Weekly Roundup – 13-Apr-25
The WSR’s Class 115 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) worked the diesel turn on Saturday 12th April 2025 and was pictured departing Williton for Minehead with (L-R) Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33057) and Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 (ROF1) observing. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
The WSR’s Class 115 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) has been quite busy of late and has been covering the Minehead diesel diagrams on Saturdays and Sundays. This coming weekend includes an ENHANCED YELLOW timetable for Saturday 19th during which the DMU will work an 80-mile diagram with two steam locos on similar diagrams, resulting in six trains each way on that day. It’s such a pity that the weather has taken a serious turn for the worse, but let’s remain positive – the weather people have been known to get the forecast wrong now and then … so it might turn out to be OK !
From Saturday May 10th through to the end of September, the DEPG’s Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ and Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ are booked to cover 38 of the 80-mile diagrams that originate from Minehead under the BLUE timetable so we are going to be kept busy ! The YELLOW timetable in the peak of the season will also see appearances by Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526, fresh from the repaint that is taking at Williton at the moment.
See our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for news of upcoming diesel-hauled services on the WSR. Click here or on the image below for details:
Just a reminder – our two ‘Hymeks’ D7017 and D7018 are celebrating their 50th year in preservation, with both locos being among the last four of the Class to be withdrawn from service by BR in March 1975. The WSR have kindly agreed to allocate the weekend of August 30th and 31st to showcase the ‘Hymeks’ and we hope to have both locos available for service for that mixed traction event. Please keep the date free and make plans to come along. We will announce the timetable as soon as possible, but it will most likely be based on the YELLOW timetable that can be reached by clicking on YELLOW days in the WSR timetable (click here or on the graphic below):
Read more about the history of the DEPG and the long association with the ‘Hymeks’ on our ABOUT US pages.
D7017 UPDATE
The depth of affection for this loco has been demonstrated by the £16,500 that has been donated in a matter of months to cover the cost of bodywork repairs that will give the loco another lease of life to add to the 50 years she has already spent in preservation. A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the 92 people who have donated to this project, keeping it moving forward to ensure that the loco will be back in service in time for the WSR’s Summer Diesel Festival (5-7th June).
THANK YOU FOR YOUR FANTASTIC SUPPORT !
This funding will ensure that the loco gets repaired in time to be able to take pole position in the celebration of 50 years of ‘Hymek’ preservation that will take place on 30th and 31st of August this year.
The fund will remain open until the work is completed to make sure that we have sufficient funding to cover any unexpected costs, so don’t despair if you haven’t yet donated, because we can still accept your donation !
All funds donated via this appeal will be allocated to returning D7017 to service in time for the forthcoming season. Any excess will be carried over to 2026 but still allocated to D7017.
Would you like to help ? Click here to donate £17 to D7017 !
If you want to make your contribution towards the repair work on D7017, please make a donation via our website (click on the icon above) or by bank app or by sending a cheque to the DEPG at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH !
WSR NEWS
The WSR have just announced that the famous Gresley A3 4-6-2 ‘FLYING SCOTSMAN’ will be visiting the WSR during the period 26th June to 14th July and special services will be added to the timetable to make the most of this highly popular locomotive. For details, visit the WSR page by clicking here or on the image below.
The WSR’s SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL will take place from Thursday 5th through Saturday 7th June with a Mixed Traction Day on Sunday 8th. The first three of the visiting locos have been announced and they are D1015 ‘WESTERN CHAMPION’ and Class 45/1 ‘Peak’ 45108 and Class 50 50015 ‘Valiant’ so MAKE YOUR PLANS TO ATTEND and click on the images below to learn more. It is going to be a GREAT event !
The Bury Valiant Group’s Class 50 50015 ‘Valiant’ will be participating in the WSR’s Summer Diesel Festival ! Photo by Tom McAtee © CC BY-NC 3.0
Click here to go to our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page
Click here to go to our ONLINE SHOP
Thank you very much for your support !
LOCO NEWS:
Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – last weekend saw the combined efforts of Gordon, Jason, Ethan and Glenn, all hard at work underneath the loco, chipping away at the accumulations of brake dust that have solidified over the years and formed a new type of mineral. If only it was worth something.
In parallel, Jon and Roy added the finishing touches to the paintwork of the ‘A’ cooler group, picking out the various types of pipe and conduit in the designated colours. The irony is that most of this work will not be visible to anyone and will soon get dirty, but at least our painters will have the satisfaction of knowing that they did a proper job. MANY THANKS to all of our volunteers !
D1010 – one of our longest serving volunteers, Roy was busy on the paintwork of the cooler group from ‘A’ end when pictured at Williton on Saturday 12th April 2025. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – volunteer ‘JT’ was behind bars at Williton on Saturday 12th April 2025, guilty of embellishing the Serck fan motor housings to identify the inlet and outlet sides of the hydraulic circuits. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0
D1010 – the ‘A’ cooler group is close to being completed and is looking very smart. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 12th April 2025 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Our appeals for MORE VOLUNTEERS are working but WE STILL NEED MORE HELP to get this huge loco back on the rails, so please get in touch by using our CONTACT FORM if you are able to join the team.
As mentioned before, apologies to those D1010 sponsors who have yet to receive the photos and certificates for the patches that they have sponsored. The weather is improving quickly, so so we will soon be able to re-start the engraving work.
Rest assured that every sponsor will receive their certificate and the details of where to find their sponsored patch. We will be making a further push for funds soon, because we have some big ticket items for refurbishment, including the remaining cardan shafts and 32 springs from the suspension system.
MANY THANKS to all who have sponsored and supported the RESTORATION of D1010 !
Class 09 D4107 (09019) – this loco is now back at work and is in regular use Bishops Lydeard.
Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now stabled at Minehead as the ‘Duty Loco’.
THIS LOCO WILL BE HEADING FOR THE SPA VALLEY RAILWAY for the weekend of 13th to the 15th June 2025 to participate in their ‘Cuckoo Line Gala’ event !
Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco was fitted with two new vacuum brake hoses at Williton on Saturday 12th April 2025, replacing some life-expired parts that have seen considerable use. This loco is currently at Williton and is ready for action if called upon, but will be moving to Minehead for a week or two with Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 in tow to undergo an underframe exam and an air receiver examination, along with her slightly older sister D6566 (33048). The date and time of the movement cannot be announced via DIESELGEN because it has to be fitted in with operational requirements and is therefore likely to be carried out at short notice.
D6575 (33057) – volunteers (L-R) Ashley and Tom replaced the vacuum hoses on the buffer beams of the loco at Williton on Saturday 12th April 2025. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is receiving plenty of tender loving care in the hands of WSR staff and DEPG volunteers at Minehead. The focus is now on getting the various welding tasks completed so that the loco can be prepared for a thorough re-paint, inside and out. The job is taking longer than planned but the work being done is more extensive than planned, to ensure the loco can continue to operate on the WSR for many years to come.
D7017 – no prizes for guessing that this roof section covers the engine and includes the exhaust outlets. Pictured at Minehead on Thursday 10th April 2025 by Neil McCannon © CC BY-NC 3.0
D7017 – the underside of the engine bay roof section has been pressure washed to reveal some brighter paintwork under the accumulated dirt. Pictured at Minehead on Thursday 10th April 2025 by Neil McCannon © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco is being prepared for a move to Minehead where she will be positioned over the pit for an underframe examination. The loco will be towed (dead) by Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33057) and will result in both of our Class 33s and both Class 35s being at Minehead for much of next week !
The date and time of the movement cannot be announced via DIESELGEN because it has to be fitted in with operational requirements and is therefore likely to be carried out at short notice.
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the need to prepare sister D9526 for her period of occupation of the loco shed has drawn resources away from D9518 temporarily, but work continues on the electrical rewiring and on the body panel restorations. We will provide some photos of the electrical work as soon as possible.
Quality work needs to be funded, so we will continue to appeal for funds to support the work, right up to the point where the loco is completed. Any surplus will then be used to ensure her proper care and upkeep. If you like what we are doing, please make a donation via our website (click on the icon below) or by bank app or by sending a cheque to the DEPG at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT !
Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – work on this loco is absorbing most of the effort of the ‘Small Engine Division’ because of the need to get the loco completed and tested before the end of May. The engine work is progressing well and is likely to be completed first because the scope of the work is being limited to attending to oil leaks and replacing the split inlet manifold bellows. The larger task is the attention being given to hidden corrosion, under and around the battery boxes and elsewhere, but this work is also progressing well and is unlikely to delay the return to service. We look forward to having this loco outshopped in pristine condition in time for her appearance at the WSR’s SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL 2025.
D9526 – two of the six cylinder heads had already been removed from the Paxman 6YJXL engine when this photo was taken at Williton on Saturday 12th April 2025. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
D9526 – the Paxman 6YJXL engine viewed from a different angle, with the heavy flywheel and starter ring gear clearly visible. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 12th April 2025 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
D9526 – the battery boxes were undergoing needle gunning to removed the corrosion and old paint and get back to bare metal. The noise was unbelievable, so Colin G was suitably attired ! Pictured at Williton on Saturday 12th April 2025 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0
Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is based at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and has been out and about on most days in the last two weeks because the NYMR had to switch to an all-diesel service in the face of an elevated lineside fire risk. That issue has been dealt with by the return to more ‘normal’ weather !
47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was pictured at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on Tuesday 1st April while being prepared for duty. Photo by Ben Elvey © CC BY-NC 3.0
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this little loco is fully serviceable and ready for action when called upon.
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 !
BOOK REVIEW: The sale of books, both new and pre-owned, is a valuable source on income for the DEPG and is a growth area, especially as the search engines regularly return DEPG results on the first page, greatly increasing the chances of making a sale and boosting DEPG coffers.
We are always on the lookout for donations of pre-owned books featuring any class of diesel or electric traction. We often receive mixed donations that include steam-era books as well, but we make sure that the steam titles get passed to our colleagues in other voluntary groups around the WSR, so MANY THANKS to those who have donated and if you have books to pass on, then PLEASE KEEP DONATING !
This week, we feature ‘LOST RAILWAYS OF DEVON by Stan Yorke to show that we don’t just have diesel books on sale, we have a much broader range, including this example of an ‘as new’ pre-owned railway history book at the excellent price of £7.50
There are many other pre-owned book titles on our online store – click here for details.
ON SHED: this popular feature is back this week with another photo from DEPG Publicity Officer Mark Bladwell‘s personal collection, continuing on the theme of parcels workings. This time, we have a correctly set headcode that tells us that D1015 ‘WESTERN CHAMPION’ was hauling the 4B05 Old Oak Common to Bristol Temple Meads parcels, so we don’t have to try and guess the origin of the working !
The photo shows a loco that was literally caked in dirt and was certainly showing signs of severe neglect, unlike the situation today where this same locomotive is main line registered and soon to visit the West Somerset Railway for the SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL. Many thanks to the DTG for their outstanding work on this loco and many thanks to Mark for sharing this photo with us all.
If you have photos that you would like to share, please let us know via contact@depg.org and we will happily include them in future editions.
Class 52 D1015 ‘WESTERN CHAMPION’ was pictured at Bristol Temple Meads with the 4B05 Old Oak Common to Bristol Temple Meads parcels working on 7th February 1975. Photo by Mark Bladwell © CC BY-NC 3.0
DEPG NEWS – the board of trustees will be holding a meeting at Williton on Saturday 19th April where a wide range of topics will be discussed and decisions taken. If you have a question that you like to have placed before the board, please use our CONTACT FORM.
We are preparing for several events this year, the first being the Spring Steam Spectacular where we will have an ‘open shed’ and welcome gala visitors who have an interest in engineering and restoration in addition to steam or diesel locos. We will have a sales stand in operation with new merchandise and many other attractions and facilities such as tea,coffee and hot snacks, but all of this takes organising and we are rushed off our feet making sure that our locos are made available for booked services. CAN YOU HELP ? WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH SALES ! If you can help, please use our CONTACT FORM and let us know. Thanks in advance !
The DEPG is a charity and is run entirely by volunteers, many of whom give both their time and their money to the continuance of work on the locos in the DEPG fleet. If you have been enjoying the roundup for free, have you considered joining us for just £1 a month ? You can then add your name to all of those helping out on the above projects and play your part in the future of our locos for a lot less than the price of a cup of coffee!
JOIN US using whichever membership class is appropriate for your situation and means. CLICK HERE or on the image below or use the QR code to get the details.
If you would like to go one step further and come along to help with the work on the locos in our fleet, then please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know that you would like to volunteer and we will respond with more details.
We look forward to hearing from you !
