram on Saturday. The ‘Hymek’ will then remain at Minehead for the following weekend’s services before returning to Williton.

    The BLUE timetable applies and can be found by clicking this link or by visiting our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page. Any additional or updated information will be announced via DIESELGEN as soon as possible.

    Beyer Peacock Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 was hard at work on all three days of the Diesel Gala and closed the show by hauling the last train of the gala from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 11th June 2022. Pictured approaching Williton from the Minehead direction by Paul Clark © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    One of our youngest DEPG members is Josh Brinsford and at the age of 13 he has already published more than 750 videos on YouTube and TikTok. Here’s another example of his work – click on this link to YouTube or click on the image below.

    This video runs for 40 minutes and covers two of the three gala days. Many thanks to Josh for sharing his work with us.

     

     

    DIESEL RUNNING DATES – we have created a new page on our website and we will be updating it on a regular basis to provide a quick and easy reference to diesel running for the whole of the 2022 season. We will be adding the link to all of our most-visited pages soon, but meanwhile the link can be found on our home page or by looking under the DIESELGEN menu header.

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we will be aiming to deliver the above program of running with the locos indicated and we will provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so please sign up to keep up to date.

     

     

    A forthcoming event has been brought to our attention by DEPG member Martin Rouse who is also the proud owner of a 1958-vintage ‘Railbus’ that was built by AC Cars Ltd for use on the BR Western Region. This rare machine is based on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway and is about to undergo a complete restoration. The restoration project is going to be launched at the S&CR Diesel Gala on 2nd and 3rd July where locomotives of classes 03, 08, 09 and 73 will be active. Click here or on the image below for more information about W79978 that has been provided by Martin.

    Upon completion of the restoration, it would be great to see this wonderful machine in action on the WSR, perhaps operating a shuttle service between Minehead and Blue Anchor. Now there’s a thought !

     

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER has been boosted by donations and by sponsorship of patches, but WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP, so click on the images below for an update of fundraising status or to make a donation. We are making steady progress on the restoration of this massive locomotive but we have a lot of expenses ahead of us, so we need to keep our fund raising effort going for a while longer yet. We know that times are hard, but please do what you can to help.

     

     

    Further progress on D1010 during the last few weeks has seen the completion of the repair on the secondman’s side window surround and handrail attachment at the ‘A’ end of the locomotive (currently the ‘Minehead’ end). The side windows had to be removed so that we could get access to the corroded steelwork beneath, but as the photos show, there was not much steel left underneath – but there is now !

    D1010 – the corner of the secondman’s side window at ‘A’ end shows the extent of the corrosion. Photo taken at Williton on Monday 30th May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – as per the repair technique that was used on the driver’s side, the strength has been restored by welding new steel into the vertical stanchion which in turn provides support to the horizontal window frame section. The handrail attachment area was also repaired and the handrail welded over by Colin. Photo taken at Williton on Monday 30th May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the secondman’s side at ‘A’ end has now been repaired at top and bottom and the window frame can now be cleaned up and re-installed. Geoff has worked on the team restoring D1010 since Didcot days and his help is very much appreciated ! Photo taken at Williton on Tuesday 7th June 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number will be allocated and engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

    NOTE: EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED £25 OR MORE SINCE JULY 2021 WILL BE RECOGNISED and will be allocated an appropriate area on one of the patches or parts that have already been applied to the loco. Donations of smaller sums that accumulate to £25 are also eligible, so donate what you can when you can, and we will keep track of your total donations. Use our CONTACT FORM if you want to register your previous donations to D1010 for this campaign.

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco spent the weekend at Williton where she was subjected to an ‘A’ exam after accumulating 50 hours of running since her previous exam. The exam involves inspection and testing and the loco also benefited from an engine room cleanup, thanks to John C, Tom and Ian. This loco will tow ‘Hymek’ D7018 to Minehead on Thursday and will then move to Bishops Lydeard to take up the role of standby locomotive and will also be used to provide a training platform for three qualified steam locomotive drivers who want to add the Class 33 diesel to their driving portfolios.

    Trainee secondman Mark B holds the token at the ready as Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) approaches the signal box at Minehead with the 11:10 service from Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 11th June 2022. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is currently at Bishops Lydeard but will move to Williton on Thursday for an ‘A’ exam to be performed and to undergo replacement of one of her exhauster contactors. The loco is currently running with only one exhauster operational, so additional time is needed to release the vacuum brake on the train after a station stop (normally, the second exhauster is used to boost the rate of vacuum creation at peak demand times). Ian has already arranged a spare part and will perform the repair during the coming weekend, to allow the loco to be available for service if required.

    Trainee DEPG secondman Warren has the best view as Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) enters Blue Anchor station where it will cross with the 09:35 Minehead to Norton Fitzwarren service that is headed by Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568. Photo taken on Saturday 11th June 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – work has begun on gaining access to the number 1 cylinder head so that the joint ring can be replaced and any other issues attended to. The work involves draining the coolant into a storage container for re-use at a later date, then removal of the roof section, the intercoolers and air intake ducting, the cambox and finally the errant cylinder head. More news on this next week.

     

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco performed well throughout the diesel gala and is next due to perform on the 10:00 and 14:30 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard return services on Sat/Sun 25/26th June and 2nd/3rd July. The ‘Hymeks’ are rarely outstationed at Minehead, so it will also be a treat for visitors to see D7018 stabled at Minehead throughout the week.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the team has been progressing the repair and refurbishment of the many small parts that go together to form the major sub-assemblies of this locomotive. The task of acquiring replacement couplings for the generator drive shaft is also in progress in the background. These couplings are still in production but are now made in the USA, which means that the dimensions are still in inches, which is quite convenient for the pre-metrication ‘Teddy Bear’.

    D9518 – the reconditioned Reavell exhausters are being detailed by Andy P to define the pipework functions according to the standard colour definitions – white for air or vacuum, pink for lubricating oil. The ‘before’ and ‘after’ white vacuum pipework tells the story. The rectangular tank on top of the exhauster functions both as the lubricating oil reservoir and the oil separator that prevents excessive quantities of oil from being blown out of the exhaust silencer. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 4th June 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the manufacturer’s nameplate on the side of the generator is well worn and difficult to read, but the date of 1964 is clear enough in the lower right corner. This type C12W generator was manufactured by the curiously-named ‘Lancashire Dynamo & Crypto Company’ of Trafford Park, Manchester that was absorbed into AEI in 1967, becoming part of GEC later that same year. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    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 full operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco will again be in use during this coming week on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. The latest news is that loco has now clocked up more than 400 hours of use and continues to be well looked after by the Class 14 experts at this railway, assisted by our own Class 14 volunteer team leader Simon Purvis from time to time. One widely-reported duty that she performed on 25th May was the move of 1872-built Stroudley ‘Terrier’ Class A1X number 70, named ‘POPLAR‘ from Tenterden to Rolvenden, as pictured below:

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was in charge of moving 1872-built Stroudley Class A1X ‘Terrier’ number 70 ‘POPLAR’ from Tenterden to Rolvenden on Wednesday 25th May 2022, seen here at Henry’s Crossing, Tenterden. Photo by Jake Lewis © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Last week, we reported that D9526 had encountered some starting trouble that had been already been rectified by Mike and his team on site, but it resulted in damage to the starter motor. We were ready with a spare reconditioned motor from stock and Simon attended last weekend to swap the motors over. The loco is now back to starting easily (and quietly) and the worn motor will be sent to our friends at ICS in Preston for them to give it a thorough overhaul.

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 has been fitted with the reconditioned starter motor that was recently overhauled by ICS of Preston and is now starting easily and quietly again. Photo by Simon Purvis © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is currently at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where she is undergoing a triple pump change and the completion of some overhaul tasks. The work is progressing well and we hope to get news of her being out on a test run soon.

    Class 47 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was pictured in the yard at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on 8th June 2022 in the company of B1 61264 and WD 3672 and Class 24 D5061. Photo by DEPG member Martin Fisher © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – no change this week, but this little loco will soon be put to work shunting the yard because ‘Hymek’ D7017 needs to be positioned under the 10-ton crane so that her roof can be lifted off.

     

    If you can help by donating your time, 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 – Volume 2 of the Class 14 study by Anthony P. Sayer has now been released and we have copies available for sale at £27 per copy. We also have the excellent Volume 1 of the study available at the same price. We have received a book review from regular contributor Neale Long and we have created a page on our website to do it justice. Click here for Neale’s book review.

    Many thanks to Neale for taking the time to prepare a detailed book review for us.

       

    All profits from the sale of the above two books will go to the D9518 Restoration Fund

     

    ON SHED – the recent visit of Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 has created a wave of interest in the class and we have received some very interesting photos as a result. Here’s one from regular contributor Barry Gay, taken at a time when the whole class had been withdrawn from service and were in store, awaiting a decision about their future. In the end, all except D8568 were cut up for scrap; some were only three years old.

    This photograph shows four Class 17 ‘Claytons’ in the old steam shed at Ardrossan Harbour, approximately 35 miles southwest of Glasgow. The picture is dated 8th July 1972 and the photographer counted 22 of the Class in store at that location on that day, all waiting for a decision on their future. In the end, all except D8568 were cut up for scrap. Photo by Barry Gay © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    DEPG NEWS – the Board will meet at Williton on Saturday 25th June at a slightly later time than usual because some Board members will be working the first leg of the ‘Hymek’-hauled service out of Minehead that morning. The synopsis of the previous meeting has been overlooked in all of the excitement of the diesel gala, but will be sent out in a separate email to all members for whom we hold a valid email address. Hard copies will be included in the next Newsletter mailing (August).

    AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY – the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the DEPG is scheduled to take place on the afternoon of Saturday 3rd September 2022, at Williton. All members have been advised via the May Newsletter mailing. The AGM document package will be sent out in August along with the next Newsletter.

    The DEPG will host a visit from the WELLS RAILWAY FRATERNITY on Wednesday 22nd June 2022 when approximately 25 members of that group will tour our depot as part of their visit to the WSR. We look forward to meeting them and showing them around our depot.

     

     

    WSR NEWS: the next event will be the ‘FORTIES WEEKEND‘ that takes place from Saturday 10th through Sunday 11th September when the DEPG facility at Williton will again be open to the public, complete with ROD SAUNDERS model railway sales stand. Please make a plan to come along to this event in support of both the WSR and the DEPG. Timetables for planned diesel running are now being published via our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and any updates will be shared via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

     

    The timetables and the dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

    Go to Depot news

    Go to Join Us page

    Go to Welcome page

    Go to Home page

     

  • Weekly Roundup – 12-Jun-22

    The WSR’s Class 115 DMU completes an early 1960s scene that includes BRCW Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) and Beyer Peacock Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 along with a mixture of maroon, chocolate/cream and crimson/cream-liveried Mark 1 coaches. Semaphores and bull-head rail add to the authenticity. Pictured on Saturday 11th June 2022 at Minehead by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The WSR’s SIXTIES DIESEL GALA ran from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022 and featured the Diesel Traction Group’s (DTG’s) unique surviving Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 and South Devon Diesel Traction’s Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) along with the two Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ and the two Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ of the home fleet (Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 is away at the Kent & East Sussex Railway and Class 47 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ is too heavy for the current axle load limit and is away at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway). 

     

    A BIG THANK YOU GOES OUT TO ALL WHO ATTENDED OR SUPPORTED OR CONTRIBUTED IN ANY WAY !

     

    Here’s a quick run through of the gala activities:

    Tuesday 7th : Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) arrived at Bishops Lydeard and was unloaded and inspected. This loco has visited the WSR on several occasions in the past and has always been a popular attraction. Meanwhile, at Minehead, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was refuelled from a road tanker.

    South Devon Diesel Traction’s Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) arrived at Bishops Lydeard on the morning of Tuesday 7th June 2022 as planned. Photo by Ian Camp © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Wednesday 8th : Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 arrived at Bishops Lydeard late in the afternoon after a delay relating to the transportation. This unique survivor of a class that once ran to 117 examples was making it’s first ever visit to the WSR, so it rightly took top billing. The teams from owning group DTG plus DEPG and WSR worked late into the evening to get the loco ready for service. Earlier in the day, locos D6566, D7017, D7018 and D7612 had been refuelled from a road tanker, but the ‘Clayton’ arrived too late to be refuelled.

    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

     

    Thursday 9th : The ‘Clayton’ was refuelled from a road tanker at 07:15 in the morning and attached to the back of the first train of the day, the 09:00 from Bishops Lydeard (BL) to Minehead (MD) to get her into position in time for her first booked service, the 10:38 MD-BL. The day went very well until around 6pm when the Williton depot phone rang and DEPG driver Neil McCannon reported that ‘Hymek’ D7017 was making a loud hissing noise and was spraying oil into the engine room. The loco was working the 17:45 MD-BL but had to be shut down at Blue Anchor. So, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was sent out from Minehead as the ‘Thunderbird’ loco to rescue the stricken ‘Hymek’ and haul it and it’s train to Williton, where the errant loco was detached and towed into the yard by Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 (ROF 1). The ‘Crompton’ took the late-running train forward to Bishops Lydeard.

    DEPG Beyer Peacock Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 arriving at Minehead, viewed from the cab of visiting Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) on the first day of the gala, Thursday 9th June 2022. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was sent to the yard after disgracing herself by blowing a cylinder head joint ring on the final service of the first day of the gala. Pictured in the yard at Williton on Friday morning 10th June 2022 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Friday 10th : The day began with one loco short and one loco in the wrong place. The loco shortage was easily rectified by reducing the planned double-headed services back to single loco haulage. Better to run services single-headed rather than have to kake cancellations. Having D6575 (33 057) at Bishops Lydeard along with sister D6566 (33 048) was rectified by attaching the ‘Thunderbird’ to the back of the first service from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and running the train as ‘top and tail’. This did not entirely solve the problem, so the turns that were rostered for D7017 were covered by D6575. The turns that were rostered for D6575 were covered by ‘Clayton’ D8568 and the turns that were rostered for D8568 were covered by D6566. These changes made for some interesting unplanned combinations of locos and coach sets during the day. DEPG and DTG ‘Maybach’ engine expert Bob Clegg attended at Williton and started up D7017, much to the surprise of those standing nearby on the platform, and the tell-tale sound of a leaking cylinder head joint confirmed the preliminary diagnosis that had been made by Neil the night before. The ‘Hymek’ was definitely out of the gala.

    Visiting Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) is pictured arriving at Bishops Lydeard on Friday 10th June 2022, the second day of the gala. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Saturday 11th : The timetable for the third gala day included additional services that could not be covered any other way, so the WSR teams had worked the previous evening to prepare steam loco BR(W) 4-6-0 7828 ‘ODNEY MANOR’ to step in and cover the 09:42 out-and-back trip from Bishops Lydeard that had been rostered for D7017. This had the added benefit of pleasing those visitors who had not realised that a diesel gala was taking place and had been expecting to see a steam engine ! Problem solved, the only other discrepancies of the day were D6566 running on the D6575 roster and vice versa. The weather improved and the day ended with some beautifully bright sunshine and blue skies, to be followed by the Sixties-themed dance evening on the platform at Minehead !

    DEPG Beyer Peacock Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 runs around its train at Minehead as BR(W) 4-6-0 7822 ‘FOXCOTE MANOR’ rests over the pit on the shed road on the last day of the gala, Saturday 11th June 2022. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Sunday 12th : Although not a gala day, the 10:00 Minehead diesel diagram was covered by visiting Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 to the delight of those who were not expecting a steam engine ! The very unusual sight of a ‘Clayton’ on the WSR brought the photographers out and many unusual photos were the result. Everything went to plan and this was a great way to round off a highly eventful (and stressful) week !

    The DTG’s Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 waits at the head of its train at Williton as secondman Mark Bladwell watches for the ‘right away’ signal from the guard. Note the low height of the doorway, which would give Mark a nice bruise or two by the time he finished his shift. Pictured on Sunday 12th June 2022 by Mark Ireland © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Here’s a message of thanks from DEPG Chairman, Martin Howard:

       “We have just had our first Diesel Gala in three years, and I am pleased to report that, aside from the unfortunate failure of D7017 on Thursday evening, the rest of the Gala was quite successful overall. The Clayton was certainly a draw for many visitors and the 25 was also popular while our own fleet attracted its own notable following.

       Naturally an event like this doesn’t just happen, it takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work to get everything organised beforehand and the delivery of the Gala on the day is down to large numbers of people all doing their bit. I know some of you were directly involved over the three days of the Gala, especially the footplate crews, and some people worked long hours to give our visitors the thrills they were after. Our two guest engines came with their own crews and I know they all enjoyed themselves too. They already knew what our line is like and so they were keenly looking forward to operating over the WSR. Any of you that were fortunate enough to be on a guest engine with them will know that they were not disappointed.

       Finally, I wish to thank all of you who have helped to stage our main event of the year. Without you and your contribution it would not have been possible and the railway enthusiast fraternity would be the poorer for it. Thank you everybody.”

    Martin Howard, Chairman

     

    Many thanks to Martin for his massive personal effort in making sure that this gala was success and for sorting out all kinds of issues during the full week that he spent at Williton. It is the work of many volunteers from the wider WSR family of organisations, frequently BEHIND THE SCENES at the yard and at home, that allows an event such as this to take place, so thank you very much to all involved !

     

    Here’s a link to a great YouTube video that has put together by junior DEPG member Josh Brinsford:

     

    Some other snippets from the gala:

    Our smart new chalk boards were written up by Mark B and Paul T at Williton. One board was also placed at Bishops Lydeard to alert visitors to the ‘open shed’ at Williton. Photo taken on Friday 10th June 2022 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Our SALES STANDS were up and running at both Williton and Minehead throughout the event and were well patronised, contributing around £500 to our group funds after deducting merchandise expenses. New this year, we have a limited number of wooden full-size replica D1010 numberplates that have been very carefully made for the DEPG by Rob Riley. These are very high quality items and are very realistic. All profits on the sale of these items goes to the D1010 Restoration Fund ‘CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER’. Just the thing for the living room wall !

    Photo by Chris Shields © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The DEPG sales stand at Williton was postioned below the longest ‘Western’ nameplate ever produced – our special ‘CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER’ plate measuring just over 3 metres (9’11”) and specially made by Rob Riley. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 was dressed up for the occasion by applying a coat of yellow paint to her buffer beam, giving a hint of the future look of this carefully restored machine when she is eventually outshopped in NCB Ashington Colliery livery. The photo also shows the carefully made (by Colin G of course) presentation boards mounted on the depot wall, giving the history of the class and of D9518 in particular. Very interesting and very nicely done ! Click here to donate to the D9518 Restoration Fund. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    As the photographer stated, ‘driver and machine in perfect unity’ – DEPG volunteer, board member and driver Paul Tucker has looked after D7018 from the early days of DEPG ownership and he continues to look after her now. Pictured at Williton on Friday 10th June 2022 by Graham Perry © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    For a wide selection of photographs from a multitude of photographers, visit the excellent wsr.org.uk website and click this link to the Diesel Gala gallery.

     

    We will be posting many more photos onto our website as soon as we can, but we are pretty busy right now. LET US KNOW if you can help in any way with the wide range of tasks that we cover, from admin through to working on the locos through to the website expansion. We definitely need your help !

     

    DIESEL RUNNING DATES – this is a new page on our website and is intended as a one-stop-shop for information about PUBLIC diesel locomotive-hauled services on the WSR. A link can be found on our home page or by looking under the DIESELGEN menu header.

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we will be aiming to deliver the above program of running with the locos indicated and we will provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so please sign up to keep up to date.

     

    OTHER NEWS:

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be kept busy on the Kent & East Sussex Railway but had a bit of trouble starting recently, so the result is a worn-out starter motor. Luckily, we happen to have a newly-refurbished motor in our spare parts stock and this will be fitted to the loco during this week. The worn motor will then go out for refurbishment and will then become the new ‘spare’.

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco HAS NOW MOVED from Pickering to Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and is entering the loco works for completion of some overhaul tasks, including the replacement of the ‘triple pump’ using the spare that has already been shipped from Williton to Grosmont. We hope to see the loco in use for crew training turns later this month or next month.

    The DEPG’s Class 47 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was towed from Pickering to Grosmont by NYMR resident Class 37 37264 (D6964) on Wednesday 8th June 2022, seen here pausing at Levisham to await the arrival of a service train for Pickering. Photo by Martin Fisher © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco was again put to use last week by having to collect ‘Hymek’ D7017 from the ‘up’ line and put her in the yard as a static exhibit for day 2 and day 3 of the gala. This 1972-built diesel-hydraulic loco was also an exhibit herself and attracted quite a bit of attention.

     

    BOOK REVIEW – we now have STOCK of the excellent book by Anthony P Sayer describing the Class 14 ‘Teddy Bears’ and the first phase of their life on BR. The second volume of this book has just been released and we will also be stocking that volume, so if you haven’t already ordered, then please buy it from our online store to support the D9518 Restoration Fund. Thanks !

     

    ON SHED – this feature will return next week.

     

    DEPG NEWS – the May Newsletter has been mailed out and should have been delivered to all members last week. Just let me know if you want to go ‘paperless’ in future. Also, PLEASE LET ME KNOW if you still haven’t received your copy one way or another by now.

    AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY – the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the DEPG is scheduled to take place in the afternoon of Saturday 3rd September 2022, at Williton. All members have been advised via the May Newsletter mailing, which included a nomination form for board appointments. We need these forms returned (by post or email) by FRIDAY 17th JUNE (THIS WEEK) to allow time to prepare the formal AGM Calling Notice with the details of the nominees.

    The next meeting of the DEPG Board will take place on Saturday 25th June at 10:30 at Williton Depot. Please let me know if you would like to place a question before the Board at this meeting.

     

    WSR NEWS: the ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ has now been completed so the next event on the WSR is the FORTIES WEEKEND, the details of which can be found on the WSR website. We often get asked to provide a diesel in support of this very popular event, so keep an eye on our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page to see if we get to run one of our Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ or Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ (hopefully we will have both ‘Hymeks’ back in service by then). Any additional public diesel locomotive-hauled services will be published on our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and any updates will be shared via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

     

    The timetables and the dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

    Go to Depot news

    Go to Join Us page

    Go to Welcome page

    Go to Home page

     

  • Weekly Roundup – 05-Jun-22

    Beyer Peacock Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ D7017 and D7018 went out for a test run on Saturday 4th June 2022 to ensure that they were ready to perform in the WSR’s ‘Sixties Diesel Gala’ that will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022. The pair were pictured standing at Allerford Junction in the Norton Fitzwarren section. The line to the former Barnstaple branch can be seen heading off to the right. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D7017 and D7018 were photographed by DEPG member and volunteer Mark Ireland from his vantage point on Norton Bridge as they came to a stand at Allerford Junction in the Norton Fitzwarren section. No doubt he was hoping that the locos would pass under the bridge …. but they didn’t. Photo by Mark Ireland © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Our ‘Hymek’ crew got their own back by photographing the photographer – Mark Ireland – as he waited patiently on Norton Bridge for the locos to enter the triangle section. Telephoto shot by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    We are delighted to announce that both of our Class 35 ‘Hymek’ diesel-hydraulics have been declared service-ready after a proving run between Williton and Norton Fitzwarren last Saturday 4th June 2022. The pair were put through their paces on the climbs to the summit of the line at Crowcombe Heathfield and the additional testing in the Norton Fitzwarren section ensured that both locos were able to be load tested to an equal degree before returning to Williton.

    These two locos will again leave Williton on Tuesday morning 7th June and will relocate to Bishops Lydeard for the duration of the WSR’s ‘Sixties Diesel Gala’ that will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022. This is also convenient for a ‘Quantock Belle’ private charter service that will depart from Bishops Lydeard at 13:15 on the Tuesday for a run to Minehead and back, the sight and sound of a ‘Hymek’ combining with the delights of ‘QB’ dining to make a highly memorable day for those on board.

     

    Our two Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ are already in position, with D6566 (33 048) at Bishops Lydeard and D6575 (33 057) at Minehead, and Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) will be arriving at Bishops Lydeard on Tuesday 7th from Buckfastleigh on the South Devon Railway and will be fuelled and inspected at Westridge Shed the following day.

    The Diesel Traction Group’s (DTG) unique surviving Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 is also being prepared for loading at the Severn Valley Railway, although the transport arrangements have had to change due to an issue with the low-loader, so this loco will now be travelling to Somerset on Wednesday. The team from the DTG will be on hand when the loco arrives and together with the DEPG and WSR staff, will prepare the loco to enter service on the Thursday as planned, so multiple groups are working closely together on the preparations to make sure that the WSR put on a great show !

     

    The timetables can be found by clicking the below links or by visiting our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page. More details about the event can be found on the WSR website. Any additional or updated information will be announced by the WSR and via DIESELGEN as soon as possible.

    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

    The DTG’s unique Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 is pictured departing from Highley with a rake of vintage GWR coaches while on a shuttle service to Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway. Photo dated 19th May 2022 by Steve Hampton © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) is pictured leading classmate and SDDT stablemate D7535 (25 185) across Marsh Common on the approach to Minehead on 22nd June 2019. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DIESEL RUNNING DATES – we have created a new page on our website and we will be updating it on a regular basis to provide a quick and easy reference to diesel running for the whole of the 2022 season. We will be adding the link to all of our most-visited pages soon, but meanwhile the link can be found on our home page or by looking under the DIESELGEN menu header.

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we will be aiming to deliver the above program of running with the locos indicated and we will provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so please sign up to keep up to date.

     

    OTHER ARRANGEMENTS that are being made in advance of the WSR’s 2022 DIESEL GALA that will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022 are the introduction of new signs at our depot at Williton, to let the public know that the depot is OPEN TO VISITORS on each of the gala days. We will also be welcoming Rod Saunders and his Model Railway trading post to the depot again on each of the gala days, so please do come along and view the restoration work that is taking place on D1010 and D9518, and browse the model railway stand as well.

     

    Our SALES STANDS will be up and running at both Williton and Minehead throughout the event, and this year we are offering a LIMITED NUMBER of wooden replica D1010 numberplates that have been very carefully made by Rob Riley. These are very high quality items and are sure to sell out very quickly. The selling price is £75 each but fully-paid-up members will be eligible for a £15 discount –  but ONLY AT THE GALA – so come along and buy your plate during the event ! (we will gladly take orders for delivery in the future, though)

    Photo by Chris Shields © CC BY-NC 3.0

    Also courtesy of Rob Riley, we have the LONGEST ‘Western’ NAMEPLATE EVER with our fantastic ‘CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER’ nameplate that measures just over THREE METRES in length (9ft 11″ in fact) and is intended to draw attention to the campaign for the restoration of this much loved machine. We are making excellent progress with the restoration so COME ALONG TO WILLITON and take a look for yourself !

    Many thanks to Rob for his excellent craftmanship and for working so hard to get our order completed in time for the gala, and thanks also to our own volunteers for restoring the loco so that she could proudly wear this plate !               Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND AT THE DIESEL GALA – then watch the action from the webcams that have been provided by RAILCAM UK covering six different views along the line (seven if you sign up with Railcam UK). MANY THANKS to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these excellent services free of charge and therefore inclusive to all. Brilliant !

    Link to webcams: http://www.wsr.org.uk/index.htm

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER is still running and WE NEED YOUR HELP, so click on the images below for an update of fundraising status or to make a donation. We are making good progress on the restoration of this massive locomotive, but our fund raising needs to keep pace so that our volunteers can obtain the materials and spare parts as we go along. We know that there are a lot of competing causes at present, but please do what you can to help.

    More progress on D1010 was made last week with the repair of the driver’s side window surround and handrail attachment on the other side of the ‘A’ end of the locomotive (currently the ‘Minehead’ end). We won’t go into details in this roundup because we want to focus on the gala, but we will be on hand to show you the work that is taking place when you visit the depot.

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number will be allocated and engraved instead.

    We will also be engraving more patches during quiet moments during the gala, so SPONSOR A PATCH and watch it being engraved at the depot !

    NOTE: EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED £25 OR MORE SINCE JULY 2021 WILL BE RECOGNISED and will be allocated an appropriate area on one of the patches or parts that have already been applied to the loco. Donations of smaller sums that accumulate to £25 are also eligible, so donate what you can when you can, and we will keep track of your total donations. Use our CONTACT FORM if you want to register your previous donations to D1010 for this campaign.

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is at Bishops Lydeard and is ready for gala duties.

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is at Minehead and is ready for gala duties.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco will move to Bishops Lydeard on Tuesday 7th June for fuelling and will work her gala services from the Bishops Lydeard end of the line.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – as above, but this loco will also work a ‘Quantock Belle’ private charter from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and back on Tuesday 7th June – more on this very special charter service next week.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – some HIGHLY visible progress was made on this loco over the last weekend, but we will hold back on the photos until next week’s instalment.

    This loco is on display and the quality of the restoration work will quickly become apparent upon inspection, so please do come along and take a look.

    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 full operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway and will miss the diesel gala this year, but we hope to have her back next year, perhaps with her current stablemate D9504 who is currently undergoing an overhaul at the K&ESR. Let’s see what the new year brings !

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is currently stabled at Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and is expected to move to Grosmont on WEDNESDAY 8th June to enter the loco works for completion of some overhaul tasks, including the replacement of the ‘triple pump’ using the spare that has been shipped from Williton to Grosmont. We hope to share the evidence of the move soon !

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is currently stabled in the yard at Williton and will be on display in her new livery of MOD deep bronze green. We have yet to complete the signwriting for her cabside detail and we also need to add the black diagonals to her buffer beams, but all will be done in the fullness of time. Take a look at this very useful locomotive when you visit the depot.

     

    If you can help by donating your time, 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 will skip this feature this week, but next week we will announce additional titles that will be added to our online store and will also be available on our sales stands, should the shipment arrive in time !

     

    ON SHED – we have received a number of photos from Neville Sloper’s collection and one that is quite appropriate as we celebrate the return to service of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 is this photo of the loco shortly after purchase from BR by the D+EG (forerunner of the DEPG) and before the loco was able to move to its new home on the fledgling WSR. Many thanks to Neville for sharing his photos with us all.

    Ex-BR Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 stands between Bagnall 0-6-0ST 2994 ‘VULCAN’ and a pair of Class 25s at Taunton stabling point, some time between August 1975 and March 1976. Photo by Neville Sloper © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DEPG NEWS – the May Newsletter has been mailed out and should be delivered this week, except for those members who have stated that they wanted an electronic copy, in which case they should have already received it. Just let me know if you want to go ‘paperless’ in future, and also let me know if you don’t receive your copy one way or another by the end of the week.

    Just a quick look at the statistics, we emailed the members for whom we hold email addresses (two thirds of our total number) and half of those emails were replied to within a matter of days (which is a very creditable response rate). Of those members who replied, three quarters opted for PAPERLESS, so the trend is clear. Thank you to all who responded so quickly. For those who opted for PAPER, we will be reviewing the options for a higher quality and larger sized newsletter when we review our membership rates, and will announce our plans in advance of the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on Saturday 3rd September. 

    AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY – the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the DEPG is scheduled to take place in the afternoon of Saturday 3rd September 2022, at Williton. All members will be advised via the forthcoming Newsletter mailing, which will also include a nomination form for board appointments.

     

    WSR NEWS: the ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ takes place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June and also includes additional entertainment and items of interest, the details of which can be found on the WSR website. Please make a plan to come along to this important event in support of both the WSR and the DEPG. Timetables for this gala have now been published on our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and any updates will be shared via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

     

    The timetables and the dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

    Go to Depot news

    Go to Join Us page

    Go to Welcome page

    Go to Home page

     

  • Weekly Roundup – 29-May-22

    South Devon Diesel Traction’s Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) was pictured arriving at Williton station with a service for Minehead during the WSR’s ‘Diesels to the Seaside 2019’ event on 21st June 2019. This loco will be visiting the WSR for the ‘Sixties Diesel Gala’ that will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The Gala Planning Team have announced that Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) will be visiting the WSR for the ‘Sixties Diesel Gala’ that will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022, joining the unique Clayton Class 17 D8568 and the DEPG’s home fleet to put on a decent showing of Sulzer, Paxman and Maybach power !

    The Class 25 is owned by South Devon Diesel Traction Ltd and is based at Buckfastleigh in Devon, but is no stranger to the WSR, having visited on several occasions in the past, and has always proved to be a popular attraction. This 1966-vintage machine will join the Diesel Traction Group’s (DTG) unique surviving Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 and both locos will join in with the DEPG home fleet of Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ D6566 (33 048) and D6575 (33 057) and Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ D7017 and D7018 to put on a great show !

    The timetables have now been released, after adjustments to maximise the riding mileage available, and can be found by clicking the below links or by visiting our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page. More details about the event can be found on the WSR website. Any additional or updated information will be announced by the WSR and via DIESELGEN as soon as possible.

    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

     

    The DTG’s unique Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 is pictured at the tail end of the Bewdley-Highley shuttle as it departed from Bewdley station on the Severn Valley Railway with a rake of vintage GWR coaches on Sunday 22nd May 2022. Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9551 is just visible at the leading end of the train. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DIESEL RUNNING DATES – we have created a new page on our website and we will be updating it on a regular basis to provide a quick and easy reference to diesel running for the whole of the 2022 season. We will be adding the link to all of our most-visited pages soon, but meanwhile the link can be found on our home page or by looking under the DIESELGEN menu header.

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we will be aiming to deliver the above program of running with the locos indicated and we will provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so please sign up to keep up to date.

     

    FAST APPROACHING – the WSR’s 2022 DIESEL GALA will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022, so keep these dates free and make a plan to attend ! Click this link to the WSR website to view the dates for other WSR events that are planned for 2022. We will be opening our depot to the public on these special event days, so please come along to view our major restoration projects and chat to our volunteers. We look forward to seeing you.

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER is still running and WE NEED YOUR HELP, so click on the images below for an update of fundraising status or to make a donation. We are making good progress on the restoration of this massive locomotive, but our fund raising needs to keep pace so that our volunteers can obtain the materials and spare parts as we go along. We know that there are a lot of competing causes at present, but please do what you can to help.

    Major progress on D1010 last week was the repair of the driver’s side window surround and handrail attachment at the ‘A’ end of the locomotive (currently the ‘Minehead’ end). The side windows are putting up a fight and don’t want to come out, but they have to be removed so that we can attend to the corroded steelwork that supports them. No doubt we will get them out soon. Here’s some photos showing the progress made during the last week:

    D1010 – the corner of the driver’s side window at ‘A’ end shows the evidence of a stress corrosion fracture that has allowed rain water to enter and cause further damage. This corroded metal was subsequently cut out so that new steel could be built up from the solid structure around the door frame. Photo taken at Williton on Monday 23rd May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the strength has been restored by welding a new steel section into the vertical stanchion which in turn provides support to the horizontal window frame section. The handrail attachment area was also cleaned out by Geoff and the handrail welded over by Colin. Photo taken at Williton on Monday 23rd May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the corner of the driver’s side window at ‘A’ end cannot be repaired until the aluminium window frame has been removed. This is putting up a fight because the steel screws have corroded into the steel below the frame and do not want to come out. In the end, brute force and ingenuity will be applied in appropriate measure to get the window frames out without damaging them. Photo taken at Williton on Monday 23rd May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the top corner surround of the driver’s door at ‘A’ end was showing a bulge in the skin, so an exploratory cut was made to find out what was going on. A cracked weld just below the gutter had allowed rain water to get in and the subsequent corrosion had pushed the skin outwards. This has now been repaired and resolved by Colin and Tim. Photo taken at Williton on Tuesday 24th May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number will be allocated and engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

    NOTE: EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED £25 OR MORE SINCE JULY 2021 WILL BE RECOGNISED and will be allocated an appropriate area on one of the patches or parts that have already been applied to the loco. Donations of smaller sums that accumulate to £25 are also eligible, so donate what you can when you can, and we will keep track of your total donations. Use our CONTACT FORM if you want to register your previous donations to D1010 for this campaign.

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco has now moved to Bishops Lydeard to take up her duty as the standby locomotive.

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is currently based at Minehead and is available for use as required.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco was the subject of attention last weekend, with an engine run and brake test being performed in readiness for a test run that will be fitted-in between now and the Diesel Gala.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – attention will soon shift to preparing this loco for her brake test and test run, in advance of a charter working that is booked for next Tuesday 7th June – but more about that in the next roundup. This loco will be locked in second gear for the rest of this season, which means that the power controller may need to be opened up a bit more to maintain timings with a 6-coach load. This should result in plenty of ‘Maybach Music’ to entertain the travellers !

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – some visible progress on this loco over the last weekend was the re-installation of the two Reavell exhausters that create the vacuum for the train braking system. These machines were overhauled some time ago by Terry Deacon and an interesting story about the challenges of the restoration work is told by specialist materials supplier TENMAT on their website. Click here for details.

    D9518 – the pair of reconditioned Reavell exhausters were treated to a coat of paint by Colin C at Williton on Saturday 28th May 2022, to make sure that they were properly dressed before they were hoisted back into position on the locomotive. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the two Reavell exhausters are now back in position on top of the subframe that holds them clear of the transmission heat exchanger, towards the front of the locomotive. Another excellent piece of progress by team D9518 ! The Voith L217u hydraulic transmission is in the foreground. Pictured at Williton on Sunday 29th May 2022 by Simon Purvis © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – The engine-driven (via the transmission) 110 VDC auxiliary generator has been prepared for re-installation and is soon to be back in position on top of the frames. This machine was completely reconditioned by well-known firm BOWERS ELECTRICAL, in Heanor, Derbyshire. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 28th May 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    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 full operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. The latest news is that loco has now clocked up 350 hours of use and continues to be well looked after by the Class 14 experts at this railway. One duty that she performed very carefully last week was the move of 1872-built Stroudley ‘Terrier’ Class A1X number 70, named ‘POPLAR‘ from Tenterden to Rolvenden, as pictured below:

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was in charge of moving 1872-built Stroudley Class A1X ‘Terrier’ number 70 ‘POPLAR’ from Tenterden to Rolvenden on Wednesday 25th May 2022. Photo provided by the K&ESR © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is currently stabled at Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and is expected to move to Grosmont during the coming week (yes, delayed from last week!) to enter the loco works for completion of some overhaul tasks, including the replacement of the ‘triple pump’ using the spare that has been shipped from Williton to Grosmont. We hope to share the news of the move soon.

    Class 47 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was pictured from a passing train while residing in the new carriage shed near Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in mid-May 2022. Photo by DEPG member and volunteer Cameron Walker © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco benefited from a wash that was provided by Ian and Tom on Sunday 29th May 2022 after it had attracted the unwelcome attention of the seagull population. Suffice it to say that the loco has now returned to her proper livery of deep bronze green !

     

     

    If you can help by donating your time, 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 – the excellent new 240-page book entitled ‘A Manual for Diesel Locomotive and DMU Drivers‘ by WSR and DEPG volunteer John Leach is selling very well, which is no surprise because it is a very high quality piece of work and is very well produced. It has even been printed in the UK, which is even more good news! This book is available from our stock for the discounted price of £34.95 from our ONLINE STORE. We will be offering this book for sale from both the Williton and Minehead DEPG sales stands at the WSR’s ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ from Thursday 9th June through Saturday 11th June 2022, along with other books and branded merchandise, in support of our loco fleet.

     

    ON SHED – staying with the story of Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8598 as featured last week, we now have a photograph of the loco in the yard at the Railway Technical Centre in Derby, showing the opposite side of the loco. Here’s some additional information that has been provided by Neville Sloper:

        “You can see from my photo (below) that, at the opposite end to the Longsight photo, 8598 had a high level jumper cable to enable it to work push/pull with a test vehicle (which I believe was converted from a redundant SR EMU driving car). You can see from this shot, that a single white pipe came from the tablet catcher recess on this side. This was the air brake pipe. On the opposite side, as in the Longsight photo, the two “pipes” coming from the recess are in fact electrical conduits running to the high level jumper cable and socket. This may be where the confusion about the use as a mobile generator came from.”

    Many thanks to Neville for sharing his knowledge and photograph with us all.

    This photograph shows Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8598 in the yard at the Railway Technical Centre in Derby, some time prior to her withdrawal and subsequent disposal in 1979. The RTC used the loco as a test bed for in-cab signalling and for the E70 brake control unit. Photo by Neville Sloper © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    DEPG NEWS – the Board met at Williton last Saturday 28th May and a synopsis of the meeting will be produced and shared ASAP.

    The May Newsletter has been completed and is being mailed out later this week, except for those members who have stated that they only want an electronic copy (we will need to confirm receipt of those emails because they will include a nomination form). Just let me know if you want to go ‘paperless’.

    AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY – the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the DEPG is scheduled to take place on the afternoon of Saturday 3rd September 2022, at Williton. All members will be advised via the forthcoming Newsletter mailing, which will also include a nomination form for board appointments.

     

    WSR NEWS: the next event will be the ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ that takes place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June when the DEPG facility at Williton will again be open to the public. Please make a plan to come along to this important event in support of both the WSR and the DEPG. Timetables for this gala have now been published on our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and any updates will be shared via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

    The timetables and the dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

    That’s all we have time for this week, but we will be back in touch with more news next week. Thank you for your ongoing support for the WSR and the DEPG !

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

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  • Weekly Roundup – 22-May-22

    The DTG’s unique Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 is pictured at Highley station on the Severn Valley Railway on 19th May 2022 with a rake of vintage GWR coaches. Photo by Steve Hampton © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The Diesel Traction Group’s (DTG) unique surviving Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 was in fine form during the Severn Valley Railway’s Spring Diesel Festival that took place last week, the loco being used on a shuttle service between Kidderminster and Bewdley in top-and-tail mode with Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9551 at the other end of the train. Both locos are ‘centre cab’ designs, but the much larger ‘Clayton’ is a 900 HP twin-engined diesel-electric machine that was designed to overcome the issue of restricted forward visibility that affected the earlier ‘Type 1’ long-bonnet designs of Classes 15, 16 and 20. The ‘Claytons’ certainly addressed that issue with their low bonnet lines and their big windows.

    The only survivor from a class of 117 examples, this loco will be headlining at the WSR’s ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ that will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022 and this will be the very first time that this locomotive class will have run on the Minehead branch, so we look forward to enjoying a real treat !

    In addition to the ‘Clayton’, one more visiting locomotive is ‘in the frame’ and details will be announced as soon as the hire contract has been finalised. Add the two Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ and the two Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ of our home fleet and this will make a very interesting lineup. The timetables are being adjusted to maximise the riding mileage available, and will be announced by the WSR and via DIESELGEN as soon as possible.

     

    Another loco making the news is the Western Locomotive Association’s (WLA’s) Class 52 D1062 ‘WESTERN COURIER’ in her temporary guise as D1040 ‘WESTERN QUEEN’ to mark the 70th Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II. This splendid loco will run as D1040 for the remainder of this season. The headcode 1M64 is that of a Class 1 (express passenger) working from the Western Region to the Midland Region – can anyone provide details on the specific working?

    The WLA’s Class 52 D1062 ‘WESTERN COURIER’ running as D1040 ‘WESTERN QUEEN’ was pictured at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway on Sunday 22nd May 2022. Photo by DEPG member Paul Mear © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Back on our home turf, the WSR’s ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ is fast approaching and both of our Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ D7017 and D7018 are undergoing attention to final details to prepare them for service. During the last weekend, D7017 moved inside the loco shed so that she could get a fresh coat of varnish to lift her tired paintwork and make her ‘look the part’ for her 60th year. The loco will need attention to some small areas of corrosion in advance of her next full repaint, but for this year, it was a case of a quick tidy-up and a focus on completion of remedial work associated with her recent bogie spring replacement. The two 60-year-olds made a fine sight in the sunshine, together again on number 1 road at Williton:

    Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ D7017 and D7018 are being prepared for service at Williton. D7017 has just received a fresh coat of varnish and this has made a tremendous difference to her appearance – thank you Graham ! Pictured on Sunday 22nd May 2022 by Graham Perry © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    On Saturday 21st May 2022, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) hauled the 10:00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard service as planned but remained attached to the ‘Taunton’ end when the train arrived at Bishops Lydeard. This was to allow sister loco D6575 (33 057) to take over the diagram for the rest of the day and again on Sunday. The reason for the switch was to allow D6566 to return to Williton for attention to a minor water leak that had been identified by a crew member on a previous working. The loco travelled back to Williton on the tail end of the 12:30 departure from Bishops Lydeard. The issue has now been resolved by Ian and Paul and both locos are available for service.

    It was great to see Stuart Nelhams (now General Manager of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway) back in charge of Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) with DEPG and WSR volunteer Chris Lawton as secondman, pictured during the Williton station stop on Sunday 22nd May 2022 while working the 10:00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard 80-mile diagram. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DIESEL RUNNING DATES – the table of dates that we shared last week contained an error because the WSR have planned a full steam service for Sunday 19th June because it will be Father’s Day. The table below has been updated accordingly and we will be sending out a DIESELGEN bulletin to provide more details ASAP. Here’s the allocation for the coming months:

    Date Timetable Loco type Mileage available
    Saturday 14th May Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles – D6566 – completed
    Sunday 15th May  Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles – D6566 – completed
    Saturday 21st May Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 20 miles D6566, 60 miles D6575 completed
    Sunday 22nd May  Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles – D6575 – completed
    Thursday 9th June DIESEL GALA Home fleet plus visitor(s) Norton Fitzwarren extension
    Friday 10th June DIESEL GALA Home fleet plus visitor(s) Norton Fitzwarren extension
    Saturday 11th June DIESEL GALA Home fleet plus visitor(s) Norton Fitzwarren extension
    Sunday 12th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ or visitor 80 miles
    Saturday 18th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ or visitor 80 miles
    Sunday 19th June Blue No diesels rostered All services steam-hauled (Father’s Day)
    Saturday 25th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ or visitor 80 miles
    Sunday 26th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ or visitor 80 miles
    Saturday 2nd July Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Sunday 3rd July Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Saturday 9th July Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Sunday 10th July Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Saturday 16th July Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Sunday 17th July Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Saturday 23rd July Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Sunday 24th July Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Saturday 30th July Yellow No diesels rostered All services steam-hauled
    Sunday 31st July Blue No diesels rostered All services steam-hauled
    Saturday 3rd Sept Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Sunday 4th Sept Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Saturday 17th Sept Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Sunday 18th Sept Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Saturday 24th Sept Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Sunday 25th Sept Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we will be aiming to deliver the above program of running with the locos indicated and we will provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so please sign up to keep up to date.

     

    FAST APPROACHING – the WSR’s 2022 DIESEL GALA will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022, so keep these dates free and make a plan to attend ! Click this link to the WSR website to view the dates for other WSR events that are planned for 2022. We will be opening our depot to the public on these special event days.

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER is still running and WE NEED YOUR HELP, so click on the images below for an update of fundraising status or to make a donation. Your support is essential to help us maintain the pace of the restoration programme and get this majestic loco back into service as quickly as possible!

    The need to get ‘Hymek’ D7017 under cover for her varnish top coat presented an opportunity to get D1010 out of the loco shed and into the sunshine. Here’s some photos showing the progress made during the last week:

    D1010 – the ‘B’ end of the loco has progressed very well and attention is now being given to the surface finish by Roy and Bob so that the undercoat layer can be applied. Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 (ROF 1) can also be seen in this picture, taken at Williton on Saturday 21st May 2022 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – a closer look at the ‘B’ end of the loco shows that the welding work has been completed and Roy is now able to concentrate on the paintwork. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 21st May 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – meanwhile, at the ‘A’ end of the loco, this view shows a series of re-purposed steel patches totalling eleven feet (3.3m) in length, all resulting from the corrosion caused by rain water ingress that accumulates on the deck plate when the loco is stored outdoors and not in regular use. The patches had to be applied in small sections and include plug-welds because the skin of the loco forms part of the load-bearing structure and it cannot be simply cut open and seam welded around the edges. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 21st May 2022 by Mark Ireland © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number will be allocated and engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

    NOTE: EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED £25 OR MORE SINCE JULY 2021 WILL BE RECOGNISED and will be allocated an appropriate area on one of the patches or parts that have already been applied to the loco. Donations of smaller sums that accumulate to £25 are also eligible, so donate what you can when you can, and we will keep track of your total donations. Use our CONTACT FORM if you want to register your previous donations to D1010 for this campaign.

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco was in action for the first leg of the 10:00 Minehead diagram under the blue timetable as per our recent DIESELGEN bulletin but handed over to sister loco D6575 (33 057) for the rest of the diagram so that she could return to Williton for a repair to a minor coolant leak. The issue was resolved within a matter of hours and the loco was made ready to take up her new duty as standby locomotive.

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) worked the 10:00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard service on Saturday 21st May 2022 before handing over to sister loco D6575 (33 057) and tagging along for the ride back to Williton where the loco was detached from the rear of the train. The loco then made her way to the South Yard and is pictured receiving attention to a coolant leak. The minor repairs were completed by Ian and Paul within a matter of hours and the loco was again made available for service. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is currently based at Minehead and is available for use as required.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is now gleaming again, thanks to a fresh coat of varnish that has been applied by Graham. There are a few small tasks remaining to be completed, after which the loco will be ready to be returned to service. We are looking forward to seeing her back in action during the Diesel Gala that takes place between 9th and 11th June.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – with all of our attention having been diverted onto other things during the past few weeks, the decision was taken to leave the transmission of this loco locked in second gear for the immediate future, to ensure that she is available for the Diesel Gala and beyond. This loco operated in second gear for the whole of the 2021 season without difficulty, although it will mean that the power controller may need to be opened up a bit more to maintain timings with a 6-coach load. This should result in plenty of ‘Maybach Music’ to accompany her efforts !

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – more new parts have been sourced to assist with the restoration of this loco, the latest acquisitions being a new set of steel pins and collars for the brake rigging, machined by Yeovil-based VGG Group and paid for by donations to the D9518 Restoration Fund. Thank you to all who have been donating to support the work being done on this loco !

    D9518 – a set of new brake pins and collars have been machined by Yeovil-based VGG Group to complete the brake rigging on this loco, paid for by donations to the D9518 Restoration Fund. The good quality work and the excellent turnaround time tells us that we have found another good supplier that we can use for other parts in the future. One of the ‘old parts’ is shown in the foreground for reference. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 17th May 2022 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the BR-Swindon drawings for the brake pins and collars were regenerated in CAD by chartered mechanical engineer and DEPG volunteer Paul Clark © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – The two reconditioned Reavell exhausters that create the vacuum for the train braking system were retrieved from storage and are undergoing a re-paint before installing them onto the loco frames. Click here for a very interesting story of engineering work that was performed by Terry Deacon with materials specialist TENMAT during the restoration work on these machines. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 21st May 2022 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – The engine-driven (via the transmission) 110 VDC auxillary generator was retrieved from storage and is ready to be re-installed onto the loco frames. This machine was completely reconditioned by well-known firm BOWERS ELECTRICAL, in Heanor, Derbyshire. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 21st May 2022 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    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 full operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. The latest news is that loco continues to perform well and is being looked after by the Class 14 experts at the railway in addition to the periodic visits from our own Class 14 team leader Simon. We hope to include some photographs of this loco soon.

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is currently stabled at Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and is expected to move to Grosmont during the coming week to enter the loco works for completion of some overhaul tasks, including the replacement of the ‘triple pump’ using the spare that has been shipped from Williton to Grosmont.

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this very useful locomotive was in use again over the weekend, shunting our locos around so that D7017 could get into the loco shed. Here’s a photo showing the loco in action:

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 (ROF 1) was in use again on 21st and 22nd May 2022 and is pictured shunting D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and ‘Hymek’ D7018 into number 1 road at Williton. Photo by Paul Clark © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    If you can help by donating your time, 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 – the excellent new 240-page book entitled ‘A Manual for Diesel Locomotive and DMU Drivers‘ by WSR and DEPG volunteer John Leach is selling very well, which is no surprise because it is a very high quality piece of work and is very well produced. It has even been printed in the UK, which is even more good news! This book is available from our stock for the discounted price of £34.95 from our ONLINE STORE. We will be offering this book for sale from both the Williton and Minehead DEPG sales stands at the WSR’s ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ from Thursday 9th June through Saturday 11th June 2022.

     

    ON SHED – last week, we featured a photo of a Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8598 that we said had been transferred to the Railway Technical Centre at Derby for use as a mobile generator. This was not the case, as pointed out by long-term DEPG member Neville Sloper who wrote as follows:

    “D8521 was the RTC mobile generator. D8598 was used for in-cab signalling trials on the Styal line, hence it often being seen at Longsight. It was also the test bed for the E70 brake unit, as used in the HST and class 56 and the pipes seen coming from the former tablet catcher recess are actually air brake pipes (the brake pipe is visible on the buffer beam on the Longsight photo).

    Many thanks to Neville for taking the time to set the record straight. We always welcome such feedback, aimed at ensuring the accuracy and reliability of information that we are presenting. As a result, the photo below now has a revised caption:

    This photograph shows Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8598 at Longsight Diesel Depot (Manchester) on 19th January 1975. This loco only worked for seven years before being withdrawn from service at the end of 1971 – but survived until 1979 due to being of some use to the RTC who used it as a test bed for in-cab signalling and for the E70 brake control unit (note the additional pipework emanating from the tablet catcher recess and also on the right hand side of the buffer beam). Photo by Mark Bladwell © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    A new on-shed photo that is highly topical has been provided by well-known heritage railway engineer Bob Meanley and shows another appropriately-named Class 52 ‘Western’, in this case D1064 ‘WESTERN REGENT’ at the Exeter St. Davids ‘stabling point’ (a term that often denotes a place that was formerly a ‘proper’ shed in steam days, but has been downgraded subsequently). The photo was taken from Platform 6 and shows one of the many water columns that were fed from the giant water tank at the south end of the station (off to the left of this picture). The former steam shed (off to the right of the picture) was just a collection of walls by this time, the roof having been removed some time previously. Open countryside and the banks of the River Exe form the background. Many thanks to Bob for sending his photograph to us to share.

    This photograph shows Class 52 D1064 ‘WESTERN REGENT’ at Exeter St. Davids stabling point in July 1968. This loco was built at Crewe and entered service in May 1963, initially based at Cardiff Canton depot. The loco was painted into BR-blue livery in March 1968, just four months prior to this photo being taken. Withdrawal came in December 1975 due to minor accident damage that was deemed beyond economic repair. Photo by Bob Meanley © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DEPG NEWS – the Board will be meeting at Williton at 1030 on the morning of Saturday 28th May so please let me know if you have a question that you would like to have tabled at that meeting.

    The May Newsletter is in the works and is planned for distribution next week. We have a short list of members who have stated that they only want an electronic copy, but all other members will be sent a paper copy. Let me know if you want to go ‘paperless’.

    AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY – the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the DEPG is scheduled to take place on the afternoon of Saturday 3rd September 2022, at Williton. All members will be advised via the forthcoming Newsletter mailing, which will also include a nomination form for board appointments.

     

    WSR NEWS: the next event will be the ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ that takes place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June when the DEPG facility at Williton will again be open to the public. Please make a plan to come along to this important event in support of both the WSR and the DEPG. Timetables for this gala have not yet been published but are expected very soon and will be shared via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

    The timetables and the dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

    Go to Depot news

    Go to Join Us page

    Go to Welcome page

    Go to Home page

  • Weekly Roundup – 15-May-22

    We have just had confirmation that the Diesel Traction Group’s (DTG) unique surviving Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 will be attending at the WSR’s ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ that will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022. This will be the very first time that this rare beast has visited the WSR and we look forward to the unique sight and sound of this twin-engined diesel-electric machine as she tackles the significant gradients along the line.

    In addition to the ‘Clayton’, one more visiting locomotive is ‘in the frame’ and details will be announced as soon as the hire contract has been finalised. Add the two Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ and the two Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ of our home fleet and this will make a very interesting lineup. The timetables are being adjusted to maximise the riding mileage available, and will be announced by the WSR and via DIESELGEN as soon as possible.

     

    Also making the news this week …

    … is the long-awaited publication of a 240-page book by DEPG driver and WSR Diesel Traction Inspection JOHN LEACH, the contents of which will be fascinating to heritage diesel lovers as well as footplate crew. This book is the culmination of many years of hard work and preparation and we hope that it becomes essential reading for all with a detailed interest in heritage diesel traction.

     

    Here’s what John has to say about his new book:

         “The book is 240 pages long, hard back and in A4 format. It includes 87 diagrams, 39 tables and many photos, particularly of loco parts. Very roughly, it is a balance of 50/50 traction and the other knowledge required by a Driver. Please note that it is a manual for Drivers, and does not convey the depth of knowledge required by fitters, although there are cross references to other works (such as the BR manual ‘Diesel Traction’, 1962) for those requiring much deeper information. My own work is technical, but is a step down from ‘Diesel Traction’, with many of the diagrams being illustrative rather than technically correct, as I have tried to illustrate the basic working of various pieces of equipment. It is entitled ‘A manual for diesel loco and DMU drivers’.”

    John’s new book is available for £34.95 from our DEPG online store by clicking on the image or on this link.

     

    John is well known throughout the DEPG and WSR for his in-depth training courses for diesel footplate crew. He is highly knowledgeable and keen to teach others, so it is not surprising that this is what his publisher, Platform 5, had to say:

         “This book focuses on the role and duties of heritage railway diesel drivers and secondmen, but contains little that should not be comprehensible to anyone with an interest in diesel traction and footplate matters.

         The author is a fifth-generation railwayman who began his footplate career in 1970 and is now a diesel driver and traction inspector at the West Somerset Railway. Of the book, he writes, “It is the standard of knowledge that was required of me by BR, and that which I now seek to pass on to others”.”

    We wish John every success with his new book !

     

    DEPG driver John Leach and secondman Terry Deacon were in charge of Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048), pictured in the sunshine during the Williton station stop on Saturday 14th May 2022 while working the 10:00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard service. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DIESEL RUNNING DATES – we are now able to confirm further loco allocations for the diesel running days and we will be sending out a DIESELGEN bulletin to provide more details later this week. Here’s the allocation for the next coming months:

    Date Timetable Loco type Mileage available
    Saturday 14th May Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles – D6566 – completed
    Sunday 15th May  Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles – D6566 – completed
    Saturday 21st May Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Sunday 22nd May  Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Thursday 9th June DIESEL GALA Home fleet plus visitor(s) Norton Fitzwarren extension
    Friday 10th June DIESEL GALA Home fleet plus visitor(s) Norton Fitzwarren extension
    Saturday 11th June DIESEL GALA Home fleet plus visitor(s) Norton Fitzwarren extension
    Sunday 12th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ or visitor 80 miles
    Saturday 18th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ or visitor 80 miles
    Sunday 19th June Blue No diesels rostered All steam (Fathers Day)
    Saturday 25th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ or visitor 80 miles
    Sunday 26th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ or visitor 80 miles
    Saturday 2nd July Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Sunday 3rd July Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Saturday 9th July Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Sunday 10th July Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Saturday 16th July Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Sunday 17th July Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Saturday 23rd July Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Sunday 24th July Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Saturday 30th July Yellow No diesels rostered All services steam-hauled
    Sunday 31st July Blue No diesels rostered All services steam-hauled
    Saturday 3rd Sept Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Sunday 4th Sept Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Saturday 17th Sept Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Sunday 18th Sept Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Saturday 24th Sept Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Sunday 25th Sept Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we will be aiming to deliver the above program of running with the locos indicated and we will provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so sign up to keep up to date.

     

    SOME VERY IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – the WSR’s 2022 DIESEL GALA will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022, so keep these dates free and make a plan to attend ! Click this link to the WSR website to view the dates for other WSR events that are planned for 2022. We will be opening our depot to the public on these special event days.

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER is still running and WE NEED YOUR HELP, so click on the images below for an update of fundraising status or to make a donation. It all adds up, that’s for sure!

     

    The heavier nature of the repairs required at ‘A’ end can be seen in this series of four photographs that were provided by DEPG volunteer (and master of the art of welding, amongst many other talents) Colin Foxhall, and it goes without saying that we are very grateful for his contribution to the restoration of D1010. Here goes:

    D1010 – the ‘A’ end of the loco has corroded to a greater extent than the ‘B’ end so the repairs are more invasive and require more metal to be removed so that the underlying structure can be rebuilt with sufficient strength. Pictured at Williton on Monday 9th May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – each section supports another, so it is important to build up from the solid metal of the buffer beam and then restore the sub-structure before adding the skin. More patches that need sponsoring ! Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 10th May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – trial-fitting a piece of sheet steel that has been formed and shaped in three dimensions. There’s no flat sheet metal parts on a ‘Western’ ! Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 10th May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – job done ! The corner of ‘A’ end on ‘A’ side has now been repaired and the rigidity has been restored, along with the curves that are characteristic of a ‘Western’. More excellent work by DEPG volunteer Colin and his assistants Geoff and Tim. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 10th May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    On Saturday, Brian continued his work on the battery compartment doors, some of which have been repaired in the past so just need cleaning and painitng, and other that have rusted through and will need to be removed for repair on the bench. There are eight doors, four on each side of the loco, and they are quite substantial in construction to cope with the weight of the batteries, which have to be pulled out for periodic maintenance or replacement:

    D1010 – two of the eight battery compartment doors were opened up for attention at Williton on Saturday 14th May 2022. The doors, hinges and stays are strong enough to carry the full weight of the batteries, visible in their black plastic carriers in the upper right quadrant of the picture. Photo by Brian Litherland © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number will be allocated and engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

    NOTE: EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED £25 OR MORE SINCE JULY 2021 WILL BE RECOGNISED and will be allocated an appropriate area on one of the patches or parts that have already been applied to the loco. Donations of smaller sums that accumulate to £25 are also eligible, so donate what you can when you can, and we will keep track of your total donations. Use our CONTACT FORM if you want to register your previous donations to D1010 for this campaign.

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco was in action for both days of the weekend on the 10:00 Minehead diagram under the blue timetable as per our recent DIESELGEN bulletin.

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) covered the 10:00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard workings on both days of the weekend and is pictured on Sunday 15th May 2022 on the first return leg of the 80-mile diagram, leaving Bishops Lydeard just after a shower had passed through. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    ADVANCE INFORMATION – the 10:00 Minehead diagram will again be hauled by one of the Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ on Sat/Sun 21/22 May. The BLUE TIMETABLE offers 80 miles of diesel-haulage with two return trips starting at Minehead. Keep up to date about future diesel running via DIESELGEN.

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is based at Bishops Lydeard and is available for use as required.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is now receiving attention for a fairly short list of tasks that need to be dealt with before she can be returned to service. This loco will swap places with D1010 for the weekend of 21/22 May and go into the loco shed so that her paintwork can be cleaned and varnished in time for the Diesel Gala that takes place between 9th and 11th June.

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – an engine run was performed on Saturday 14th May 2022 to ensure that all of her systems were functional. There is a short list of tasks that need to be completed to get this loco ready for service, so she will be the focus of attention in the coming weeks.

    The loco was being used for target practice by the local seagull population, so sales team volunteer Mark took pity on her and treated her to a thorough wash-and-brush-up, and also provided us with the following photograph. Mark – many thanks for doing such a great job !

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 had attracted the ‘wrong kind of attention’ from the seagulls, so volunteer Mark used his day off as an opportunity to bring the loco back up to her usual sparkling-clean condition. Pictured at Williton on Monday 9th May 2022 by Mark Ireland © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – work continues behind the scenes on the many small parts that need to be restored or replaced to allow the major assemblies to be re-installed. This week, a pair of new brake return springs were delivered, having been made to the original Swindon drawing and paid for by donations to the D9518 Restoration Fund. Thank you to all who have been donating to support the work being done on this loco !

    D9518 – the two brand new brake return springs that were made to the BR-Swindon drawing by the Tested Spring Company at Tividale in the West Midlands (great service, by the way!) and paid for by donations to the D9518 Restoration Fund. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 14th May 2022 by Simon Purvis © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    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 full operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. The latest readings from the meters on the loco show that the loco has been used for 364 hours and has covered 7,408 miles while out on hire in the southeast. This is remarkable and shows how well-suited the ‘Teddy Bear’ is to duties on this line. Well done D9526 !

    As promised a few weeks’ ago, here are the photos from another excellent supplier, ICS Online in Preston, who have reconditioned the ‘spare’ starter motor for D9526 and turned the complete job around in less than two weeks. Fantastic service !

    D9526 – the armature of the spare starter motor had suffered from overheating, so the team at ICS Online performed a thorough reconditoning of the part, restoring it to as-new performance. Photo dated 28th April 2022 by Iain Parker, ICS Online © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9526 – the field coils of the spare starter motor were removed and re-insulated to ensure reliable operation of this 110 V DC machine for many years to come. What an excellent service from the team at ICS Online in Preston. Photo dated 28th April 2022 by Iain Parker, ICS Online © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is currently stabled at Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and is expected to move to Grosmont during the coming week to enter the loco works for completion of some overhaul tasks, including the replacement of the ‘triple pump’ using the spare that has been shipped from Williton to Grosmont. After removal, the worn triple pump will be sent to a specialist firm for complete refurbishment and will become the new spare, and will be stored at Williton.

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – no change this week.

     

    If you can help by donating your time, 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 – see article above regarding ‘A Manual for Diesel Locomotive and DMU Drivers‘ by John Leach, available from our ONLINE STORE.

     

    ON SHED – this week, with the news that Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 will be visiting the WSR, this is a good opportunity to present a photo of another class member that very nearly made it into preservation, after being transferred to the Railway Technical Centre (RTC) at Derby for use as a mobile generator. The loco is D8598, one of the batch that was built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester, to the ‘BR standard Type 1’ design, entering service in August of 1964. Unfortunately, the design was flawed and there was no real effort made to correct the issues, so all 117 locomotives were withdrawn from service by the end of 1971. Some had been cut up when less than four years old, but D8598 managed to avoid the cutting torch until 1979. Only D8568 survived into preservation, by working in industry until 1982, being acquired by our good friends at the DTG in 1983.

    This photograph shows Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8598 at Longsight Diesel Depot on 19th January 1975. This loco only worked for seven years before being withdrawn from service at the end of 1971 – but survived until 1979 due to being of some use to the RTC who used it as a mobile generator (note the additional electrical conduits emanating from the tablet catcher recess near the double arrows logo). Photo by Mark Bladwell © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DEPG NEWS – the station car park at Williton was dominated by twelve vintage Land Rovers on Saturday 14th May 2022 as the Somerset Series 1 Land Rover Club had arranged a visit to Williton depot for a guided tour. The tour lasted nearly three hours during which the group viewed our restoration projects and witnessed the start-up of ‘Hymek’ D7018, before heading off in convoy for a cream tea at Stogumber station. A very useful donation was received as a token of their appreciation !

    Twelve Series 1 (1948 through 1958) Land Rovers gathered at Williton on Saturday 14th May 2022. Pictured in Williton Station car park by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The 3-year lease for Unit 9 Roughmoor Business Centre (adjacent to our Williton depot) has been agreed and the DEPG will take over the unit later this month. This will provide us with sufficient covered and clean working space to allow the further disassembly and subsequent repair of the ‘B’ transmission from D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’. The DEPG already leases the adjacent Unit 8 but since the loss of use of the Old Goods Shed at Williton Station, Unit 8 is too crowded to permit further disassembly of the turbine rail.

     

    ANOTHER NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY – the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the DEPG is scheduled to take place on the afternoon of Saturday 3rd September 2022, at Williton. All members will be advised via the forthcoming Newsletter mailing, which will also include a nomination form for board appointments.

     

    WSR NEWS: the next event will be the ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ that takes place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June when the DEPG facility at Williton will again be open to the public. Please make a plan to come along to this important event in support of both the WSR and the DEPG. Timetables for this gala have not yet been published but are expected very soon and will be shared via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

    The timetables and the dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

    Go to Depot news

    Go to Join Us page

    Go to Welcome page

    Go to Home page

     

  • Weekly Roundup – 08-May-22

    The DEPG sales stand was back in action on all four days of the Spring Steam Gala, but Chris had a prior engagement for the Saturday (something to do with a ‘Deltic’ …) so DEPG member Mark Ireland volunteered to man the stand and has now been inducted to the sales team. That will teach him. Well done Mark ! Pictured on Saturday 7th May 2022 at Williton by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The DEPG opened our Williton depot to the public on all four days of the WSR’s SPRING STEAM GALA (Thursday 5th through Sunday 8th May) and attendance was good (the busiest days being Thursday and Saturday) and the event resulted in sales and donations totalling close to £500 – which is not bad at all for a STEAM gala !

    Donations were boosted by the guided tours that were provided by Leroy (on all four days – thank you Leroy !) and also by Terry, and our visitors were impressed by the obvious progress on both D1010 and D9518. The dual attractions of locomotives under heavy overhaul and the Model Railways sales stand operated by Rod Saunders worked very well and is a recipe that we will be offering at the Diesel Gala as well. Many thanks to all who worked so hard to make the event such a success !

    The model railway sales stand was very well patronised and brought additional visitors into our diesel depot. Similarly, most of the visitors wanting to see our locos were also attracted by the wide range of models being offered by Rod Saunders (above, centre), so it was a win-win combination. Pictured on Saturday 7th May 2022 at Williton by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DIESEL RUNNING DATES – We are now able to confirm the loco allocations for the diesel running days and we will be sending out a DIESELGEN bulletin to provide more details later this week. Here’s the allocation for the next few weekends:

    Date Timetable Loco type Mileage available
    Saturday 14th May Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Sunday 15th May  Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Saturday 21st May Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Sunday 22nd May  Blue Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 80 miles
    Thursday 9th June DIESEL GALA Home fleet plus visitor(s) Norton Fitzwarren extension
    Friday 10th June DIESEL GALA Home fleet plus visitor(s) Norton Fitzwarren extension
    Saturday 11th June DIESEL GALA Home fleet plus visitor(s) Norton Fitzwarren extension
    Sunday 12th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ or visitor 80 miles
    Saturday 18th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles
    Sunday 19th June Blue Class 35 ‘Hymek’ 80 miles

    The usual caveats of loco availability apply, but we will be aiming to deliver the above program of running with the locos indicated and we will provide as much advance notice of any change as possible, using our DIESELGEN and Twitter feeds, so sign up to keep up to date.

     

    SOME VERY IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – the WSR’s 2022 DIESEL GALA will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022, so keep these dates free and make a plan to attend ! Click this link to the WSR website to view the dates for other WSR events that are planned for 2022. We will be opening our depot to the public on these special event days.

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER has been boosted by the recent raffle income and by donations made at the events of the last two weekends, but we are still some way from our target so WE NEED YOUR HELP ! Click on the images below for an update of fundraising status or to make a donation. It all helps, that’s for sure!

    We were unable to work on the loco during the gala weekend so our team worked mid-week to make sure that the work progressed on the ‘A’ side at the ‘A’ end of the loco (nearest the main doors). As mentioned last week, the ‘A’ end needs a more invasive form of repair compared to the ‘B’ end, so progress will take the form of stops and starts as larger tasks are tackled. Here’s some photos of the work that was completed last week:

    D1010 – repairs around the driver’s door handrail mounts at ‘A’ end have now been completed except for the area shown in the yellow circle – this area will be opened up and repaired in the very near future. More patches that need sponsoring ! Pictured at Williton on Wednesday 4th May 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the ‘skin’ around the leading sandbox porthole at the ‘A’ end has been extensively repaired, so much so that only one of the 10 mounting holes for the cast aluminium frame remains. The other nine holes have been marked and now need to be drilled ! Pictured at Williton on Saturday 7th May by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number will be allocated and engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

     

    NOTE: EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED £25 OR MORE SINCE JULY 2021 WILL BE RECOGNISED and will be allocated an appropriate area on one of the patches or parts that have already been applied to the loco. Donations of smaller sums that accumulate to £25 are also eligible, so donate what you can when you can, and we will keep track of your total donations. Use our CONTACT FORM if you want to register your previous donations to D1010 for this campaign.

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now outstationed at Minehead and is rostered for use this coming weekend under the blue timetable as per our recent DIESELGEN bulletin.

    ADVANCE INFORMATION – the 10:00 Minehead diagram will be hauled by Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) on Sat/Sun 14/15 May and 21/22 May. The BLUE TIMETABLE offers 80 miles of diesel-haulage with two return trips starting at Minehead. Keep up to date about future diesel running via DIESELGEN.

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) is now outstationed at Minehead to cover the weekend workings that originate at Minehead. This loco is booked to work the 10:00 departure for two return trips (80 miles) on each day of the next two weekends. Pictured on Thursday 5th May 2022 at Minehead in the company of BR(W) 0-6-0PT 9466 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is based at Bishops Lydeard and was treated to an ‘A’ exam on Saturday by Ian and Tom, and they also took the opportunity to replace the vinyl numerals that had conveniently decided to peel themselves off. This was only convenient because they were the wrong font and needed to be replaced by the authentic font anyway, as can be seen from the picture below:

    BRCW Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was treated to a new set of ‘proper’ numerals on Sunday 8th May 2022 after her corporate-era ‘Rail Alphabet‘ font numerals decided to detach themselves from the loco ! © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is now receiving attention for a fairly short list of tasks that need to be dealt with before she can be returned to service. The plan is well under way to get the loco into a presentable external condition in time for the Diesel Gala that takes place between 9th and 11th June.

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 received attention from Graham’s paintbrush with a coat of varnish that will get her through the season in style. This loco will be subjected to a full repaint next year, after attention to some small areas of corrosion. Pictured at Williton on 8th May 2022 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Beyer Peacock Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017’s faded paintwork will take on a new appearance after a careful clean followed by a coat of varnish. The larger areas need to wait until the loco is under cover and free from airborne dust. There are some small areas of corrosion that will just have to be varnished over for this season. Pictured at Williton on Sunday 8th May by Graham Perry © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco was open to the public at Williton for all four days of the Steam Gala, proudly showing off her Bristol Siddeley Maybach MD870 V16 engine while basking in the sunshine. Here’s a picture:

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 was open to the public on all four days of the steam gala and received plenty of attention. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 7th May by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – activities at Williton were restricted by the need to open the depot to the public, but Terry and Andy P continued working on the fuel system pipework and fittings. Here’s some photographs to show what has been happening on this loco:

    D9518 – the non-return valve of the bulk fuel filler port had become stuck after so many years out of use, so it was removed by Andy P for attention and was soon sorted out and readied for re-installation. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 7th May 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the repaired bulk fuel filler port was re-fitted to the loco by Andy P at Williton on Saturday 7th May 2022. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – a view of the rolling chassis as it gradually acquires the many components that are needed to restore it to working order. Pictured at Williton on Sunday 8th May 2022 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – the heat exchanger for the hydraulic transmission fluid has now been re-connected. It sits between the two red supports that will eventually carry the exhausters. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 7th May 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    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 full operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway.

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is currently stabled at Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and is expected to move to Grosmont during the coming week to enter the loco works for completion of some overhaul tasks, including the replacement of the ‘triple pump’ using the spare that has been prepared for shipment from Williton to Grosmont:

    The spare ‘triple pump’ for Class 47 47077 (D1661 47613 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ has been wrapped up and is ready for the 300-mile journey to Grosmont for installation into the loco. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 7th May 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – no change this week.

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH number 578 (ROF 1) was in the yard at Williton and her new bronze green paintwork was available for viewing throughout the steam gala. Pictured along with fellow diesel-hydraulics (L-R) D7017, D7018 and D1010 on Sunday 8th May by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    If you can help by donating your time, 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 have a book review from regular contributor and DEPG member Neale Long, covering Part Two of the Book Law Publications title ‘BR Early Diesels in Colour‘ as follows:

    BR Early Diesels in Colour – Part Two – TOPS Classes 37 to 55 published by Book Law Publications

         “This is the accompanying volume to ‘Part One – TOPS Classes 01 to 35’ published earlier this year. Using the same format at Part One, this second volume continues its survey of all early BR diesels, with another gorgeous collection of full colour images, which like the previous volume does full justice to the subject matter. This second volume covers classes 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 50, 52, 53 & 55 and various designs that did not receive any TOPS classification such as various shunters built by North British, Ruston & Hornsby, Hunslet and Barclay; the prototype ‘DELTIC’ and the SR 1-Co-Co-1. The volume ends with some truly spectacular views over the more scenic lines in the North of England with the Settle & Carlisle and Oxenholme to Shap featuring classes 17, 25, 28, 37, 40, 47 and 50.

         Book Law publishing have continued their good work in this second volume full of sumptuous colour images of many much-loved classes, the vast majority of which have not been published before. With a high standard of reproduction, thoughtful and informative captions, this splendid publication with surely appeal to not only heritage traction enthusiasts in particular, but also to railway historians and modellers who seek to learn more about this fascinating period in Britain’s railway history.

         From the Group’s perspective, the volume covers two classes with which it has a direct involvement, namely classes 47 and 52 and both classes are well covered in this volume. Pride of place must surely go to the superb side profile image of a green livered D1661 ‘NORTH STAR’ traversing the line between Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill on what one presumes is a Hereford to London service. From the diesel-hydraulic perspective, there are several fascinating images; – namely D601 ‘ARK ROYAL’ at Taunton on the up ‘Mayflower’ and D845 ‘SPRIGHTLY’ and an unidentified sister at Teignmouth on the Paignton to Bradford ‘Devonian’ service.

         Class 52 enthusiasts won’t be disappointed either, with an interesting if somewhat rare image of D1013 ‘WESTERN RANGER’ in maroon with small yellow panels rather that the more common image of her in BR blue. But perhaps the most interesting image is that of a brand new D1058 ‘WESTERN NOBLEMAN’ on a Cardiff-Portsmouth Harbour service at Keynsham, this author at least has never seen a photograph of a Class 52 on one of these services.

         Of the diesel-electrics, again there are so many fascinating views, but the photograph of a class 37 at Cargo Fleet (Teeside) on the inaugural molten metal torpedo train from Middlesborough to Consett is worthy of mention, images of Class 37s with brake tenders in the Northeast similarly so. Great to see an image of a Class 40 at Wiske Moor water troughs, replenishing her boiler water tanks. Enthusiasts of all the generic ‘Peak’ classes will not be disappointed although the original split box locomotives only figure right at the end of the volume but amazingly illustrates a unique yellow warning panel which extends to the one headcode box.

         Overall, this is a beautifully produced volume which is the perfect accompaniment to the excellent Part One in the series. A must for all lovers of heritage traction, this volume can be recommended without hesitation.”

    Many thanks to Neale for this book review.

     

    Another very interesting publication this month is the June edition of RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED which carries a four-page article on the WESTERN LOCOMOTIVE ASSOCIATION (WLA) as they approach their celebration of 45 years of preservation of their two Class 52 locomotives, D1013 ‘WESTERN RANGER’ and D1062 ‘WESTERN COURIER’. This article is a credit to the WLA and their achievements and is well worth a read.

     

    ON SHED – this week, we have a rare photo of our very own D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ at Exeter St. Davids, fresh from an engine change and a repaint at Laira depot, being put to work on a Paddington service almost exactly 47 years ago today. This is another shot from Devon-based photographer Barry Gay and we are very grateful to Barry for permission to use his work. The detail that he provides with each of his photographs is amazing. Thank you Barry !

    This photograph shows D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ departing from Exeter St. Davids with the 1A49 12:05 Penzance to Paddington on 11th May 1975. The gleaming loco worked the train from Plymouth, having just emerged from Laira depot with two reconditioned engines and a full repaint. Photo by Barry Gay © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DEPG NEWS – the synopsis of the most recent Board Meeting has been prepared and will be emailed during the next day or two to all members for whom we hold a valid email address.

    The synopsis will show that the Board has approved the lease of Unit 9 Roughmoor Business Centre (adjacent to our Williton depot) as a means of providing sufficient covered and clean working space to allow the further disassembly and subsequent repair of the ‘B’ transmission from D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’. The DEPG already leases the adjacent Unit 8 but since the loss of use of the Old Goods Shed at Williton Station, Unit 8 is too crowded to permit further disassembly of the turbine rail. Indications are that we should be able to move into the additional space later this month.

     

    WSR NEWS: the next event will be the ‘SIXTIES DIESEL GALA’ that takes place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June when the DEPG facility at Williton will again be open to the public. Please make a plan to come along to this important event in support of both the WSR and the DEPG. Timetables for this gala have not yet been published but are expected soon and will be shared via our DIESELGEN email bulletin service.

    The dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

     

     

    Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

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  • Weekly Roundup – 01-May-22

    The DEPG sales stand at the Bristol Model Railway Exhibition, pictured with a ‘potential customer’ browsing through the items …. or perhaps he was really a member of the sales team in a staged photo …. Mark is not telling but Chris is giving the game away ! Pictured on Sunday 1st May 2022 by Mark Bladwell © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The DEPG sales stand at the BRISTOL MODEL RAILWAY EXHIBITION was busy raising funds and attracting new members on all three days of the show, with our sales stand being manned by Chris Shields and Mark Bladwell (on all three days) and Mark Townsend (Sat/Sun) with help from sales stalwarts John Kite and Peter Bamber. Running a sales stand for three days is an endurance test in itself and we are very grateful to our volunteers for giving up so much of their time in support of our locos ! Early indications are that approximately £500 has been added to our funds as a result of this effort, so well done all !

     

    The WSR’s SPRING STEAM GALA will take place next week from Thursday 5th May through Sunday 8th May. The timetables for this event have now been published and can be accessed by clicking this link to the WSR website. New information about visiting locomotives can be found on the news page of wsr.org.uk so keep an eye on this very useful site. Here’s the latest posting on this subject: http://www.wsr.org.uk/news.htm#2519

    The DEPG’s diesel depot at Williton will be open to the public for all four days of the gala and well-known model railway retailer Rod Saunders will have a sales stand offering a wide range of pre-owned models. If you are planning to attend the event, please allow enough time for a visit to Williton.

     

    MORE VERY IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – the WSR’s 2022 DIESEL GALA will take place from Thursday 9th through Saturday 11th June 2022, so keep these dates free and make a plan to attend ! Click this link to the WSR website to view the dates for other WSR events that are planned for 2022. We will be opening our depot to the public on these special event days.

     

    LOCO NEWS:

    Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER is raising the level of awareness of this major project so donations and sponsorships continue to arrive, but at a slower rate as a result of the negative impact of world events. Click on the images below for an update of fundraising status or to make a donation. Every little helps, that’s for sure!

    This week, the focus shifted back to bodyside repairs on the ‘A’ side, which is now easily accessible after the relocation of the loco to the westerly side of the loco shed. The ‘A’ end of the loco has suffered more from corrosion than the ‘B’ end that has already been repaired, and this is probably because the loco had her ‘A’ end rebuilt three times during her first ten years of BR service as a result of collision damage and each repair resulted in additional water traps and additional debris accumulating. With his experience gained from his repairs on the ‘B’ side and ‘B’ end, Colin set to work to remedy this situation as follows:

    D1010 – after peeling back a corroded section of bodyside plating, the extent of the work needed is exposed, then assessed and repairs made to the structural members before patching the ‘skin’. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 26th April 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – the ‘skin’ has been patched using steel recovered from the non-standard valances that were fitted to the loco at Merehead back in the 1980s – and the changes of livery that the loco has undergone in preservation are perfectly captured by the multiple layers of paint ! Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 26th April 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – examination of the right hand side of the previous picture shows some ripples that needed investigating – and resulted in more re-skinning as far as the inboard sandbox porthole, again repaired using recovered steel from Merehead days. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 26th April 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – as we move closer to the ‘A’ end of the loco, we expected to find worsening corrosion and we were not disappointed. This is the mounting area for the handrail of the driver’s door at ‘A’ end. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 26th April 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D1010 – and now remedied with a significant increase in the stiffness and strength in this area. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 26th April 2022 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    To support the work that is progressing in multiple areas on D1010, we launched our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER by offering ‘SPONSOR A PATCH’ where you can donate in support of the bodywork repairs that are taking place on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ and HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE SPONSORED PATCH or PART.

    For the sum of £25, this scheme offers you a chance to sponsor the restoration of this much-loved locomotive, with your personal contribution being recorded and documented on a set of drawings that will be made available at our Williton depot on running days and open days. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, a unique reference number will be allocated and engraved instead.

    See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details !

    NOTE: EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED £25 OR MORE SINCE JULY 2021 WILL BE RECOGNISED and will be allocated an appropriate area on one of the patches or parts that have already been applied to the loco. Donations of smaller sums that accumulate to £25 are also eligible, so donate what you can when you can, and we will keep track of your total donations. Use our CONTACT FORM if you want to register your previous donations to D1010 for this campaign.

     

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is based at Bishops Lydeard and is available to the WSR for contract work or ‘Thunderbird’ work as required. We are going to be operating our two ‘Cromptons’ on several weekend turns under the blue timetable as per our recent DIESELGEN bulletin. Sign up to DIESELGEN to make sure that you are informed about all rostered workings of DEPG locomotives.

    ADVANCE INFORMATION – we anticipate that the 10:00 Minehead diagram will again be hauled by one of our Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ on Sat/Sun 14/15 May and 21/22 May. This will be confirmed nearer the time via DIESELGEN.

     

    Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco worked the 10:00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard diagram (two round trips, 80 miles total per day) on Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May and is currently stabled at Minehead to provide ‘Thunderbird’ cover during the Spring Steam Gala. The weather was very nice on the Saturday and DEPG volunteer Geoff was at Stogumber enjoying one of their famous cream teas when he heard our loco approaching the station on the first return leg of her two round trips, and he snapped this picture from the platform:

    BRCW Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) worked the 10:00 Minehead diagram on Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May 2022 and was pictured rolling in to Stogumber station on the second leg of the 80-mile working. Photo by Geoff Miles © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is now receiving attention for a fairly short list of tasks that need to be dealt with before she can be returned to service. The plan is to get the loco into a presentable external condition in time for the Diesel Gala that takes place between 9th and 11th June.

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 received attention from Leroy, Neil and Martin at Williton on Saturday 30th April 2022 to prepare her for her return to service. In this picture, Martin has re-fitted one of the four covers for the lifting points and is giving the area a quick wipe over in advance of Graham’s paintbrush. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    One of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017’s bogie brake cylinders was flagged as needing some attention so Neil and Leroy disassembled it at Williton on Saturday 30th April 2022 so that it could be overhauled. In this picture, Leroy is cleaning up the piston rod of the air-operated brake cylinder in advance of replacing the piston seals. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – no change this week – but she will be the next in line for attention !

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – progress continues on the many parts that need to be re-fitted to the frames in advance of the next ‘big lift’. Attention this week focused on the fuel pump, fuel and lubricating oil pipework and a collection of other small parts. Here’s some photographs to show what is happening on this loco:

    D9518 – the fuel transfer and priming pump was subjected to inspection by Class 14 team leader Simon at Williton on Saturday 30th April 2022. This component is hard to access once fitted, so it needs to be in good condition prior to re-installation. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – new sand deflector plates were fitted to the sanding valves at Williton on Saturday 30th April 2022. These simple parts perform an essential service in helping the loco to haul heavy loads when railhead conditions are wet or slippery. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    D9518 – another simple but essential part is this brake rod, the worn component shown above and the remanufactured component shown below. All of this work has to proceed in the background to support the more visible progress. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    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 full operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

     

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco continues to be in regular use on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. In fact, so regular is her use that she has just completed ANOTHER 50-hour inspection and is back at work supporting this busy railway. To provide some insurance against possible failure, the spare but worn starter motor was sent out for reconditioning at a CAV specialist firm in Preston. The service provided by ICS Online was amazing and the reconditioned motor is on its way back to us already. Well done guys ! We will provide photos next week because this issue of roundup is already photo-heavy.

     

    Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is currently stabled at Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and is expected to move to Grosmont during the coming week to enter the loco works for completion of some overhaul tasks. One issue that was identified during a recent engine run was arcing around the commutator of the ‘triple pump’. This pump is a large electrically-powered machine that includes three pumps driven from the same motor – the water pump, the oil pump and the fuel pump. Luckily, we have a spare that was reconditoned in the year 2001 but has never been used, so it had to be pulled out of the spares container at Williton on Saturday and cleaned up prior to shipping it to Yorkshire:

    The spare ‘triple pump’ for Class 47 47077 (D1661 47613 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was pulled out of storage and checked over at Williton on Saturday 30th April before sending it to the NYMR for installation into the loco. The part is un-used since overhaul – but the warranty ran out in 2002 ! Pictured while suspended from the crane, the oil pump is on the left with the fuel pump alongside. The water pump is at the other end. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The spare ‘triple pump’ for Class 47 47077 (D1661 47613 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was given a clean-up and an inspection at Williton on Saturday 30th April before sending it to the NYMR for installation into the loco. This view shows the suction (centre) and delivery ports of the water pump, with the small frost drain port at the bottom. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – no change this week.

     

    Continuing her visit to Williton is Bishops Lydeard-based Class 09 shunter D4107 (09 019), the loco having her brand-new batteries fitted on Saturday 30th April 2022 while some other electrical maintenance work took place to get her ready to return to service. We expect this loco will be leaving us soon to return to Bishops Lydeard.

    Class 09 shunter D4107 (09 019) has received a brand-new set of 48 traction batteries, complete with outer cases carrying the BR double-arrow logo. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 30th April 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 09 shunter D4107 (09 019) also received attention to her electrical machinery, with the exhauster drive motor shown with covers removed to allow the brushgear to be cleaned and inspected by Ian and Tom. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 30th April 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 09 shunter D4107 (09 019) also needed her electrical switchgear cleaned and inspected. This view shows one of the two Battery Isolation Switches along with one of the start contactors (this is the positive polarity side; – the other side of the loco has a similar box with the negative side of the circuit in it). Pictured at Williton on Saturday 30th April 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

     

    Let’s not forget that the DEPG also owns a number of wagons, include the 1954-vintage (LNER pattern) BR brake van number B952527 that was last used in a Diesel Driver Experience Course working back in 2019. This vehicle is in need of works attention to her roof and bodyside, but has been undergoing a clean up to prepare her for possible use later in the year. Here’s a view of the work being undertaken:

    After spending a lot of time carefully preparing the wood for painting, Carol applies the wood preserver coating to the running boards of the DEPG’s 1954 BR (Faverdale) 20t brake van B952527 at Williton on Saturday 30th April 2022. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    If you can help by donating your time, 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 combine the book review with an obituary for DAVID HARTLEY who passed away recently. The news reached us via long-time DEPG member Neale Long:

       “Sorry to report the passing of BSC locomotive engineer and Class 14 enthusiast David Hartley on Easter Monday 18th April 2022. An early visit to Williton by David and that great preservationist, the late Gerald Boden, saw them acquire no less than three class 14s and a Class 40, all of which David ably maintained.

       The welcome afforded to David and Gerald was reciprocated with extreme generosity and the initial restoration of our very own D9526 in 1983/84 owed much to David’s professional expertise. Essentially, he was ‘Mr Class 14’ with his encyclopaedic knowledge, based on his great experience of working on the class with his father at BSC Corby.

       He will be greatly missed by all Class 14 owners. His passing is extremely poignant given the imminent publication of the second volume on the Class 14 focusing on the history of the class post-BR, it is especially sad given his great knowledge on this period.”

    Many thanks to Neale for bringing this to our attention and for the words that he has provided.

     

    Out of respect to David, we stay with the Class 14 and provide the following review of a D+EG booklet from 1980 that has been provided by Class 14 team leader Simon Purvis, as follows:

    Here’s Simon’s book review:

    “Following on from Jon Tooke’s review of ‘old’ books, the aim of this D+EG 1980 booklet was to raise money for the acquisition of D9526 and it explains the original (D+EG) thinking behind the locos’ acquisition. 

    The subjects covered include:  ‘THE UNCERTAIN BEGINNING’ – where some of the ‘political’ issues were discussed, as well as some of the reasoning behind the design.

    ’56 TIMES 95′ gives an overview of the mechanical design and the major components.

    ‘FOUR YEARS ON BR’ explains the type of traffic and allocations whilst working for their builders, leading into ‘A LIFE OF INDUSTRY’ at Ashington and Corby.

    The early preservation hopes and experiences are also covered with reports from not only the WSR, but the NYMR, GCR, SRPS, and Glos/Warks.

    There are a good few black and white photos covering the construction of the class, their working for BR as well as the locos working in industry. The booklet ends with the class individual histories, up to 1980.

    This booklet is essential reading for enthusiasts of the class, as well as Railway historians researching this short, but important period of railway development.

    Perhaps the DEPG would consider reprinting this booklet, (and perhaps update it) so that additional funds could be generated for D9518?”

     

    Many thanks to Simon for this book review. Would you like to buy a copy of this booklet, updated and reprinted ? Post a message via our CONTACT form.

     

    ON SHED – this week, we provide a photo taken from the cab of our own D9526 at the East Lancs Railway, showing the late David Hartley in the cab of sister survivor D9520:

    This photograph shows the late David Hartley relaxing in the cab of Class 14 survivor D9520 at the ’14s at 50′ event at the East Lancs Railway in July 2014, surrounded by nine other preserved members of the class. The photograph was taken from the cab of our very own D9526 by Simon Purvis © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    DEPG NEWS – the synopsis of the most recent Board Meeting will be produced and emailed to all members for whom we hold a valid email address ASAP. More news on this next week.

     

    WSR NEWS: the next event will be the ‘SPRING STEAM GALA’ that takes place from Thursday 5th through Sunday 8th May when the DEPG facility at Williton will be open to the public. Please make a plan to come along if you can, and have a tour of the depot. Timetables for this gala are now available by clicking this link to the WSR website.

     

    The timetables and the dates for the 2022 special events are as follows, so please make a note and ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR DEPG CALENDARS:

     

     

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