Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was in use on Saturday 22nd April 2023, shunting the South Yard at Williton to re-position a well wagon loaded with carriage wheelsets so that it could be easily attached to an Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) train destined for Minehead. Photo by Harry Spencer © CC BY-NC 3.0
The BLUE timetable runs throughout May, featuring diesel haulage each weekend, initially with Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 and later with Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017. For details of planned DIESEL-HAULED public services, click on the banner below to go to the DIESEL RUNNING DATES page.
LOCO NEWS:
Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the team are marching forward on several fronts as we tackle the work list on this giant locomotive. Some of the work is highly specialised and therefore dependent on some of our experienced volunteers, but most of the work just requires ‘common sense’ and we welcome more volunteers to join this team and get the work done as soon possible. The timeline further below shows how much there is to do and we want to be ahead of the game, not playing catch-up, so please CONTACT US and arrange for a volunteering taster day.
D1010 – the input shaft assembly was the target of the ‘transmission team’ at Williton on Monday 17th April 2023. The length of the input shaft is apparent from this view, showing the overhead crane being used to stabilise the assembly while preparing to press the lower bearing race into position. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – the timeline for this restoration project has been published in the DEPG Spring 2023 Newsletter that has been sent to all registered DEPG members. The narrative that goes with this timeline will be published on our website ASAP and covered in a future roundup. DEPG © CC BY-NC 3.0
To continue our rate of progress requires FUNDING and we give our thanks to everyone who has supported D1010 by sponsoring or donating during these difficult times. If you are able to do so, please SPONSOR A PATCH because there is plenty of recently-added metal that still needs engraving. Photographs and certificates of sponsorship will be sent out to all who have sponsored this phase of the restoration work, and we are applying more resources to catch up with this obligation and deliver the documents. Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support !
See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !
Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now inside the paint tunnel in the Swindon Shed at Williton for a paintwork refresh in the hands of WSR Restorations. The photos below show the progress that is being made by Harry and the team, and the quality of the work is evident:
Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was pictured in the WSR Restorations paint tunnel in the Swindon Shed, Williton on 15th April 2023 as she cast off her old paint in readiness for her new paint. Photo by Harry Spencer © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was pictured in the WSR Restorations paint tunnel in the Swindon Shed, Williton on 24th April 2023, now carrying gloss yellow and cream (‘Swanage Sand’, actually). Photo by Harry Spencer © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is on standby in case she is needed during the steam gala (hopefully not), and will next be working her BLUE timetable duties on Saturday, Sunday and Monday 6/7/8th May.
Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) stepped in to cover for GWR 2-6-2 ‘Prairie Tank’ 5199 on the 19th April 2023, pictured departing from Williton with the 12:30 Bishops Lydeard to Minehead service. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco has been confirmed as OK to take up duties subject to the usual inspection checks, her next rostered duties being on Saturday and Sunday 20/21st May under the BLUE timetable. See our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for information about this season’s diesel-hauled services.
D7017 shared her corner of the south yard with a Mark 1 coach that had just come out from maintenance at WSR Restorations and was soon to be moved to Minehead in preparation for the steam gala. Pictured on Saturday 22nd April 2023 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the tasks that are lined up on this loco were reviewed at the Board Meeting and confirmed as being minor in nature and easy to deal with in the time remaining before her next duty. This loco is therefore expected to be available in good time for the Diesel Gala on June 8th through 10th.
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – more progress has been made on several fronts, with John working on reinstatement of the electrical system, Terry on the brake rigging, Nick on the engine, while Tony and Andy P worked on the bodywork parts. Colin G covered multiple bases but scored a bonus point by getting the cab assembly brought into the loco shed so that restoration of this major assembly can commence. Here are some photos:
D9518 – the cab assembly is now inside the loco shed so that the restoration of this major item can commence under the guidance of Colin G. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd April 2023 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
D9518 – the Paxman V6 diesel engine that once powered sister D9526 is being dismantled for cleaning and inspection prior to rebuilding with new bearings and seals. One bank of three cylinders was pictured at Williton on Saturday 15th April 2023 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is fully serviceable and ready for use as soon as suitable opportunities arise. As previously reported, she was used for a yard shunt at Williton on the morning of Saturday 22nd April and remains on standby in case she is needed.
D9526 was sandwiched between the Mark 1 coach and ‘Hymek’ D7018 at Williton on Saturday 22nd April 2023. The coach was moved to Minehead later that day, giving the ‘Teddy Bear’ some free space. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is now back in regular use on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and is performing well. We hope to include details of her exploits in a future roundup.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco was moved out of the loco shed on Saturday 22nd April and will remain outdoors throughout the running season. The paintwork detailing will be completed when the weather permits and the cabside transfers will then be applied, hopefully in time for her 1972 look to be perfected before the diesel gala.
Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 (ROF 1) has now been moved out of the loco shed and awaits some paintwork detailing and her cabside transfers to be applied before we can call the job complete. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 22nd April 2023 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
If you can help by donating your time to any of these projects, then please JOIN US and come along to the depot for an introduction to what we do and how we do it. We currently have people on site from Saturday through to Tuesday and we can open on other days if we can be sure of getting at least two volunteers on site at all times, so there is plenty of scope. We have tasks of all types to suit most capabilities, both skilled and unskilled.
Many thanks to all of our volunteers who give up so much of their time to work on the cleaning, painting, maintaining, restoring, managing and fund raising for our fleet of heritage locomotives !