• 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

     

  • DIESELGEN – WSR Sixties Gala Day 3

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 stands at Williton Station on Friday 10th June 2022 alongside sister D7017 who is now on the wrong side of the fence, having failed with a leaking Number 1 cylinder head joint when working the last service of the previous day. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The second day of the gala went well with all services operating, albeit with different traction on the diagrams that were affected by the failure of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 on the previous day.

    The 87-litre V16 engine in the errant ‘Hymek’ was test run by Maybach specialist Bob Clegg on Friday 10th June and Bob’s verdict was that the number 1 cylinder had developed a cylinder head joint ring leak that had compromised an adjacent transition rubber that carried the oil supply to the cylinder head. This explains both the abnormal noise and the oil that was seen to be leaking from around the cylinder head area.

    Although this is not a major failure, the engine needs a partial strip down to access the cylinder head and this will take several weeks, so the loco is going to be out of action for a while until the work is completed.

     

    To ensure the integrity of the timetable for Saturday 11th June, BR(W) 4-6-0 steam locomotive 7828 ‘ODNEY MANOR’ will take over the morning services that would have been worked by D7017. This move allows all services to run as scheduled (NOTE – the 1815 BL-MD and 2200 MD-BL services were removed from the timetable earlier in the week. The 1710 BL departure will run through to MD).

     

    The revised running for SATURDAY 11th June 2022 is covered in the table below:

    Loco Type Loco No. First service No. of return trips Mileage
    Class 25 ‘Rat’ D7612 08:00 BL-MD 2 + 1 x NF* 86 miles
    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 08:45 BL-MD 2 + 1 x NF* 86 miles
    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 09:00 BL-MD 2 + 1 x NF* 86 miles
    Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 09:35 MD-BL 2 + 2 x NF* 92 miles
    BR(W) 4-6-0 ‘Manor’ 7828 09:42 BL-MD 1 40 miles
    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 12:45 BL-MD 2 80 miles

    *NF = Norton Fitwarren extension (BL-NF-BL)

    Basically, the morning turns (09:42 BL-MD and 12:05 MD-BL) that were rostered for D7017 will now be hauled by BR(W) 4-6-0 Steam Locomotive 7828 ‘ODNEY MANOR’. The afternoon double-headed turns will be operated by a single locomotive.

     

    We apologise to all for the unexpected loss of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 and we hope that the revised arrangements work out well and provide another decent diesel gala day.

     

    For the planned timetables for each of the gala days, see below or visit our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page by clicking this link but please make the adjustments outlined previously.

    Date Timetable  Locos rostered
    Thursday 9th June TT for 09JUN22 D6575, D7017, D7018, D7612, D8568
    Friday 10th June TT for 10JUN22 D6566, D6575, D7018, D7612, D8568
    Saturday 11th June TT for 11JUN22 D6566, D6575, D7018, D7612, D8568, 7828 (steam)
    Sunday 12th June BLUE timetable D8568

    NOTE – although Sunday is not a Diesel Gala day, the 1000 MD diagram in the BLUE timetable on Sunday 12th June is rostered for the visiting Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568.

     

    We have just introduced a new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and we will be maintaining this in parallel to DIESELGEN bulletins. This new page is a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to diesel running on the WSR.

     

    The webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Here are the links:

    Bishops Lydeard : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-bl2.htm

    Crowcombe Heathfield : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ch1.htm

    Williton : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-wn2.htm

    Blue Anchor : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ba1.htm

    Seaward Way : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md2.htm

    Minehead : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md1.htm

     

    Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

    Have you considered joining the WEEKLY ROUNDUP e-newsletter list? Click here for details.

     

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  • DIESELGEN – WSR Sixties Gala Day 2

    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

     

    Towards the end of the first highly enjoyable day of diesel running, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 developed an oil leak that indicated a possible cylinder head joint failure on one cylinder of her Bristol Siddeley Maybach MD870 engine and was shut down at the platform at Blue Anchor while working the last ‘up’ service of the day, from Minehead in the direction of Bishops Lydeard.

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 was dispatched from Minehead to assist and hauled the train to Williton where the errant ‘Hymek’ was detached, the train continuing to Bishops Lydeard behind the ‘Crompton’.

    The precise details of the failure are not yet known, but it will not be possible to return the loco to service during the remaining gala days so the timetable has been altered to take account of one loco being unavailable and one loco being wrongly positioned.

    The revised running for FRIDAY 10th June 2022 is covered in the table below:

    Loco Type Loco No. First service No. of return trips Mileage
    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 09:00 BL-MD 2 + 1 x NF* 86 miles
    Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 09:42 MD-BL 2 + 1 x NF* 86 miles
    Class 25 ‘Rat’ D7612 09:45 BL-MD 2 80 miles
    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 10:38 MD-BL 2 80 miles
    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 10:25 BL-MD 2 80 miles

    *NF = Norton Fitwarren extension (BL-NF-BL)

    Class 33 D6566 (33 048) will move to MD on the tail end of the 0900 BL service. 

    Basically, the turns that were rostered for D7017 will now be hauled by Class 33 D6575 (33 057).

    The turns that were rostered for D6575 will be covered by Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 and:

    The turns that were rostered for D8568 will be covered by Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048).

     

    We apologise to all for the unexpected loss of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 and we hope that the revised arrangements work out well and provide a very decent diesel gala day.

     

    Some services on Saturday morning 11th June will also be affected but the detail of the changes has not yet been worked out. We will send out another DIESELGEN bulletin as soon as possible.

    For the planned timetables for each of the gala days, see below or visit our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page by clicking this link but please make the adjustments outlined previously.

     

    For timetables for each of the gala days, see below or visit our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page by clicking this link.

    Date Timetable  Locos rostered
    Thursday 9th June TT for 09JUN22 D6575, D7017, D7018, D7612, D8568
    Friday 10th June TT for 10JUN22 D6566, D6575, D7018, D7612, D8568
    Saturday 11th June TT for 11JUN22 D6566, D6575, D7018, D7612, D8568
    Sunday 12th June BLUE timetable D8568

    NOTE – although Sunday is not a Diesel Gala day, the 1000 MD diagram in the BLUE timetable on Sunday 12th June is rostered for the visiting Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568.

     

    We have just introduced a new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and we will be maintaining this in parallel to DIESELGEN bulletins. This new page is a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to diesel running on the WSR.

     

    The webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Here are the links:

    Bishops Lydeard : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-bl2.htm

    Crowcombe Heathfield : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ch1.htm

    Williton : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-wn2.htm

    Blue Anchor : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ba1.htm

    Seaward Way : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md2.htm

    Minehead : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md1.htm

     

    Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

    Have you considered joining the WEEKLY ROUNDUP e-newsletter list? Click here for details.

     

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  • DIESELGEN – WSR SIXTIES GALA

    The DTG’s Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 arrived at Bishops Lydeard on Wednesday 8th June 2022 and is expected to enter service on the 10:38 service from Minehead on Thursday 9th June 2022 as planned. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    South Devon Diesel Traction’s Class 25 D7612 (25 262, 25 901) arrived at Bishops Lydeard on Tuesday 7th June 2022 and is expected to enter service on the 09:45 service from Bishops Lydeard on Thursday 9th June 2022 as planned. Photo by Ian Camp © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    The two visiting locos have arrived at Bishops Lydeard and are being prepared so that they will be ready to enter service tomorrow as planned. The owning groups will be working into the evening with DEPG and WSR staff to get the locos unloaded, inspected and fuelled prior to them being accepted as ready to enter service on the WSR.

    As the Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8658 starts its diagram from the Minehead (MD) end, it will reposition tomorrow morning, either as a ‘light engine’ move or attached to the first service out of Bishops Lydeard (BL).

    For the first day of the WSR’s SIXTIES DIESEL GALA, Thursday 9th June 2022, the following locos will be in action:

    Loco Type Loco No. First service No. of return trips Mileage
    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 09:00 BL-MD 2 80 miles
    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 09:42 MD-BL 2 + 1 x NF* 86 miles
    Class 25 ‘Rat’ D7612 09:45 BL-MD 2 80 miles
    Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 10:38 MD-BL 2 + 1 x NF* 86 miles
    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 10:25 BL-MD 2 80 miles
    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 Standby Loco – –

    *NF = Norton Fitwarren extension (BL-NF-BL)

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 will join in with the running on Friday and Saturday.

    For timetables for each of the gala days, see below or visit our new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page by clicking this link.

    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
    Sunday 12th June BLUE timetable D8568

    NOTE – although Sunday is not a Diesel Gala day, the 1000 MD diagram in the BLUE timetable on Sunday 12th June is rostered for the visiting Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568.

     

    We have just introduced a new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and we will be maintaining this in parallel to DIESELGEN bulletins. This new page is a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to diesel running on the WSR.

     

    The webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Here are the links:

    Bishops Lydeard : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-bl2.htm

    Crowcombe Heathfield : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ch1.htm

    Williton : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-wn2.htm

    Blue Anchor : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ba1.htm

    Seaward Way : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md2.htm

    Minehead : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md1.htm

     

    Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

    Have you considered joining the WEEKLY ROUNDUP e-newsletter list? Click here for details.

     

    Social media channels:

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    Locomotive Status 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

     

  • DIESELGEN – ‘Hymek’ special working

    Beyer-Peacock ‘Hymek’ D7018 digs in to the 1 in 75 gradient as she approaches Longlands Bridge on the climb from Norton Fitzwarren to Bishops Lydeard on 7th August 2021. Photo by Mark Ireland© CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    On Tuesday 7th June 2022, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 will haul a ‘Quantock Belle‘ special charter service from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and back.

    NOTE: This service is not available for public use.

    The booked departure times for this special charter service are as follows:

         Depart BL 1315 arrive MD 1501

         Depart MD 1730 arrive BL 1850

    Other services are also scheduled to run – see the WSR BLUE timetable page for details.

     

    UPDATED INFORMATION – the 1000 MD diagram in the BLUE timetable on Sunday 12th June is now rostered for the visiting Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568, not the Class 35 ‘Hymek’ as previously advertised.

     

    We have just introduced a new DIESEL RUNNING DATES page and we will be maintaining this in parallel to DIESELGEN bulletins. This new page is a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to diesel running on the WSR.

     

    The webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Here are the links:

    Bishops Lydeard : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-bl2.htm

    Crowcombe Heathfield : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ch1.htm

    Williton : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-wn2.htm

    Blue Anchor : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ba1.htm

    Seaward Way : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md2.htm

    Minehead : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md1.htm

     

    Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

    Have you considered joining the WEEKLY ROUNDUP e-newsletter list? Click here for details.

     

    Social media channels:

    Back 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:

     

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  • 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

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  • DIESELGEN – Weekends in May 2022

    BRCW Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was stabled at Minehead in the company of BR(W) 0-6-0PT 9466 on Thursday 5th May 2022. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) will haul the 1000 and 1430 departures from Minehead (MD) to Bishops Lydeard (BL) and the 1230 and 1635 return services on Saturday 14th May and Sunday 15th May 2022.

    Also, either D6566 (33 048) or D6575 (33 057) will haul these services on Saturday 21st May and Sunday 22nd May 2022.

     

    The booked departure times for these BLUE TIMETABLE services are as follows:

         Depart MD 1000 arrive BL 1130

         Depart BL 1230 arrive MD 1350

         Depart MD 1430 arrive BL 1555

         Depart BL 1635 arrive MD 1800

     

    Other services are also scheduled – see the WSR timetable page for details. Please do try and come along to enjoy a ride on the WSR behind a 1961-vintage BRCW Class 33 ‘Crompton’ !

     

    ADVANCE INFORMATION – the 1000 MD diagram (as above) will be hauled by one of our Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ on Sunday 12th June, Sat/Sun 18/19 June and again on Sat/Sun 25/26 June. Dates in July, August and September will be announced in a separate DIESELGEN post.

     

     

    The webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Here are the links:

    Bishops Lydeard : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-bl2.htm

    Crowcombe Heathfield : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ch1.htm

    Williton : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-wn2.htm

    Blue Anchor : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-ba1.htm

    Seaward Way : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md2.htm

    Minehead : http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-cam-md1.htm

     

    Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these webcam services.

    Have you considered joining the WEEKLY ROUNDUP e-newsletter list? Click here for details.

     

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