• DIESELGEN – 13 and 16 April 2024

    Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was bathed in late afternoon sunshine at Westridge Loco Shelter, Bishops Lydeard, on Wednesday 10th January 2024. Photo by Liam Hebditch © CC BY-NC 3.0 

     

    On Saturday 13th April, Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 will be in use to move a Mk 3 coach from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead. The loco will then return to our Williton depot with a brake van in tow, and will remain at Williton until next called into use, which is expected to be on Friday 19th April on an as-yet-unconfirmed infrastructure working from Williton to Kentsford and back.

    The booked timings for the Saturday working are as follows:

    D9526 – Saturday 13th April 2024

    1100 depart BL arrive MD 1215

    1315 depart MD arrive WN 1400

     

    On Tuesday 16th April, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) will be in use to move a rake of Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) from Minehead to  Bishops Lydeard in connection with the start of the RED timetable. The loco will then remain at Bishops Lydeard on standby duty.

    The booked timing for this working is as follows:

    D6566 – Tuesday 16th April 2024

    1000 depart MD arrive BL 1130

     

    These workings are not public services and are being run for operational and engineering purposes. Any change in requirements may result in change or cancellation. Actual running may vary from the booked timings.

     

    NOTE: On Sunday 14th April, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) will be in use on the 10:00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard and associated 80-mile diagram. This is a planned public working under the BLUE timetable. See our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page for details of planned public services.

     

    Our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page is regularly updated and carries the list of diesel-hauled public services for 2024. This page is used in conjunction with DIESELGEN to provide a complete picture of diesel locomotive activities on the WSR:

    The webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Click this link: http://www.wsr.org.uk/cams.htm or click on the image below to go to the webcams via wsr.org.uk:

    Webcams are available at Bishops Lydeard, Crowcombe Heathfield, Williton, Blue Anchor, Minehead Seaward Way and Minehead Station. Select the appropriate webcam by clicking on the blue button on the webcam page. 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.

     

    VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES: We are looking for additional engineering help to maintain our fleet of elderly locomotives, so if you have such skills and would like to join the DEPG and come along to Williton for a ‘taster day’, then please use our CONTACT FORM so that we can get in touch with you.

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  • D7017 update 11-Apr-24

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 powers out of Watchet with Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) and six Mark 1 coaches in tow. A successful result following three days of test running ! Photo by Keith Fender © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    RESULT !

    After Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 having to cut short the first of her three days of test running on Tuesday 9th due to a low coolant level, the loco has now completed two further days of test running with no significant issues reported.

    The trouble on Tuesday was traced to a split in a radiator joint on the through corridor side and was quickly repaired by the team at Williton. Subsequent running totalling 110 miles has produced a small list of minor tasks, all of which will be dealt with during the coming weeks. The loco will now undergo an oil change and will be cleaned up so that she is ready for the WSR’s SUMMER DIESEL FESTIVAL that takes place between the 6th and 8th of June.

    CONGRATULATIONS to the team of volunteers who prepared D7017 for this test running and crewed her for three continuous days, enduring some highly variable weather in the process !

     

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  • D7017 update 10-Apr-24

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was pictured at Minehead on Wednesday 10th April 2024 after successfully completing a test running session. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0


    After overcoming the coolant loss issue that cut short the test running on Tuesday 9th, D7017 was put through her paces on an 60-mile diagram on Wednesday 10th and performed faultlessly, much to the delight of the volunteers who had been working to prepare her and crew her.

    Thursday’s running will start at Williton at 0945 and cover 50 miles, terminating at Williton at 1610. See the DIESELGEN posting for more details:

    DIESELGEN 9-10-11 April 2024 

    Keep an eye on our website and on our social media channels for further updates.

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  • D7017 update 09-Apr-24

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 leads Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33048) out of Williton station towards Bishops Lydeard on Tuesday 9th April 2024, on the first leg of her three days of test running. Image extracted from a video by Anthony Austin (c) © CC BY-NC 3.0

    After a succesful departure from Williton on the morning of Tuesday 9th April, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 has had to cut short the first of her three days of test running due to a low coolant level which appears to be caused by a split radiator joint in the through corridor.

    The issue is being investigated at Williton this afternoon and hopefully the loco will be repaired and will resume her test running tomorrow.

    Although disappointing, this is not entirely unexpected because the loco has not had much use in the last five years and establishing reliability is the reason why this test running has been arranged. The events today show why tickets cannot be sold for passenger haulage on these workings.

    Apologies to lineside spectactors, but we hope to be back out and about tomorrow.

    Keep an eye on our website and on our scial media channels for further updates.

     

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  • DIESELGEN 9-10-11 April 2024

    Class 35 ‘Hymek’ pair D7018 (L) and D7017 (R) were caught basking in the sunshine at Williton on Saturday 6th April 2024 with Barclay 578 (ROF 1) visible on the right. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

     

    On Tuesday 9th April, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 will commence a three-day programme of loaded test running between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard, starting from and stopping at Williton each day. The ‘Hymek’ will be accompanied by Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) to provide backup in the event of any issues arising with the ‘Hymek’. The objective of this running is to evaluate the reliability of the ‘Hymek’, so if any issues do arise, the running may be curtailed or adjusted as necessary to achieve the objective. The booked timings for these workings are as follows:

    Tuesday 9th April 2024

         1100 D6566 departs Minehead (MD) for Williton (WN) with Coach Set ‘C’

         1141 D7017 attaches at WN

         1156 depart WN arrive Bishops Lydeard (BL) 1224

         1310 depart BL arrive MD 1424

         1525 depart MD arrive BL 1703

         1720 depart BL arrive WN 1753

     

    Wednesday 10th April 2024

         0945 depart WN arrive MD 1030

         1100 depart MD arrive BL 1211

         1310 Depart BL arrive MD 1424

         1525 depart MD arrive BL 1703

         1720 depart BL arrive WN 1753

     

    Thursday 11th April 2024

         0945 depart WN arrive MD 1030

         1100 depart MD arrive BL 1211

         1310 Depart BL arrive MD 1423

         1525 D7017 departs MD light engine arrive WN 1610 (D6566 remains at MD)

     

    These workings are not public services and are being run solely for the purposes of test and evaluation. Any unexpected issues may result in change or cancellation. Actual running may vary from the booked timings.

     

     

    Our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page is regularly updated and carries the list of diesel-hauled public services for 2024. This page is used in conjunction with DIESELGEN to provide a complete picture of diesel locomotive activities on the WSR:

    The webcams provide a very good way of watching the action from afar. Click this link: http://www.wsr.org.uk/cams.htm or click on the image below to go to the webcams via wsr.org.uk:

    Webcams are available at Bishops Lydeard, Crowcombe Heathfield, Williton, Blue Anchor, Minehead Seaward Way and Minehead Station. Select the appropriate webcam by clicking on the blue button on the webcam page. 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.

     

    VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES: We are looking for additional engineering help to maintain our fleet of elderly locomotives, so if you have such skills and would like to join the DEPG and come along to Williton for a ‘taster day’, then please use our CONTACT FORM so that we can get in touch with you.

    Social media channels:

    Back to home page

    Locomotive Status page

     

     

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