Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 worked the YELLOW timetable on Saturday 29th July 2023 and was pictured at Williton with Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 on number 1 road alongside. Behind the ‘Hymek’, D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ is partly hidden by tarpaulins that are covering the roof apertures created by the removal of the cooler groups. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page is updated several times per week and is kept as accurate as we can make it. The loco allocations are subject to availability (of course), but we do try to field the allocated loco wherever possible. Click on the banner below to go to the website page:
The DIESEL RUNNING DATES pages is supplemented by our DIESELGEN bulletin service which captures non-public running such as special trains and engineering workings (where we have sufficient notice to publish such workings). Sign up for DIESELGEN emails or keep an eye on our website homepage.
LOCO NEWS:
Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – as sneakily reported in the last roundup, the lifting of the two cooler groups and the ‘A’ transmission came to fruition on Monday 24th July 2023 in one crane hire session, thanks to the close co-operation of George from HEAVER BROTHERS of Exeter who operated the truck-mounted knuckle boom crane. There are literally hundreds of photos and hours of video footage to be worked through in order to create a video for the DEPG channel, but the focus on the repair work on the two ‘Hymeks’ is priority so the media work will just have to wait in line until resources are available. Meanwhile, here are some more photos that give a flavour of that very interesting day:
D1010 – the heavy-duty knuckle-boom crane was provided by HEAVER BROTHERS of Exeter. Driver and crane operator George (on the right) received his pre-lift briefing from DEPG Chairman Martin Howard at Williton on Monday 24th July 2023. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – Step 1 – the cooler group was lifted out from ‘A’ end of the loco at Williton on Monday 24th July 2023. This made space for our volunteers to get inside and release the bolts that held the ‘A’ transmission. Leroy appears to be satisfied with the proceedings ! Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – Step 2 – with the cooler group lifted out and the drive shaft disconnected, the ‘A’ transmission was prepared for lifting out at Williton on Monday 24th July 2023. Volunteers Geoff (yellow hat) and Leroy (white hat) make the final preparations for lifting. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – the 4.5 tonne Voith hydraulic transmission was lifted out from ‘A’ end of the loco at Williton on Monday 24th July 2023 so that it can undergo a complete overhaul in the care of the DEPG ‘transmission team’. Lift team members Martin (L) and Leroy (R) appear happy with the rate of progress. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – where the sun don’t shine ….. the lifting of the ‘A’ transmission exposed the inner axle of the ‘A’ bogie, covered with the dirt accumulated over 50 years of running, including many miles on the mainline before the loco entered preservation in 1977. Pictured at Williton on 24th July 2023 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – the ‘A’ transmission was given a quick external clean then moved to the DEPG’s nearby transmission repair facility. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 25th July 2023 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – Step 3 – the cooler group was lifted out from ‘B’ end of the loco at Williton on Monday 24th July 2023. This assembly had already been partly stripped down while still in the loco, so it was lighter and easier to move without risk of damage. Pictured from a very unusual angle by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – the cooler group from ‘A” end now has to be stripped of radiator elements so that it can undergo repairs to corroded sections. Pictured in ‘selfie’ mode at Williton on Tuesday 25th July 2023 by volunteer Nick Boyce © CC BY-NC 3.0
Having the loco outdoors has generated an increased interest in our SPONSOR A PATCH scheme, with several more patches being engraved with their sponsor’s names or messages. This initiative remains the single most successful fund-raising activity and has allowed us to make significant progress with the restoration work. PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP US FUND THIS PROJECT.
Photographs and certificates of sponsorship will be sent out to all who have sponsored 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 and your patience!
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 the WSR Standby Loco and is stabled at Minehead, ready for her next duties under the BLUE timetable. See our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for details.
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is stabled at Bishops Lydeard and will work the shutle services for the STEAM RALLY that run between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren on the weekend of 5/6th August. The loco will then remain at Bishops Lydeard in readiness for her YELLOW timetable duties.
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is undergoing the re-connection of the wiring that was removed during the fault-finding that took place during the previous weekend. The driver’s side window is next on the list for attention, along with a few other electrical issues that will be repaired in time for her next booked working on Sunday 13th August.
D7017 – the engine was started up at Williton on Saturday 29th July 2023 so that the electrical systems could be tested. Volunteers Tom (L) and Neil (R) gave the ‘all clear’ after completing the tests. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco is undergoing detailed investigation work on the transmission control block to trace the source of the issue that has prevented the use of the loco this season. The most likely outcome will be that the control block will need to be swapped back with the previous block that did not change gear automatically, because this at least allows the loco to be operated at reduced power. The investigation work is needed so that we can understand the issues and repair the block on the bench without the benefit of a test rig. This is taking a lot of time, hence the late roundup, but is a priority task !
The Stone-Maybach ‘Mekydro’ hydraulic transmission control schematic depicts a 1960s computer comprising almost entirely of circuits formed from fluid pressure flows, with 39 valves, some of which have multiple cores and time-dependent functions. It is from another era, and is not exactly straightforward. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – as reported earlier, the team have been involved with and have been supporting the running of classmate D9526, so the work on D9518 has been slowed (but not stopped) to allow our volunteers to have a breather. We will return to this loco in a later edition of roundup.
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 in place of the DMU on some of the YELLOW timetable services during the peak summer period that started on Tuesday 25th July. Take a look at our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for details of the running dates and loco allocations.
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a cylinder head overhaul (same massive type as the Class 33s, but 12 of them!) at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The latest news is that the broken studs have been replaced and the cylinder heads are undergoing overhauls to get them all up to a high standard for future reliability. Some cracks have been found in the casting of the plenum chamber that feeds the exhaust gases into the turbocharger. These will either need specialist repair of the plenum chamber will have to be replaced. We have spares at Williton but their condition is unknown. Sounds like a weekend task coming on !
47077 – the plenum chamber that feeds exhaust gases into the turbocharger has been found to have multiple cracks that will need specialist repair – or the whole casting will need replacement. Pictured on 28th July 2023 at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway by Josh Smith © CC BY-NC 3.0
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is in full working order and is stabled in the South Yard. The cab is undergoing a repaint in the capable hands of Jon T, but the loco remains serviceable and ready for action. Progress is good and the upper half of the interior is looking good already !
Barclay 578 (ROF 1) – the upper half of the cab interior was treated to multiple coats of cream-coloured paint over the weekend of 29th July 2023 and is certainly looking much better for the attention. Many thanks to volunteer and photographer 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 !