Crowcombe Heathfield station – almost 400 feet (120m) above mean sea level and the summit of the West Somerset Railway – painted a fine picture of winter dormancy on the cold morning of Tuesday 6th January 2026. Photo by Jo Ward © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

The WSR may appear to be closed for the winter, but work continues both indoors to prepare locomotives, carriages and wagons and outdoors to maintain and improve the Permanent Way (the railway track), the buildings, the bridges and the trackside environment. At this time of year, the weather often tries to interfere and set its own agenda, but the work must go on, so our volunteers simply add more layers of clothing and keep busy to keep warm. WELL DONE and THANK YOU VERY MUCH to all who continue to volunteer on site and face the cold weather conditions !

The temperature was -4°C on the morning of Sunday 4th January 2026 when the volunteer Permanent Way (PW) gang were preparing for some sleeper changing on one of the sidings south of Westridge (Bishops Lydeard). Class 14 D9526 is visible in the background. Photo by Malcolm Anderson © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

The Permanent Way (PW) volunteers soon warmed up after the physical exertions involved in lifting rails and swapping sleepers on one of the sidings south of Westridge (Bishops Lydeard). Pictured on Sunday 4th January 2026 by Malcolm Anderson © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

 

The DEPG have launched an appeal for donations toward the estimated £5,200 cost of converting newly-acquired Class 08 shunter 08401 (D3516) from air brake to dual brake by the restoration of the vacuum brake equipment that was originally fitted to the loco when built at Derby in 1958. Popular fundraising site Gofundme has been chosen for this short-term specific-purpose fundraiser, and we are delighted to report that we have received a pledge for match-funding that will double the value of any donations towards this cause. As a charity, the DEPG is also able to claim Gift Aid that will add another 25% to the value of donations, where the donor is a taxpayer and agrees to allow the DEPG to claim Gift Aid. It all adds up, so please help if you can and click here or on the image below, thank you very much !

 

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2026 – the following major events have been confirmed by the WSR, and the dates for a wide range of special services have also been announced – see the WSR Events Page for details and dates.

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LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’– the low temperature inside the loco shed tried to prevent us from carrying out the Non-Destructive Testing last Saturday, but the careful use of some localised warming allowed Thomas to do some preliminary testing, mainly to verify that the level of surface preparation was sufficient for the use of the Dye Penetrant Inspection process. Happily, the trial was a success (well done Ian F), although it did take quite a while to get the pre-cleaner solvent to evaporate from the very cold metal !

In parallel, Gordon continued working on the brake linkages to prepare them for re-painting, while Colin F and Reece took a break from overhauling the water pumps from the ‘A’ and the ‘B’ engines while waiting for parts, and did some work on some electrical components instead (a versatile team!).

D1010 – the Dye Penetrant Inspection trial on the ‘B’ bogie was intentionally confined to the area around the intermediate gearbox supports, depicted by the white powdery coating that reacts with the red penetrating dye layer underneath. Any dark red spots need closer examination or additional preparation and re-testing. Pictured at Williton on 10th January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

D1010 – the Dye Penetrant Inspection trial on the opposite side of the ‘B’ bogie. The conditions for application were not ideal, but the milder weather has allowed the shed to warm up a little and the space heaters will have been running for a few days, so we will try again this coming weekend. Pictured at Williton on 10th January 2026 by Thomas Allgeier © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Class 08 08401 (D3516) – this loco is the subject of a Gofundme appeal to raise money to support the conversion from air braking to dual braking. The loco is currently on No 2 road outside the loco shed where Ian and his team can take measurements while working on the detailed planning for the conversion to dual braking.

08401 (D3516) – Gofundme appeal poster – by Linda Trott

 

Class 09 D4107 (09019) – this loco was moved into the loco shed on No. 2 road last Saturday 10th January and was positioned underneath the crane so that her Westinghouse 3CV50 compressor could be removed to provide access to her main generator. This level of disassembly is necessary because the loco was converted from vacuum braking to dual braking back in 1969 and room had to be found for the additional ‘large’ compressor for the train air brake system. The modification resulted in an inconvenient arrangement where the compressor prevents access to one side of the main generator, making brushgear maintenance extremely difficult.

While the loco is inside the shed, a few repair tasks will be undertaken in and around the cab to make her fit for another year of service before she can be stopped for a cab roof repair (which is a significant task on a loco of this type), by which time our Class 08 08401 (D3516) should be dual-braked and ready to take over as Bishops Lydeard station pilot.

D4107 (09019) – this loco has now been moved into the loco shed on number 2 road to undergo main generator brushgear maintenance. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 10th January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

D4107 (09019) – the Westinghouse 3CV50 compressor had to be removed to allow access to the main generator. Pictured alongside the loco at Williton on Saturday 10th January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

D4107 (09019) – with the Westinghouse 3CV50 compressor out of the way, it is easy to access the main generator for the purposes of brushgear maintenance and replacement of the brushes. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 10th January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is outdoors on No 1 road and is having one of her vacuum exhausters removed for overhaul. When the shed is available, she will move indoors so that her leaking engine room roof can be removed and repaired.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is based at Bishops Lydeard where she will remain ‘on duty’ and available for use if required. 

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is stabled outdoors on number 1 road at Williton and is receiving some light maintenance and undergoing internal cleaning. The loco will undergo Ultrasonic Axle Testing at a date to be arranged, in preparation for some visits to other railways.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco is currently based at Loughborough on the Great Central Railway and will remain there until the end of April 2026. The GCR will be using the loco for some charter services and also for their SPRING WEEKEND, in addition to their DIESEL GALA in April. Please do try and go along to one or more of these events to show your support for D7018 and help ensure that her visit is a big success !

Here are the running dates for D7018 on the GCR:

Day and Date	Event	Notes
Saturday 28th February	Spring Weekend	Contact the GCR for more info
Sunday 1st March	Spring Weekend	Contact the GCR for more info
23-26 April 2026	Spring Diesel Gala	Contact the GCR for more info

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – more progress is being made on this loco by the combined efforts of the Tuesday and Saturday teams. The transmission has now been connected up to the loco’s air system using new flexible hoses, and the wiring continues to progress as more equipment gets re-installed onto the loco frames.

D9518 – the transmission fill valve and the overspeed valve have now been hooked up to the air system via the two new hoses (black). The short green shaft in the lower foreground drives the generator (on the far left) from the auxiliary power take-off drive from the transmission (lower right). Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 13th January 2026 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is now based at Bishops Lydeard where she will remain throughout the winter to cover for Class 09 shunter D4107 (09019).

 

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is based on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway but has been ‘stopped’ because of an issue with her ‘triple pump’ – which is an electrical machine that is a combined water pump, oil pump and fuel pump, all driven from one big DC electric motor.

The spare triple pump at Williton was in need of an overhaul and has now been stripped down so that the motor can be sent out to a specialist subcontractor for reconditioning before sending it to the NYMR for installation into 47077. This work is planned for completion by the end of February.

47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) – the motor has been removed from the spare triple pump assembly and is now ready to be sent to a specialist subcontractor for reconditioning. It will then be shipped directly to Pickering where it will be installed in the loco by NYMR staff. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 10th January 2026 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this little loco is stabled outdoors on Number 4 road at Williton and is fully serviceable. The loco will be started up this coming weekend and run for a while, in order to keep her in good condition and ready for use when required.

 

If you can help by donating your time to any of these projects, then please JOIN US and come along to the depot for an introduction to what we do and how we do it. We currently have people on site from Saturdays and Tuesdays 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 !

 

 

NEW CLOTHING RANGE:

Feeling the cold ? Go ahead and order a fleece jacket or sweatshirt via our ONLINE STORE, just click on this link or on the images below to give it a go !

 

So far, we have launched the 50 YEARS of HYMEKS range and a configurable HYMEK and WESTERN range, and we now have the new design for the Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ featuring two locos side by side, one in green livery and the other in blue, or both in blue. Please let us know if you would like to order a combination that is not obvious on our online store – we are adding more options on a weekly basis. We intend to offer a Class 14 design in the coming weeks.

The range of colours has been expanded and the range of sizes now includes LADIES SIZES. Please let us know via our CONTACT FORM if the colour and size combination that you want is not showing as an option online.

The new designs are available in the following garment types, some of which have not yet been added to our website, so again please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know what you want. Here are the prices:

Garment type	Price
T shirt	£22
Polo shirt	£25
Sweatshirt	£35
Hoodie	£37
Fleece	£40
Other ? Tell us what you want !	Use our CONTACT FORM

These garments are really nice pieces of work, and the ability to personalise your choice is another definite advantage.

We look forward to receiving your order, the profits from which will directly support the DEPG !

 

 

ON SHED – last week, we featured a very unusual photo of a Class 01 loco that was wheel-less and ‘grounded’ in Cambridge Yard in February of 1966. This loco carried the number D2956 and was in BR Green livery. Little did we know at the time, but it turns out there have been two locos of that same Class that have carried that same number.

Based on information received from Christopher Burton and Neale Long, we can report that our photographic subject was originally numbered 11506 and wore a plain black livery when introduced to BR service at Stratford in March of 1956. This loco was one of a batch of 4 and was not fitted with vacuum braking (only loco braking). After this loco was sold into industrial use in 1966, the number was re-used for the fifth example of the same Class, but this was a later build version that was vacuum-braked and had originally entered service on BR in January of 1958 as Departmental No 81.

Ironically, the original 1956-vintage D2956 has survived and sees occasional use on the East Lancs Railway, whereas the later and renumbered D2956 was withdrawn in November 1967, just before it reached 10 years of service, and was cut up for scrap !

 

Here is the information that was provided by Neale:

     “This is how the story unfolds. By the mid-1960s there was a vast number of under-utilised and more-or-less redundant diesel shunting locomotives, especially of the smaller specialised classes such as the Class 01s. It was thought desirable that some locomotives could have useful second lives if offered up for sale to interested parties and indeed 1966 saw the sale of D2953 and D2956 (‘version 1’) which is where your fascinating image comes in.

     Your image is that of ‘version 1’ and not ‘version 2’ because in 1966 ‘version 2’ was still in BR use at Doncaster. ‘Version 2’ had vacuum train brakes fitted together with a rather more modern steel cab door as opposed to the wooden doors that were fitted to the first four members of the Class.

     Other than images of the Holyhead breakwater locomotives, shots of the Class are relatively scarce. To the rescue comes my old mate, the late great photographer Norman Preedy, who quite amazingly took a photograph of ‘Version 2’ in Doncaster in 1967 complete with BR arrows of indecision.

     The image that was shared by Chris Burton is that of the original Class 01 D2956 receiving repairs to its axle box bearings prior to taking up employment with its new owner, Archie King.

     Much of this information can be found in the October 1985 edition of Rail Enthusiast (as it was then known of course) where Howard Johnston penned a fascinating tale of how D2956 was secured thanks to the generosity of Mayer Newman scrap yard.”

 

Many thanks to Christopher Burton and Neale Long for sharing their photos and their knowledge with us all.

Andrew Barclay Class 01 0-4-0DM shunter D2956 was pictured in Cambridge Yard in February of 1966 minus wheels (!) before being sold to A. King & Sons of Norwich in May of that year. This loco is now preserved at the East Lancs Railway. Photo by Christopher Burton © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

 

Andrew Barclay Class 01 0-4-0DM shunter 11506 (D2956) was pictured on the East Lancs Railway during their Small Loco event in January of 2025. This is the same loco that was pictured (minus wheels) at Cambridge Yard in February of 1966. Photo by Neale Long © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Please continue to send in your photos of locos on shed, at the platform or in action, because we appreciate them all, any Class, any place, any time, the more varied, the better. Use our CONTACT FORM to get in touch. Thanks !

 

 

NEW BOOKS ON SALE

There are many new and pre-owned book titles on our online store – click here for details.

Do you have a space on your wall where your 2025 DEPG calendar used to be ?

ACT NOW to grab one of the last few calendars before they are all sold. In fact, the last box of DEPG 2026 A3 CALENDARS is emptying and the last copies will soon be heading out of the door, so if you haven’t ordered yours already, then NOW IS THE TIME TO PLACE YOUR ORDER!

Click here or on the following image to see a mini-presentation that steps through each page and gives the flavour of the contents. MANY THANKS to all of the photographers who donated their work for the benefit of the DEPG !

Here’s a one-page representation of the DEPG 2026 calendar. In the actual calendar, each month occupies a separate A3-sized page. Click here or on the image below to get your copy while stocks last.

 

DEPG NEWS: we have been having some trouble with the payment options on our online store. This was initially due to an update that was required by PayPal and caused that payment option to be suspended until updated. We resolved this temporarily (over the Christmas period) by switching to our Stripe card interface, but this left PayPal account users without their preferred option. So, after much testing (and learning), the updated PayPal module was installed and is now working, but not entirely smoothly. Please bear with us while we iron the lumps out of this process, and please get in touch via our CONTACT FORM if you encounter any difficulties. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

 

The DEPG is a charity and is run entirely by volunteers, many of whom give both their time and their money to the continuance of work on the locos in the DEPG fleet. If you have been enjoying the roundup for free, have you considered joining us for just £1 a month ? You can then add your name to all of those helping out on the above projects and play your part in the future of our locos for a lot less than the price of a cup of coffee!

 

JOIN US using whichever membership class is appropriate for your situation and means. CLICK HERE or on the image below or use the QR code to get the details.

     

 

If you would like to go one step further and come along to help with the work on the locos in our fleet, then please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know that you would like to volunteer and we will respond with more details.

We look forward to hearing from you !

 

Go to the previous Roundup post

Go to Join Us page

Go to Welcome page

Go to Home page

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Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 and Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33057) were bathed in winter sunlight when pictured at Westridge shelter, Bishops Lydeard on Sunday 4th January 2026. Photo by Malcolm Anderson © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Happy New Year !

The news from the DEPG pales into insignificance when compared with the headlines that we have already endured this year, but the tales of our preservation pursuits are hopefully a welcome distraction, maybe even an antidote to the daily flow of ‘other’ news, so let’s start with this:

The DEPG entered the year in a very positive style, with Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 hauling the ‘NIGHT RIDER‘ on the Great Central Railway with 10 coaches and BR Standard Class 5 steam loco 73156 at one end, and D7018 at the other end. This 13-coach equivalent load was then hauled the length of the line and back for four runs, starting at 7pm and ending at 1am with a lengthy horn blowing and whistling session taking place as the clock struck midnight. What a great way to see in the New Year !

Welcoming the New Year – D7018 was pictured at Leicester North on the GCR with the ‘NIGHT RIDER’ special service, evidently on the 2026 side of midnight! The loco was pictured in the glow of the red lights on the buffer stop at the GCR’s southerly terminus. Photo by Julie Tucker © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Just before the end of 2025, our Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was in use for a ‘DMU Drag’ with a difference, as this loco was tasked with moving a Class 108 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) vehicle from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead. Here’s the background to this move:

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 hauled Class 108 DTCL 54270 from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead on Monday 29th December 2025. Pictured approaching Watts Bank (just north of Bishops Lydeard) with ex-GWR ‘Toad’ brake van 68765 bringing up the rear. Photo by Philip Izzard © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

This severely dilapidated Class 108 vehicle was acquired by the WSR as a source of parts to assist with the return to service of a similar vehicle, DTCL 56495, that was acquired by the WSR in 2024 and has been residing at Williton ever since. The DTCL is a non-powered ‘trailer’ vehicle with a driving cab at one end and a lavatory at the other, and when in service on BR, would have had a first class section and a standard class section, making it a ‘composite’ vehicle. So, the formal description is a ‘Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory’ or a DTCL for short.

The intention is to build one good vehicle out of the two, so D9526 called in at Williton en route to Minehead and collected the so-called ‘party’ vehicle DTCL 56495 which is in much better structural condition but devoid of the internal fittings that are needed to return it to a passenger-carrying condition.

The Class 108’s are aluminium-bodied and did not contain asbestos insulation, so they have survived longer than many other classes of DMU, but both ends of the vehicle are made from steel. The photo of DTCL 54270 below shows the inevitable results of many years in open storage:

The WSR’s recently-acquired Class 108 DTCL 54270 was pictured at Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 13th December 2025 – and the severely dilapidated condition is evident. This vehicle is destined for use a source of spares to assist in the restoration of sister vehicle 56495. Photo by Malcolm Smith © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

The WSR’s recently-acquired Class 108 DTCL 54270 – the driving cab still contains some control equipment and some gauges, but they will all need a thorough and careful restoration to make them of use for sister vehicle 56495. Pictured at Bishops Lydeard on 13th December 2025 by Malcolm Smith © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Below is some information that has been provided by WSR plc director Malcolm Smith:

     “The ex-Mid Norfolk unit is a Class 108 DTCL number 54270 which is the same layout as 56495 (the ‘party’ carriage).  It has been purchased for spares only as its body is rotten and beyond salvage, but it has some items we need from it if we are to get 56495 back into service.  These are mainly the second-class seats, the lighting rail, the gangway door, the speedo drive and the bogies (which are in good condition).  It also comes with a set of Formica panels for the toilet. We will keep spare glass and other items as we strip it but it is destined for the scrap man and, being aluminium, will allow us to recoup the majority of the purchase costs. The plan is to pair the restored Class 108 vehicle with the already-restored Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) vehicle 51354 as a two car set.”

 

Many thanks to Malcolm for providing this information; we look forward to hearing more about this restoration project.

Class 108 DTCL 54270 – an internal view that shows the range of fittings that will be of use for the restoration of sister vehicle 56495. Pictured at Bishops Lydeard on 13th December 2025 by Malcolm Smith © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Class 108 DTCL 54270 – a view of the underslung equipment that will also be transferred to sister vehicle 56495. Pictured at Bishops Lydeard on 13th December 2025 by Malcolm Smith © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

 

Another unusual working ….

GWR Class 57 ‘Body Snatcher’ 57604 ‘Pendennis Castle’ (formerly D1859, 47209 before conversion) and the ‘Night Riviera’ Sleeper train – with 57312 (D1811, 47330 before conversion) at the rear – were pictured on a very foggy Sunday 21st December 2025 heading for WSR metals after passing Norton Fitzwarren junction. The working was a test run to turn the train on the Norton triangle. Photo by Peter Smith © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Following the visit of 57310 on Tuesday 16th December 2025 (as reported in the Weekly Roundup of 19-Dec-25) on a test run associated with a plan to use the Norton Fitzwarren triangle to turn Class 800 ‘IETs’ or ‘Flying Cucumbers’ as they are sometimes known, two more Class 57s appeared through the fog on Sunday 21st December while working GWR’s ‘Night Riviera Sleeper’ set and proceeded to turn it by running west toward Allerford (on the former Barnstaple branch) then reversing northwards via the West Chord towards Allerford Junction, then heading southeast on the Norton platform line to rejoin Network Rail metals at Barnstaple Junction (refer to the map further below).

Why ?

Throughout the last week of February and the first week of March, there will be an engineering blockade near Plymouth, where the River Plym bridge at Marsh Mills (near the A38 flyover) is being replaced. This will result in a lot of sets being stabled away from Laira, including Tavistock Junction yard (west of the blockade) and Exeter St Davids and Fairwater yard (east of the blockade). The WSR triangle at Norton Fitzwarren will be used to turn some sets, but this will be done by GBRf crews, which is why test runs are being undertaken ahead of time to ensure crews have time for familiarisation and route proving.

Many thanks to GWR for providing us with this information (via Jon Tooke).

 

This extract from the WSR Rule Book, Map 10 shows that the Allerford spur is all that remains of the Barnstaple branch. To see the Rule Book maps and many more, go to the wsr.org.uk website by clicking this link. Image courtesy of WSR plc © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

57312 was pictured heading north towards Norton Road Bridge and Allerford Junction on Sunday 21st December 2025. Photo by Peter Smith © CC BY-NC 4.0	57604 was at the rear as the train headed north towards Allerford Junction after passing under Norton Road Bridge on Sunday 21st December 2025. Photo by Peter Smith © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

This visit of the GWR ‘Night Riviera Sleeper’ set to WSR metals may be the one and only working of its kind, so we are very grateful to Peter Smith and to Malcolm Anderson for braving the cold and foggy weather to capture these images.

GWR Class 800 ‘Flying Cucumber’ 800304 was pictured passing milepost 165 just west of Norton Fitzwarren Junction on a foggy Sunday 21st December 2025. The ‘IET‘ did not go as far as Barnstaple Junction so it did not reach WSR metals on this occasion. Photo by Malcolm Anderson © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Another rare movement:

En-route from Laira to a storage facility in Ely, Cambridgeshire, former GWR ‘Castle Class’ HST power cars 43004 and 43042 were captured on video while hauling 8 coaches through Exeter St Davids on Thursday 8th January 2026. Click here or on the image below to watch the video that has been shared with us by Steve Thorneley:

Just like the old days – a 2+8 HST working from Laira (Plymouth) led by ex-GWR HST power car 43004 with 43042 at the tail was captured on video while passing through Exeter St Davids en route to Ely on Thursday 8th January 2026. Click here or on the image above to watch the video that has been shared with us by Steve Thorneley © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2026 – the following major events have been confirmed by the WSR, and the dates for a wide range of special services have also been announced – see the WSR Events Page for details and dates.

t

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’– the tedious and laborious task of removing all of the paint from the relevant areas of the ‘B’ bogie continued on several days during the Christmas and New Year period, with a view to allowing the Non-Destructive Testing to take place during the coming weeks. In parallel, Colin F and Reece have been overhauling the water pumps from the ‘A’ and the ‘B’ engines and have also been preparing two of the spare pumps – it is a bit like a production line when these guys get going !

D1010 – the water pump from the ‘A’ engine (upper left) and the ‘B’ engine (lower left) are being overhauled along with two spares (on the right), both of which are quite rusty by comparison. Pictured at Williton on 3rd January 2026 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Class 08 08401 (D3516) – this loco is now on No 2 road outside the loco shed while Ian and his team work on the detailed planning for the conversion to dual braking. In parallel, the sourcing of the remaining few special parts is ongoing (vacuum chambers, door panels, pipework and so on).

 

Class 09 D4107 (09019) – this loco is currently outdoors on No. 1 road but will soon move into the loco shed and be positioned under the crane so that her Westinghouse 3CV50 compressor can be removed to give access to her main generator. This level of disassembly is necessary to allow access to the generator so that the brushgear can be cleaned and examined and new brushes fitted. While the loco is inside the shed, a few repair tasks will be undertaken in and around the cab to make her fit for another year of service before she can be stopped for a cab roof repair (which is a significant task on a loco of this type), by which time our Class 08 08401 (D3516) should be dual-braked and ready to take over as Bishops Lydeard station pilot.

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is outdoors on No 1 road and is having one of her vacuum exhausters removed for overhaul. When the shed is available, she will move indoors so that her leaking engine room roof can be removed and repaired.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is based at Bishops Lydeard where she will remain ‘on duty’ and available for use if required. 

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is stabled outdoors on number 1 road at Williton and is receiving some light maintenance and undergoing internal cleaning. The loco will undergo Ultrasonic Axle Testing at a date to be arranged, in preparation for some visits to other railways.

D7017 – the very low and very bright ‘wolf moon’ was pictured shining through the cab windows at Williton on the cold and clear late afternoon of Saturday 3rd January 2026. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco is currently based at Loughborough on the Great Central Railway and will remain there until the end of April 2026. The GCR will be using the loco for some charter services and also for their SPRING WEEKEND, in addition to their DIESEL GALA in April. Please do try and go along to one or more of these events to show your support for D7018 and help ensure that her visit is a big success !

Here are the running dates for D7018 on the GCR:

Day and Date	Event	Notes
Saturday 28th February	Spring Weekend	Contact the GCR for more info
Sunday 1st March	Spring Weekend	Contact the GCR for more info
23-26 April 2026	Spring Diesel Gala	Contact the GCR for more info

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – more progress is being made on this loco by the combined efforts of the Tuesday and Saturday teams. The battery box covers have now been re-fitted to the loco and the wiring and pipework is progressing in parallel with the rebuilding of the engine. The following photos show the work that has been taking place:

D9518 – the battery box covers have been repaired, repainted and re-fitted to the loco, as seen in this photo taken at Williton on 23rd December 2025 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

D9518 – looking down onto the newly-fitted battery box cover. Pictured at Williton on 23rd December 2025 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

D9518 – looking through the ‘short end’ of the loco (above the transmission), the newly-fitted battery box cover can be seen on the far side of the frames. Pictured at Williton on 23rd December 2025 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

D9518 – the engine is now ready for coolant leak testing, a Schrader valve having been fitted to a blanking plate to allow the system to be pressurised for test purposes. Pictured at Williton with Terry pointing to the valve on Saturday 3rd January 2026. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is now based at Bishops Lydeard where she will remain throughout the winter to cover for Class 09 shunter D4107 (09019).

 

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is based on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway but has been ‘stopped’ because of an issue with her ‘triple pump’ – which is an electrical machine that is a combined water pump, oil pump and fuel pump, all driven from one big DC electric motor.

The spare triple pump at Williton was in need of an overhaul and has now been stripped down so that the motor can be sent out for reconditioning before sending it to the NYMR for installation into 47077. This work is planned for completion by the end of February.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this little loco is stabled outdoors on Number 4 road at Williton and is fully serviceable. The loco will be started up this coming weekend and run for a while, in order to keep her in good condition and ready for use when required.

 

If you can help by donating your time to any of these projects, then please JOIN US and come along to the depot for an introduction to what we do and how we do it. We currently have people on site from Saturday through to Tuesday and we can open on other days if we can be sure of getting at least two volunteers on site at all times, so there is plenty of scope. We have tasks of all types to suit most capabilities, both skilled and unskilled.

Many thanks to all of our volunteers who give up so much of their time to work on the cleaning, painting, maintaining, restoring, managing and fund raising for our fleet of heritage locomotives !

 

 

NEW CLOTHING RANGE:

Our supplier is now up to date with deliveries, so if you think otherwise then please get in touch with us by using our CONTACT FORM.  Go ahead and place your orders via our ONLINE STORE, just click this link to give it a go !

So far, we have launched the 50 YEARS of HYMEKS range and a configurable HYMEK and WESTERN range, and we now have the new design for the Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ featuring two locos side by side, one in green livery and the other in blue, or both in blue. Please let us know if you would like to order a combination that is not obvious on our online store – we are adding more options on a weekly basis. We intend to offer a Class 14 design in the coming weeks.

The range of colours has been expanded and the range of sizes now includes LADIES SIZES. Please let us know via our CONTACT FORM if the colour and size combination that you want is not showing as an option online.

The new designs are available in the following garment types, some of which have not yet been added to our website, so again please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know what you want. Here are the prices:

Garment type	Price
T shirt	£22
Polo shirt	£25
Sweatshirt	£35
Hoodie	£37
Fleece	£40
Other ? Tell us what you want !	Use our CONTACT FORM

These garments are really nice pieces of work, and the ability to personalise your choice is another definite advantage.

We look forward to receiving your order, the profits from which will directly support the DEPG !

 

 

ON SHED – this week, we have a very unusual photo of a loco that evidently had a bit of a rough entry into industrial use, but has happily survived and is now being cared for on the East Lancs Railway. The loco is an example of a Class 01, a shunting loco that was built by Andrew Barclay & Sons for BR way back in 1956 !

This loco was withdrawn from BR service in May 1966 as surplus to requirements and sold to A. King & Sons of Norwich, a scrap dealer who was in the process of cutting up railway locomotives and needed a shunting loco to move them around. Luckily, the ’01’ managed to avoid being cut up itself and survived in industrial use until 1984 before entering preservation.

Many thanks to Christopher Burton for sharing his photo with us all.

Andrew Barclay Class 01 0-4-0DM shunter D2956 was pictured in Cambridge Yard in February of 1966 minus wheels (!) before being sold to A. King & Sons of Norwich in May of that year. This loco is now preserved at the East Lancs Railway. Photo by Christopher Burton © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Please continue to send in your photos of locos on shed, at the platform or in action, because we appreciate them all, any Class, any place, any time, the more varied, the better. Use our CONTACT FORM to get in touch. Thanks !

 

 

NEW BOOKS ON SALE

There are many new and pre-owned book titles on our online store – click here for details.

Do you have a space on your wall where your 2025 DEPG calendar used to be ?

ACT NOW to grab one of the last few calendars before they are all sold. In fact, the last box of DEPG 2026 A3 CALENDARS is emptying and the last copies will soon be heading out of the door, so if you haven’t ordered yours already, then NOW IS THE TIME TO PLACE YOUR ORDER!

Click here or on the following image to see a mini-presentation that steps through each page and gives the flavour of the contents. MANY THANKS to all of the photographers who donated their work for the benefit of the DEPG !

 

DEPG NEWS: there will be another training session taking place at Williton this coming Saturday (10th), where four trainee secondmen will be undergoing practical training under the close supervision of DEPG member, author and WSR Diesel Traction Inspector John Leach. We are very grateful to John for the time and effort that he dedicates to ensuring that our trainees are well equipped for their future role on the footplate – and hopefully for their rapid progression towards becoming diesel drivers on the WSR.

 

The DEPG is a charity and is run entirely by volunteers, many of whom give both their time and their money to the continuance of work on the locos in the DEPG fleet. If you have been enjoying the roundup for free, have you considered joining us for just £1 a month ? You can then add your name to all of those helping out on the above projects and play your part in the future of our locos for a lot less than the price of a cup of coffee!

 

JOIN US using whichever membership class is appropriate for your situation and means. CLICK HERE or on the image below or use the QR code to get the details.

     

 

If you would like to go one step further and come along to help with the work on the locos in our fleet, then please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know that you would like to volunteer and we will respond with more details.

We look forward to hearing from you !

 

Go to the previous Roundup post

Go to Join Us page

Go to Welcome page

Go to Home page

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HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of our members and supporters ! Let’s hope that 2026 is going to be a good year for everyone.

Here’s a quick roundup of the last 12 months to remind us of the highs and lows that we encountered during 2025:

 

JANUARY 2025 – the year started with a ‘Whistle-Up’ event to celebrate the 200th anniversary year of train travel, and synchronised so that heritage railways and museums throughout the UK could participate with some whistling – or as in our case, horn blowing – of their own. 

At Minehead, the bodywork overhaul of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was well underway, with the roof sections being lifted off during a cold but calm and bright Tuesday 7th January.

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was pictured at Minehead sandwiched between WSR 2-6-0 ‘Mogul’ 9351 and Class 03 D2133 while undergoing removal of her roof sections on a cold but sunny Tuesday 7th January 2025. Photo by Harry Spencer © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

FEBRUARY 2025 – the part-restored cab of Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 (NCB Ashington No. 7) was re-mounted onto the loco frames, restoring the distinctive shape of the loco and allowing re-wiring work to move forward.

Another milestone in the restoration of Class 14 D9518 was reached on Saturday 8th February 2025 when the part-restored cab assembly was re-mounted on the loco frames at Williton using a heavy-duty truck-mounted crane and a highly skilled operator, both provided by HEAVER BROTHERS of Exeter. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

This view shows the long reach and relatively flat angle of the lift that took place inside the loco shed at Williton. Pictured on Saturday 8th February 2025 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

MARCH 2025 – the moment of truth – having been re-installed in the loco during the previous month, the carefully overhauled and static-tested transmission of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 was subjected to a ‘real’ test for the first time since the overhaul. Some directional interlock issues remained but were soon resolved, allowing the loco to ‘exercise’ in the yard. Click here or on the image below to watch the video of the start-up.

DEPG treasurer and driver Paul Tucker was pictured pressing the ENGINE START button in the ‘A’ cab of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 during a transmission testing session at Williton on Saturday 8th March 2025. Extract from a video by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

APRIL 2025 – although not booked for diesel haulage at this time of year due to the need for carriage heating, the exceptionally warm and sunny weather in April allowed Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) to take charge of several public service trains, allowing the steam loco teams a breather in which to prepare their steam fleet for service later in the month.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) added to the colour palette at Williton on Wednesday 2nd April 2025 when she worked the 12:25 Bishops Lydeard to Minehead and return service, standing in for a steam loco. Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 can also be seen in this photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

The weather resulted in another ‘first’ when the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) had to adopt an all-diesel timetable due to the high risk of lineside fires – in APRIL ! Luckily, our ‘celebrity‘ Class 47 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was on hand and available for duty, racking up 1,286 miles in service during that month alone.

47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was waiting at Levisham as the unique 1903-built NER ‘autocar’ 3170 approached with a train from Grosmont on Sunday 27th April 2025. Photo by Glyn Warren © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

MAY 2025 – after weeks of careful preparation and rigged up with sensors and datalogging equipment, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 went out on a test run with Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) for company, but astounded everyone on the return leg by attaching ahead of a Class 33-hauled public service from Bishops Lydeard and hauling the complete train through to Minehead unassisted – an equivalent load of 11 coaches over the gradients of the West Somerset Railway – and a total success !

A very unusual sight at Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 10th May 2025: Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 and her travelling companion D6566 (33048) were attached on the front of the service train which was being hauled by D6575 (33057). The trailing load on the ‘Hymek’ was equivalent to 11 coaches. Photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

After being cleared to resume duties on the WSR, D7018 was used to haul the John and Margaret Crane 50th Anniversary Special on Saturday 17th May, which was also the 50th anniversary of the acquisition of sister loco D7017 from BR and the transition of the Diesel & Electric Group to a loco preservation group.

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 hauled the ‘JOHN & MARGARET CRANE ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL’ on Saturday 17th May 2025 to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of the couple who organised the fund-raising to save our two ‘Hymeks’, also 50 years ago. Pictured on the approach to Stogumber by Steve Lewis © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

JUNE 2025 – the WSR’s SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL was another success, with a crowd-pulling mix of guest locos that joined the home fleet and delivered a most enjoyable event over three days of exclusive diesel haulage and one day of mixed traction.

Visiting English Electric Class 50 50015 (D415) ‘Valiant’ was a popular choice for haulage on Thursday 5th June 2025, the first day of the WSR’s SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL, and was pictured arriving at Williton Station while resident Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33057) waited with a goods train for Minehead (with passengers in the brake van). Photo by Natalie Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

In the yard at Williton, Rail Adventure Class 43 HST power cars 43484 (nearest) and 43465 provided additional interest while the very popular ‘Irie 7‘ mobile catering van looked after the thirsts and hunger of the visitors – and what a great spot from which to relax and watch the proceedings. On Friday 6th June 2025, Class 14 D9526 was at the platform with the ‘down goods’ and Barclay 578 (ROF 1) was on display in the yard. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

The Diesel Traction Group’s mainline-registered Class 52 D1015 ‘WESTERN CHAMPION’ was a star performer at the WSR’s SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL, pictured approaching Blue Anchor station on a service destined for Norton Fitzwarren on Saturday 7th June 2025. Photo by Robin Wichard © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Visiting Class 45 ‘Peak’ 45108 (D120) was pictured bringing her train into the platform at Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 7th June 2025 with Class 25 25185 (D7535) alongside. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Also in June, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) took a long weekend break and travelled to the SPA VALLEY RAILWAY in Kent to participate in a 50th anniversary event, returning to a line where she had operated many times in those ‘green diesel’ days of the distant past.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) made her first visit to an event on another railway since entering preservation on the WSR back in 1997. The loco was pictured arriving at Groombridge on the SPA VALLEY RAILWAY (in Kent) on Friday 13th June 2025. Photo by Roger Geach © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

JULY 2025 – the 50th anniversary of our first preserved loco, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017, pictured below at Reading while being towed from Old Oak Common depot (near Paddington) to Taunton by Class 25 25162 (D7512)

FIFTY YEARS AGO, on 30^th July 1975, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 departed from Old Oak Common Depot in the care of Class 25 25162 (D7512) and was towed to Taunton to start a new life in preservation in the care of the D+EG (the forerunner of the DEPG). Photo taken at Reading by Michael Cheetham © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

In commemoration of 50 YEARS of HYMEK PRESERVATION, a new booklet was released by DEPG Publicity Officer MARK BLADWELL covering DEPG ‘Hymek’ D7017. This booklet is currently IN STOCK and available for sale via our online store.

 

AUGUST 2025 – the highlight of the year was the ‘HYMEKS at 50‘ weekend that saw the return to service of D7017, fresh from her bodywork overhaul at Minehead, working alone and in tandem with recently re-varnished D7018 on a full weekend of haulage that included early starts and late finishes, with 240 track miles of ‘Maybach Music’ to enjoy. The 8-coach trains were very well loaded and the event was a tremendous success – totally appropriate for the 50th year of ‘Hymek’ preservation !

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 worked the 0825 Bishops Lydeard to Minehead service on both days and was pictured approaching the platform at Bishops Lydeard with the return working (the 10:00 departure from Minehead) on Saturday 30th August 2025. Photo by Mike Pinn © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was evidently doing all of the work on the climb from Williton to Crowcombe Heathfield with an 11-coach equivalent load that included D7018, both locos resplendent against the darkening skies. Pictured about to cross the A358 at Sampford Brett bridge on Saturday 30th August 2025 by Mike Lanning © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Fifty years of ‘Hymek’ preservation also applies to the two other survivors, D7029 in the care of the Diesel Traction Group at Kidderminster and D7076 in the care of the Bury Hydraulic Group on the East Lancs Railway. The latter was out and about on a visit to the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway when pictured on Sunday 31st August 2025 by DEPG member Cameron Walker © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

SEPTEMBER 2025 – as soon as D7018 cooled down after her weekend of exertions, she was collected by Allelys and whisked off to the Great Central Railway at Loughborough where she was to be one of the star attractions at the GCR Diesel Gala. The previous visit of D7018 to the GCR was way back in 1994 (D7017 visited in 2017) and she has proven to be a very potent and effective crowd-puller. The loco will remain at the GCR to participate in their Spring Diesel Gala at the end of March 2026.

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 was one of the star attractions at the GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY diesel gala, pictured approaching Quorn station from the Loughborough direction with a train for Leicester North. The ‘Hymek’ was making her first visit to the line since 1994 and will be staying in Leicestershire until April 2026. Pictured on Sunday 7th September 2025 by Steve Rhymes © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

 

The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) of the DEPG took place on Saturday 13th September, an essential and mandatory gathering where members listen to the reports presented by the Chairman and Treasurer and approve them and appoint the Board of Trustees and Directors for another year.

At Williton on Saturday 13th September 2025 – DEPG Chairman Martin Howard delivered his annual report to the assembled members, with the projector showing that all eight of the serviceable fleet of locos were available for use at three different railways (repeated below). Photo by Carol Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0 

Above: 13-Sep-25 snapshot of the Locomotive Status page on the DEPG website.

 

OCTOBER 2025 – the DEPG jumped on an opportunity to acquire Class 08 shunter 08401 (D3516) in fully operational condition, to provide an additional potential income stream and to provide backup for Class 09 D4107 (09019). The ’08’ was made available by Hunslet Engineering after receiving a reconditioned generator, and although currently air-brake only, is able to be converted to dual braking (vacuum and air) to make her more useful on a heritage railway. This loco started life in June 1958 as D3516 based at Laira and has led an active and varied life – visit the TIMELINE page for details.

Safe on WSR metals, the DEPG’s newly-acquired Class 08 ‘Shunter’ 08401 (D3516) was in the care of the diminutive Ruston 48DS number 200793 after being unloaded from road transport at Williton on Thursday 23rd October 2025. Photo by Tony Austin © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

NOVEMBER 2025 – a major purchase was completed when the full set of D1010‘s springs, comprising 12 primary springs (between the axle boxes and the bogie frame) and 20 secondary springs (between the bogie frames and the body) were returned from Owen Springs of Rotherham, having been tested and reconditioned where needed to bring them in line with the BR specification.

The set of 12 primary springs (for both bogies) from D1010 have been fully disassembled, reconditioned and then fitted with new buckles, an excellent service provided by OWEN SPRINGS of Rotherham. Pictured at Williton on 8th November 2025 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

The reconditioned primary springs (centre pallet, for bogies ‘A’ and ‘B’) and the tested secondary springs from ‘B’ bogie (left and right hand pallets) were pictured at Williton on 8th November 2025 with Class 33 D6575 (33057) providing the background. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

 

The absence of scheduled train services for much of November creates an opportunity for the Infrastructure Department to access the line, so Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was put to work hauling a ‘Tidy Train’ comprising flat wagons and a brake van, allowing the team of volunteers the chance to gather and remove items that are no longer needed along the trackside – such as life-expired sleepers and lengths of rail as seen in the photo below:

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was within Blue Anchor station limits when pictured with the volunteer Infrastructure Team at work on Saturday 22nd November 2025, Photo by Malcolm Anderson © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

DECEMBER 2025 – a very busy end to a very busy year that saw our two ‘Hymeks’ taking centre stage – and rightly so, for their 50th anniversary since entering preservation in 1975 !

On New Year’s Eve, the GCR concluded 2025 and opened 2026 by running the ‘NIGHT RIDER‘ special service, comprising 10 well-filled coaches with BR Standard Class 5 steam loco 73156 at one end, and our D7018 at the other end. This 13-coach equivalent load was then hauled the length of the line and back for four runs, starting at 7pm and ending at 1am. What a great way to see in the New Year !

D7018 – pictured at Leicester North on the GCR on 31st December 2025 with the ‘NIGHT RIDER’ and evidently on the ‘2025’ side of midnight. No prizes for guessing the headcode that was used for the final run. Photo by Julie Tucker © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

YOU GUESSED CORRECTLY ! – D7018 was pictured at Leicester North on the GCR with the ‘NIGHT RIDER’ special service – but this time on the 2026 side of midnight ! Photo by Julie Tucker © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

 

As always, we are very grateful for another year of support from our members, volunteers and all who have contributed their time and funds to allow the DEPG to continue its work. Your continued patronage and financial help is essential and very much appreciated. Thank you !

 

Many more items of news from 2025 can be found by browsing our website. Sign up for ROUNDUP to have the news delivered to your emailbox on a weekly basis.

 

VERY IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – the WSR’s 2026 Summer Diesel Festival will take place from Thursday 4th through Saturday 6th June 2025, with mixed traction day on Sunday 7th, so keep these dates free and make a plan to attend !

 

Former GWR ‘Castle Class’ HST was pictured approaching Blue Anchor station on Wednesday 14th August 2025 with power car 43155 leading and 43154 trailing. A wonderful image of summer on the WSR – captured by Mike Lanning © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

The end of an era – the last public service to be operated by a ‘Castle Class’ HST arrived at Plymouth Station on Saturday 13th December 2025, bringing the curtain down on 49 years of HST rail travel in the Southwest of the UK. The HST had worked a service from Penzance and joined her two sister sets for a photoshoot, one of which had worked between Exeter and Penzance earlier that day and another that had worked on the Newquay branch, covering for a failed DMU !

The High Speed Train was developed in the mid-1970s as an interim solution pending electrification of the main trunk routes and was marketed as ‘Inter-City 125‘, becoming such a success that HSTs ended up operating over most of the UK, providing a step-change in the rail experience of the time. The upgrade in comfort and speed was such that ticket income soared and this justified the building of more sets, and the expansion onto cross-country routes in addition to the London main lines. A real success story !

From now on, it will be necessary to visit Scotland to ride on the last of the survivors, or take a trip to Mexico, or take a charter on one of the preserved sets. These highly competent machines are still a pleasure to travel on, and in many ways are superior to some of the trains that have replaced them – but that is because they were so good to start with !

Click here or on the image below to go to the Cornwall Railway Society’s web page for details of the services that ran on the last day:

Three ‘Castle Class’ HSTs were lined up at Plymouth Station on the evening of Saturday 13th December 2025, the last day of scheduled HST running on the former ‘Western Region’. Click here to view this webpage on the Cornwall Railway Society website.

 

 

The WSR‘s 2025 Christmas Season is progressing well and only a few of the ‘SANTA EXPRESS‘ services still have seats available, so ACT NOW  to reserve your seats before it is too late. The WSR image below is dated 15th December, so availability will have tightened since it was produced. Click here or on the image below to view the latest information:

To check the availability of the remaining Santa Express services, click on this link.

 

 

An update on the WSRA Christmas Prize Draw – for the restoration of BR 2-6-4T 80064

Thanks to donations from 153 supporters including many who responded after being made aware of this appeal via the roundup, the West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA) have raised £1,922 that will be put towards the restoration of BR 2-6-4T 80064 to get this loco into service on the WSR. The ‘Standard 4 Tank’ is an ideal loco for the WSR, having sufficient power for the gradients while also carrying sufficient water and coal for the distances being worked. We look forward to seeing this loco operating alongside our heritage diesel loco fleet, just as many did during the last years of steam on BR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH to all who contributed !

The draw closed on 15th December after raising £1,922 in support of 80064.

 

Another unusual working ….

GBRf Class 57 ‘Body Snatcher’ 57310 (formerly D1618, 47037, 47563, 47831 before conversion) was pictured on a test run at Orchard Junction on the truncated remains of the former GWR branch to Barnstaple on Tuesday 16th December 2025. Photo by Paul Fleet © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

It is not every day that one can see a Class 57 at work on WSR metals, but 57310 visited last Tuesday on a test run associated with a plan to use the Norton Fitzwarren triangle to turn Class 800 ‘IETs’ or ‘Flying Cucumbers’ as they are sometimes known. Apparently, Network Rail are planning to carry out work at Plymouth in February and this will require some trains to be turned on the Norton triangle so that the first class accommodation ends up at the correct end of the train. More details will be provided when we have a better understanding of what is going to be taking place and why. Meanwhile, more test runs are expected to be carried out in the near future, which could bring other classes onto the WSR !

This extract from the WSR Rule Book, Map 10 shows that the Allerford spur is all that remains of the Barnstaple branch. To see the Rule Book maps and many more, go to the wsr.org.uk website by clicking this link. Image courtesy of WSR plc © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2026 – the following major events have been confirmed by the WSR, and the dates for a wide range of special services have also been announced – see the WSR Events Page for details and dates.

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LOCO NEWS: The heavy demands on our volunteers at this time of year have temporarily reduced the available working hours as we all struggle to fit in domestic duties, seasonal duties and the occasional festive event ! Therefore, the loco update will be a bit on the brief side, but normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

 

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’– the focus is on the ‘B’ bogie and the need to get it ready for Non-Destructive Testing so that we can get it painted and then start building the bogie up again. In parallel, Colin F and Reece are overhauling the water pumps and planning the logistics for the repositioning of the ‘A’ engine to allow attention to the known trouble spots (cylinders 3 and 12).

 

Class 08 08401 (D3516) – this loco is now on No 2 road outside the loco shed while Ian and his team work on the detailed planning for the conversion to dual braking. In parallel, the sourcing of the remaining few special parts is ongoing (vacuum chambers, door panels, pipework and so on).

 

Class 09 D4107 (09019) – this loco is outdoors on No, 1 road and will soon be receiving a new set of brushes for her generator – which involves having to remove the recently-installed Westinghouse compressor to get access to the generator ! Luckily, we don’t have to do this very often, which is just as well because the set of 18 brushes cost over £500 !

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is outdoors on No 1 road and is having one of her vacuum exhausters removed for overhaul. When the shed is available, she will move indoors so that her leaking engine room roof can be removed and repaired.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is now based at Bishops Lydeard where she will remain ‘on duty’ in support of the Christmas seasonal steam-hauled services. She is rostered for use on Saturday 20th December for night driver training, during which she will operate between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead under cover of darkness !

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is stabled outdoors on number 1 road at Williton and is receiving some light maintenance and undergoing internal cleaning. The loco will undergo Ultrasonic Axle Testing some time in the New Year.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco is currently based at Loughborough on the Great Central Railway and will remain there until the end of April 2026. The GCR will be using the loco for their NIGHTRIDER event on New Year’s Eve and also for their SPRING WEEKEND, in addition to their DIESEL GALA in April. Please do try and go along to one or more of these events to show your support for D7018 and help ensure that her visit is a big success !

Here are the running dates for D7018 on the GCR:

Day and Date	Event	Notes
Wednesday 31st December	The ‘Nightrider’	Link to the ‘Nightrider’ GCR page
Saturday 28th February	Spring Weekend	Contact the GCR for more info
Sunday 1st March	Spring Weekend	Contact the GCR for more info
23-26 April 2026	Spring Diesel Gala	Contact the GCR for more info

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – Terry came to the rescue and provided some photos of the progress being made on this loco by the Saturday and Tuesday teams. Well done all !

D9518 – the coolant header tank (painted blue) has now been fitted to the engine side of the cab bulkhead. Pictured at Williton on 16th December 2025 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

D9518 – inside the cab, the Driver’s Safety Device (DSD or ‘Deadmans pedal’) has now been installed in the cab floor, under the driver’s desk. There wasn’t much room for the associated pipework! Pictured at Williton on 16th December 2025 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

D9518 – the battery box lids have been fitted with new hinges and have received a coat of gloss black paint, so they are now ready to refit to the loco. Pictured at Williton on 16th December 2025 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

D9518 – another view from within the cab, looking down to where the floor plates will eventually be fitted. The copper pipework had to be adjusted to pass under the electrical conduit (orange). Pictured at Williton on 16th December 2025 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is now based at Bishops Lydeard where she will remain throughout the winter to cover for Class 09 shunter D4107 (09019). This loco will be in use on Monday 29th December for Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) moves between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead, returning to Bishops Lydeard by the end of the day.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco continues to be based on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway but has just encountered an issue with her ‘triple pump’ – which is an electrical machine that is a combined water pump, oil pump and fuel pump, all driven from one DC electric motor.

The motor has suffered an internal fault that has resulted in some segments of the commutator bring burned, so the loco has had to be stopped to prevent further damage pending a replacement triple pump being obtained and fitted.

The burned segments of the commutator …	The good segments (discoloured but not burned)
Pictured at Pickering on 19th December 2025 by Josh Smith © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

DEPG volunteer Viv Jones alerted us to the new Channel 4 series ‘STEAM TRAIN DIARIES’ in which ‘NORTH STAR‘ makes an appearance in the THIRD and fourth episodes, substituting for a steam loco during the period of high fire risk, earlier this year. Click this link or the image below for details. MANY THANKS to Viv for letting us know about this TV coverage.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this little loco is stabled outdoors on Number 4 road at Williton and is fully serviceable, and has been used several times during the last few weeks to move locos around the yard.

 

If you can help by donating your time to any of these projects, then please JOIN US and come along to the depot for an introduction to what we do and how we do it. We currently have people on site from Saturday through to Tuesday and we can open on other days if we can be sure of getting at least two volunteers on site at all times, so there is plenty of scope. We have tasks of all types to suit most capabilities, both skilled and unskilled.

Many thanks to all of our volunteers who give up so much of their time to work on the cleaning, painting, maintaining, restoring, managing and fund raising for our fleet of heritage locomotives !

 

 

NEW CLOTHING RANGE:

Our supplier is now up to date with deliveries, so if you think otherwise then please get in touch with us by using our CONTACT FORM.  So, go ahead and place your orders via our ONLINE STORE, just click this link to give it a go !

So far, we have launched the 50 YEARS of HYMEKS range and a configurable HYMEK and WESTERN range, and we now have the new design for the Class 33 ‘Cromptons’ featuring two locos side by side, one in green livery and the other in blue, or both in blue. Please let us know if you would like to order a combination that is not obvious on our online store – we are adding more options on a weekly basis.

New design for the DEPG Class 33 ‘Cromptons’. Click here to place your order !

We hope to have a new design for the Class 14 ‘Teddy Bears’ soon. Here’s a review of what is on offer and available to order NOW via our website:

Polo shirt in Black with 50 YEARS of HYMEKS logo	Polo shirt in Royal Blue with D7018 in blue FYE and D1010 in maroon SYP
Polo shirt in Burgundy with 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ logo	Polo shirt in Seal Grey with D7017 in green SYP and D1010 in maroon SYP
T-shirt with D7018 and D1010 design (this type of printing is only available on a T-shirt)	Sweatshirt with D7018 in blue FYE and D1010 in maroon SYP

 

The range of colours has now been expanded and the range of sizes now includes LADIES SIZES. Please let us know via our CONTACT FORM if the colour and size combination that you want is not showing as an option online.

The new designs are available in the following garment types, some of which have not yet been added to our website, so again please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know what you want. Here are the prices:

Garment type	Price
T shirt	£22
Polo shirt	£25
Sweatshirt	£35
Hoodie	£37
Fleece	£40
Other ? Tell us what you want !	Use our CONTACT FORM

These garments are really nice pieces of work, and the ability to personalise your choice is another definite advantage.

We look forward to receiving your order, the profits from which will directly support the DEPG !

 

 

ON SHED – this week, we go further northwards and feature a photo of an ex-works Class 37 at York, but it is a ’37’ that has a story to tell. Here’s the narrative that was provided by the photographer, ANDY GALPIN:

     “This was 10^th March 1979 – I was living in York and had just saved up for a half decent SLR camera. My first couple of test shots were at the station and this was 37154 which looks ex-works and may well be out on test from Doncaster? I seem to recall that it came in piloting a southbound passenger service hauled by a ‘Peak’, but I’ve no further detail. 

     It struck a bit of a chord with me, as 6 years previously I’d seen the then D6854 (of Eastfield I believe) pretty well smashed at both ends and awaiting serious attention at Doncaster Works. At that time I thought it would be lucky to survive.”

 

So, what is the story behind the damage to D6854 back in 1973 ? Does anyone have any information to share ? Please email contact@depg.org or use our CONTACT FORM if you can help with these questions. MANY THANKS to Andy Galpin for sharing his photos and memories with us all.

English Electric Class 37 37154 (D6854) was the subject of some discussion at York Station on Saturday 10th March 1979. The loco was in ex-works condition and might have been on a test run from Doncaster Works. Can you help provide the backstory on this loco ? Pictured alongside 45019 (D33) by Andy Galpin © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

Please continue to send in your photos of locos on shed, at the platform or in action, because we appreciate them all, any Class, any place, any time, the more varied, the better. Use our CONTACT FORM to get in touch. Thanks !

 

 

NEW BOOKS ON SALE

Not one but THREE new books were added to our online store in the last few weeks, with varied themes but all of great interest. There is no time to ship them before Christmas, but why not order now for delivery in January ?

GO AHEAD AND PLACE YOUR ORDERS via the DEPG online store now !

 

Part 1 of a 3-part series by Bernard Mills, this new book is definitely a big success. Click here to place your order.

Volume 2 of a 3-volume series by Michael Rhodes, this new book is going to be of great interest to many readers, including those who are not based in or come from the North-East. Click here to place your order.

A rugged A5 wirebound booklet that will be essential reading for operators and crew of the popular Class 33 ‘Cromptons’, this book will also be of value to those with a broader technical interest. Click here to order your copy.

 

There are many other new and pre-owned book titles on our online store – click here for details.

 

The last box of DEPG 2026 A3 CALENDARS has been opened and the last copies will soon be heading out of the door, so if you haven’t ordered yours already, then NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT !

Click here or on the following image to see a mini-presentation that steps through each page and gives the flavour of the contents. MANY THANKS to all of the photographers who donated their work for the benefit of the DEPG !

 

DEPG NEWS: the most important message that we can give at the end of another year is the message of thanks, thanks for the hard work of our volunteers and thanks for the people who contribute their hard-earned cash to provide our volunteers with a place to work and materials and equipment with which to do their restoration and maintenance work on the DEPG fleet.

There are many who work at home for the benefit of the DEPG and many whose efforts never make it into the roundup or newsletter, but who are nonetheless essential parts of the greater DEPG machine.

WE THANK YOU ALL and wish you all a peaceful Christmas and a HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Santa was spotted at Williton on Saturday 6th December 2025 and is rumoured to have been spotted several more times during the subsequent weekends ! Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 4.0

 

 

The DEPG is a charity and is run entirely by volunteers, many of whom give both their time and their money to the continuance of work on the locos in the DEPG fleet. If you have been enjoying the roundup for free, have you considered joining us for just £1 a month ? You can then add your name to all of those helping out on the above projects and play your part in the future of our locos for a lot less than the price of a cup of coffee!

 

JOIN US using whichever membership class is appropriate for your situation and means. CLICK HERE or on the image below or use the QR code to get the details.

     

 

If you would like to go one step further and come along to help with the work on the locos in our fleet, then please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know that you would like to volunteer and we will respond with more details.

We look forward to hearing from you !

 

NOTE – the next roundup will be the ’roundup of 2025′, which will be made released on the 1st of January 2026.

 

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