Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – this weekend, we had a team of six working on the loco bodywork to pick up the pace as we progress along the loco from ‘B’ end towards ‘A’ end (nearest the yard doors). The below view from the mezzanine floor shows the extent of the work that is taking place on both D1010 and D9518. It looks like Swindon Works has been reincarnated !
D1010 and D9518 undergoing overhauls side-by-side in the loco shed at Williton and together recreating a scene more reminiscent of Swindon Works in the heydays of the diesel-hydraulics. This picture was taken from the mezzanine floor at Williton on Saturday 26th February 2022 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – Mike tidies up after needle-gunning the bodyside of the loco at Williton on 26th February 2022. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – Roy applies zinc phosphate primer to the prepared metal surface as the first of many steps that will be involved in the restoration of the loco’s original maroon livery. Pictured at Williton on 26th February 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – the ‘B’ end of the loco shows the progress and gives a hint of what the bufferbeam of the restored loco is going to look like when her original livery is applied. Pictured at Williton on 27th February 2022 by Leroy Ford © CC BY-NC 3.0
Last week, 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 !
We have had a great start to this campaign, so please help us keep up the momentum to get this loco back into working order as quickly as possible.
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. 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 currently at Williton and received an underframe cleanup from Ian and Tom in preparation for taking up duties as a standby loco for the WSR.
Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) basks in the spring sunshine at Williton on Saturday 26th February 2022. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) gets an underframe clean from Tom at Williton on Saturday 26th February 2022. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is the WSR duty loco and is currently at Bishops Lydeard, and is ready for action.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – the batteries were charged and the pre-heater was run in preparation for an engine start, but the pre-heater did not run properly so the required water temperature was not achieved. The engine start was abandoned and has been postponed until the pre-heater has received some attention (probably next weekend).
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the batteries were charged and the engine was pre-heated in preparation for an engine start so that the loco could exercise in the yard and perform a shunt to move the Brake Van to a different position. The engine started instantly and ran cleanly within seconds, showing the advantages of a pre-heated startup. The two short video clips below allow us to share the sights and sounds from that bright and sunny spring-like afternoon. Click on the images to start the video clips:
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the core members of the Class 14 restoration team were attending footplate crew training at Minehead this weekend so we don’t have the usual number of photographs, but progress on this restoration project has been spread out over multiple days, including some work that had been done off site.
D9518 – the drawhook at the leading end of the loco received a coat of paint from volunteer Andy P at Williton on Saturday 26th February 2022. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
D9518 – more parts have been reassembled onto the locomotive frames, including this substantial piece of steelwork that will support the cooler group. Pictured at Williton on 26th February 2022 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D9518 – these large diameter white pipes are part of the vacuum braking system. The finish on these pipes is up to the usual high standard ! Pictured at Williton on 26th February 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 is currently based at the Kent & East Sussex Railway and was in use for 32 hours during the last week, performing a variety of tasks. There is no doubt that the ‘Teddy Bear’ meets the needs of the K&ESR and sees regular use, all year round.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is currently in the Swindon Shed at Williton receiving attention from the WSR Restorations team who are performing a partial repaint. The loco is currently wearing undercoat and will receive a coat of MOD deep bronze green gloss when weather conditions allow.
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 !
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