Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was out and about on a ‘Tidy Train’ working from Williton to Dunster and back on Saturday 20th January 2024. Photo by trainee secondman Karl Lambert © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

The ‘Tidy Train’ ran from Williton to Dunster and back on Saturday 20th and was well manned and had plenty of work to do as it trundled along the line, the volunteers gathering redundant and recycleable materials from the trackside and placing it on the flat wagons that were being towed behind the Class 33 ‘Crompton’. The plan was to take the consignment to Dunster Station to off-load it in the yard there, but points trouble prevented the train from entering the yard so the train returned to Williton with the wagons still loaded, to be dealt with on another day. MANY THANKS to all of the volunteers who braved the cold weather to get this important work done.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was pictured as it left Williton with three empty flat wagons and a well-filled Brake Van on Saturday 20th January 2024. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) propelled the ‘Tidy Train’ back from Dunster and deposited the wagons in the ‘up’ platform at Williton station. The loco was pictured alongside Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 in fading light on Saturday 20th January 2024. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

Meanwhile, the WSR Infrastructure Department were busy working near Tribble Bridge where a new retaining wall is being built alongside the embankment. As the wall gains in height, the gap between it and the wall is being filled with graded aggregate to ensure sufficient drainage. The photo below shows one of the WSR’s Road-Rail Vehicles (RRVs) positioned on the line above the new wall. Upon completion of the wall, the track will be removed and relaid with fresh ballast. Hopefully, the 5 mph speed restriction will be lifted some time later this year.

The new retaining wall is being built along the embankment near Tribble Bridge as part of the remediation for the flood damage that occurred back in December 2022. Pictured on Tuesday 23rd January 2024 by Chris Lawton © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

WSR DIESEL GALA 2024 – Thursday 6th through Saturday 8th JUNE

Following the success of the WSR’s Diesel Gala last year, contracts are being negotiated to get another good selection of visiting locomotives for the 2024 event which will take place from Thursday 6th through to Saturday 8th June. The Sunday will feature mixed traction, hopefully with at least one visiting locomotive at work.

The first visiting locomotive to be announced is English Electric Class 50 50033 (D449) ‘Glorious’, no doubt to the delight of the many followers of the class. We will provide details of the other visiting locomotives as soon as arrangements for their visits have been finalised. PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF THESE DATES and do your best to attend. It is going to be a great event !

English Electric Class 50 50033 (D449) ‘Glorious’ will be attending the WSR’s 2024 DIESEL GALA that will take place between Thursday 6th and Saturday 8th June 2024. Photo by Tony Middleton © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the very cold wind prevented all but the hardiest souls from working on the loco outdoors last weekend, but new volunteer Viv did do exactly that and put several hours of work into cleaning the accumulations of dirt from the bogies. There is plenty more of such work to be done, so we look forward to warmer weather and getting more volunteers working on this aspect of the restoration.

We will need MORE HANDS to help us get this work done. If you want to see this locomotive back on the rails soon, then PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ! There is plenty more to do, so simply reply to this email or use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

The transmission team continued to make very good progress with the rebuild of the ‘A’ transmission, and the assembly checks that took place last Saturday confirmed that everything was in order and it would be OK to proceed to fit the upper casing. We look forward to this rapidly approaching milestone.

 

D1010 – new volunteer Viv braved the very cold wind at Williton on Saturday 20th January 2024 to carry out more cleaning work on the bogies. Well done that man ! Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the assembly checks that were carried out on the ‘A’ transmission at Williton on Saturday 20th January 2024 showed that everything was in order, clearing the way for the upper casing to be fitted. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Thanks to responses to our appeal for help, we now have two new volunteers working on the photographs and the certificates that will soon be on their way to all who have sponsored a patch on D1010. Almost all of the sponsored patches have now been engraved into the new metal on the loco and efforts are now focused on producing the certificates that will be emailed to each sponsor in recognition of their contribution. Here’s an example:

The marking process involves the use of an ink pen to allocate a patch number and define the patch boundaries, then the sponsor’s name or chosen message is written using the ink pen. The vibratory engraving tool is then used to trace the marking while making a deep impression into the steel of the patch. Here’s a close-up:

The patch is then painted over using multiple coats, but the engraving remains in the metal and will withstand many rubdowns and repaints, in fact it is very difficult to remove (which is how we learned to write the text using the ink pen first!). The engraving will last as long as the metal !

 

Sponsorship includes a photograph and a certificate via email, but we can print these certificates on photo paper and mail them out upon request, in which case we would like to ask for an additional £2 donation per certificate to cover photo paper, ink and postage (donate via our website or via Membermojo).

The drawings that have been developed in parallel will provide a formal record of the position of each sponsored patch and this will allow sponsors to look up the location of their patch when they visit the depot at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT – and your PATIENCE !

Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!

 

Details of the work remaining to be done on this restoration project along with a status report of the funding have been included in the new issue of the DEPG Newsletter, which is becoming available for distribution to DEPG members during the next few days. A summary will be posted via roundup soon, but JOIN THE DEPG to get the information in more detail and more quickly.

 

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is currently based at Williton and is available for duty.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – the replacement cylinder head has now been installed and the eight bolts tightened to the massive torque setting of 750 lb.ft or 1,000 Nm with the use of a torque multiplier and a whole lot of effort from Tom and Ashley. The bolts will need to be re-tightened next week after allowing the bolting stresses to even out, so the lads will be getting another workout soon. The completion of the cylinder head change will allow the team to return their attention to the exhaust system parts, to prepare them for re-fitting. We hope to have this loco back in service some time in March.

D6575 (33 057) – Tom and Ashley (L-R) have their hard hats on in readiness for the lifting of the replacement cylinder head that is visible suspended from the chains alongside the loco. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 20th January 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 (33 057) – a closer view of the replacement Sulzer cylinder head before it was lifted into the loco at Williton on Saturday 20th January 2024. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 (33 057) – after lowering the replacement cylinder head into position, volunteer loco manager Ian R (L) checks and explains the critical points to new volunteer Ashley at Williton on Saturday 20th January 2024. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 (33 057) – Tom and Ashley provided the turning force to the torque multiplier to achieve the massive 750 lb.ft (1000 Nm) of torque for the cylinder head bolts at Williton on Saturday 20th January 2024. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – as reported last week, this loco is ready to return to service subject to some test runs that will be used to accumulate hours and ensure reliability. This loco will undergo an oil change when warmer weather returns and will be ready for test running as soon as the WSR re-opens.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – as reported last week, the next steps for the investigation into the control block issues were planned out and the necessary pressure gauges obtained. To eliminate several probable causes, the loco will need to undergo a static engine run during which the additional risk mitigation measures will be put in place to prevent un-commanded movement. The test run will include data gathering from additional pressure monitoring points and will clear the way for the control block to be removed from the loco for inspection and corrective action. This work will take place over the next 4 weeks.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the re-instatement of the sanding gear was the target for Tony this week, with several sander brackets having to be fabricated from scratch due to them being missing when the loco first came to the DEPG back in 2011 (probably as a result of damage due to the frequent derailments in the colliery yards).

Details of the work remaining to be done on this restoration project along with a status report of the funding have been included in the new issue of the DEPG Newsletter, which is becoming available for distribution to DEPG members during the next few days. A summary will be posted via roundup soon, but JOIN THE DEPG to get the information in more detail and more quickly.

 

D9518 – a new sanding valve bracket was being fabricated by Tony at Williton on Saturday 20th January 2024, to replace parts that were missing when the loco was acquired by the DEPG back in 2011. Photo 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is on standby at Bishops Lydeard for use on engineering trains.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – after receiving a top-end overhaul at Grosmont Works, this loco is now ready to take up duties on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The plan is for this loco to be in use during February.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is stabled on number 3 road at Williton and is ready for use if 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 !

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – this week, we feature two more pre-owned books from a collection that has been very kindly donated to the DEPG, both of great interest to readers with a soft spot for the Western Region and offered at very good prices. All monies gathered from the sale of pre-owned books go directly to DEPG funds for the upkeep of our locomotive fleet, so we would like to say thank you very much to all who have donated and all who have purchased from our online store. Check our online store regularly and change the ‘default sorting’ to ‘sort by latest’ to keep an eye on new postings.

Book:     All change for the West Author : G F Gillham	Book:    35 years of main line diesel traction Author: Colin Marsden
Asking price : £7.50 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store	Asking price : £5 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store

 

 

ON SHED – as mentioned last week, we are actually SHORT of on-shed photographs, which is hard to believe, but is true. To help us maintain this popular feature, please SEND US YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS ! Thanks in advance !

 

 

DEPG NEWS – the new issue of the DEPG Newsletter has been completed and will be ready for distribution next week (the online version will be emailed on Sunday 28th). The 44-page A5 newsletter includes information that is not currently available via our website or via the roundup, so JOIN THE DEPG to get the detailed information at the earliest opportunity.

The next DEPG Board Meeting will take place on Saturday 27th January at Williton. Please let us know by using our CONTACT FORM if you have any questions that you would like to have placed before the board.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

 

 

 

 

 

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 

 

 

The WSR’s Infrastructure Department are having a busy time as they take advantage of their ‘possession’ of the line, which basically means that they have control of the line and nothing can move without their express permission. This is primarily to ensure the safety of the staff and volunteers who are at work on the line in multiple locations. One example is Blue Anchor, where the ‘down’ line (away from Paddington) was dug out and relaid at the end of last year and the ‘up’ line (towards Paddington) was dealt with during the last two weeks. The line is now fit for trains to pass once again, and the next working is a ‘Tidy Train’ that will leave Williton on Saturday 20th behind Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and run as far as Dunster, with volunteers collecting redundant materials from along the lineside and off-loading it all at Dunster Station Yard for sorting and recycling.

Blue Anchor station – the ‘down’ line on the left had already been completely relaid and the ‘up’ line was undergoing spot repairs that have now been completed. Pictured on Tuesday 9th January 2024 by Robin Wichard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

Away from the WSR, our friends at the DIESEL TRACTION GROUP (DTG) were making headline news by completing a successful test run of their mainline-registered Class 52 D1015 ‘WESTERN CHAMPION’. The photographers were out in force including our own Gary Lemon, who travelled to Gossington, Gloucestershire (near Stroud) to grab some shots as the ‘Western’ passed by hauling the GB Railfreight (GBRf) 6M42 Bristol Avonmouth to Penyffordd cement train including GBRf locomotive 66714 as far as the Haresfield Loop, just south of Gloucester. Former DEPG Chairman BOB TILLER was on board to make sure that everything went to plan. CONGRATULATIONS to the team at the DTG and many thanks to GBRf for providing the opportunity for this loaded test run. It is great to see a ‘Western’ working hard on the mainline again. Thanks also to Gary for sharing his work with us.

Class 52 D1015 ‘WESTERN CHAMPION’ leads GBRf 66714 while powering the 6M42 Bristol Avonmouth to Penyffordd cement train past Gossington, Gloucestershire (near Stroud) on Wednesday 10th January 2024. Photo by Gary Lemon © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – work continued on the cooler group refurbishment with the ‘A-end’ assembly being inside the shed, therefore the obvious choice for attention on a freezing cold day. The cleaning up and repainting will be interrupted by the need for some welding repairs to patch some holes that have developed over the years. Luckily, these only amount to a few percent of the total area so are fairly easy to work around.

The transmission team made very good progress with the rebuild of the ‘A’ transmission, with the reverser gears and filling pump installed by the end of the week. Some checks need to be made to ensure that everything is in order before the upper casing section is fitted and bolted down, and we will then be able to proceed with confidence and finish the job.

In preparation for lifting the locomotive from her bogies, some photos were taken from underneath the locomotive, looking upwards at the dampers and thrust brackets that have to be removed before the loco body can be lifted. As expected, there was plenty of dirt and grime present, but the bolts were clearly visible and the pictures tell a thousand words.

Lifting the loco to release the bogies for overhaul will be a major piece of work and we will need MORE HANDS to help us get this work done. If you want to see this locomotive back on the rails soon, then PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ! There is plenty more to do, so simply use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

D1010 – Ian Fn and Roy (L-R) were hard at work on the ‘A’ end cooler group at Williton on Saturday 13th January 2024. This assembly needs some welding repairs before it can be re-assembled, so this will be a job for Tony. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Geoff checks to make sure that the anti-rotation lugs of the intermediate reverser shaft bearing housings have engaged correctly within the ‘A’ transmission at Williton on Monday 8th January 2024. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the hydraulic fluid outlet port that sends the hot fluid to the heat exchanger is clearly visible in this view of the turbine rail installed into the ‘A’ transmission at Williton on Monday 8th January 2024. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Looking upwards from underneath the loco, the bogie yaw damper can be seen at the point where it attaches to the thrust bracket. The dirt and grime is an accumulation since the loco was last lifted, back in BR days. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 13th January 2024 by Natalie Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Looking upwards from underneath the loco, one set of attachment fastenings for one of the four thrust brackets are visible, with double nuts and split pins for security. Removing these thrust brackets will not be the most pleasant of tasks. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 13th January 2024 by Natalie Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

Thanks to responses to our appeal for help, we now have two new volunteers working on the photographs and the certificates that will soon be on their way to all who have sponsored a patch on D1010. Almost all of the sponsored patches have now been engraved into the new metal on the loco and efforts are now focused on producing the certificates that will be emailed to each sponsor in recognition of their contribution. Here’s an example:

Sponsorship includes a photograph and a certificate via email, but we can print these certificates on photo paper and mail them out upon request, in which case we would like to ask for an additional £2 donation per certificate to cover photo paper, ink and postage (donate via our website or via Membermojo).

The drawings that have been developed in parallel will provide a formal record of the position of each sponsored patch and this will allow sponsors to look up the location of their patch when they visit the depot at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT – and your PATIENCE !

Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is based at Williton for the time being and will be in use on Saturday 20th January, working the ‘Tidy Train’ between Williton and Dunster. The train will move slowly along route, gathering up any redundant materials such as old sleepers and any large remnants from the cutting back activities. The mixed material will be taken to Dunster Station Yard, where it will be off-loaded for sorting and recycling. Many thanks to the teams of volunteers involved with these activities.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – the defective cylinder head was removed from the loco last Saturday and preparations were made for the fitting of the replacement cylinder head, hopefully this coming weekend. The defective head will need a new set of valve guides, valves and springs, and it will then be ready for re-use at a future date (these large and heavy parts can be refurbished many times over). There are some areas of bodywork that need repair, and this work will also be dealt with while the loco is under cover.

D6575 (33 057) – the team at work on this loco has been expanded by the welcome addition of driver Neil C (second from left) and new volunteer Ashley (right). Volunteer loco manager Ian R is on the left and secondman Tom is furthest from the camera. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 13th January 2024 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 (33 057) – the exhaust system comprises several very large and heavy sections. The once-white heat resistant tape wrapping does not contain asbestos. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 13th January 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is ready to return to service subject to some test runs that will be used to accumulate hours and ensure reliability. This loco will undergo an oil change when warmer weather returns and will be ready for test running as soon as the WSR re-opens.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the next steps for the investigation into the control block issues were planned out and the necessary pressure gauges obtained. To eliminate several probable causes, the loco will need to undergo a static engine run during which the additional risk mitigation measures will be put in place to prevent un-commanded movement. The test run will include data gathering from additional pressure monitoring points and will clear the way for the control block to be removed from the loco for inspection and corrective action. This work will take place over the next 4 weeks.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the investigation into the repair or replacement options for the cardan shafts is continuing, but meanwhile, work proceeds on the many other tasks associated with the cab rebuild. The electrical cable conduits and trunkings are in the process of being restored by Andy P and the cab lining is being re-installed by Colin G while Terry works on the restoration of the many parts that are lining up for re-fitting.

D9518 – another specially-shaped length of electrical cable trunking has been restored and is being repainted by Andy P at Williton. Pictured on Saturday 13th January 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – always the perfectionist, Colin G traces the existing hole positions for the fixing screws before drilling the pegboard cab lining. This careful approach prevents drilling and tapping additional holes and will result in a much better job, so well done Colin ! Pictured at Williton on Saturday 13th January 2024 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco moved to Bishops Lydeard on Sunday 31st December 2023 and is on standby in case a need for an engineering train working arises.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – after receiving a top-end overhaul at Grosmont Works, this loco is now ready to take up duties on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The plan is for this loco to be in use during February.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco stabled on number 3 road at Williton and is ready for use if 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 !

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – this week, we feature two more pre-owned books from a collection that has been very kindly donated to the DEPG, this time showcasing the Class 50s. All monies gathered from the sale of pre-owned books go directly to DEPG funds for the upkeep of our locomotive fleet, so we would like to say thank you very much to all who have donated and all who have purchased from our online store. Check our online store regularly and change the ‘default sorting’ to ‘sort by latest’ to keep an eye on new postings.

Book: 50s to Exeter Author : Roger Siviter	Book: 50s West Exeter to Penzance Author: Roger Siviter
Asking price : £5 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store	Asking price : £5 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store

 

  

The VERY last few copies of our 2024 DEPG CALENDAR are still in stock at Williton, so this is DEFINITELY your last opportunity to obtain your own copy of this A3-sized 12-page glossy publication which has a theme of DEPG locomotives in ‘then and now’ liveries. Quantities are very limited so PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW to ensure that you get your copy.

Click HERE or on the image below to order you 2024 Calendar

 

ON SHED – a bit of a cheat this week because the photograph is outside the date scope of this roundup, but hopefully we will be forgiven because the weather is about to change and this scene won’t exist this time next week. We are actually SHORT of on-shed photographs, which is hard to believe, but is true. To help us maintain this popular feature, please SEND US YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS ! Please use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you have photographs that you could share. Thanks in advance !

The DEPG’s ‘celebrity’ Class 47 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ takes on a polar appearance outside Grosmont shed on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Pictured on Thursday 18th January 2024 by Josh Smith © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – we aim to produce our ‘DIESEL & ELECTRIC’ Newsletters on a quarterly basis, but events back in August took their toll on the available resource and other catch-up activities have prevented us from completing the Autumn edition. This will be rectified in the coming weeks with a combined Autumn and Winter edition that will be distributed before the end of January. Apologies for this delay.

The next DEPG Board Meeting will take place on Saturday 27th January at Williton. Please use the CONTACT FORM on our website to let us know if you have a question that you would like to have placed before the board.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

 

 

 

 

The DEPG yard at Williton was shunted on Saturday 23rd December 2023 to move D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ outside so that Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) could go into the shed for attention to her exhaust system. The shunt lineup also included Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 and the whole consist was being propelled by Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 while Barclay 578 (ROF 1) kept hold of the brake van on number 4 road. Photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

The new DEPG year started with a flourish of activity that took advantage of the revised loco positions in the shed, with a start being made on the dismantling of the exhaust system of Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057). This loco has been a star performer over recent years and volunteer loco manager Ian R wants to keep her in top condition by addressing a developing issue before it affects reliability.

 

Both Ian and Tom had been noticing increasing amounts of leakage from her exhaust system due to aging seals and gaskets, and had worked out a programme of winter maintenance that could be addressed during the traditionally quiet period between Christmas and Easter. The work involves removing the roof of the ‘Crompton’ so that the heavy components can be lifted out using the 2-tonne crane in the shed. Having the loco under cover will also allow some areas of bodywork corrosion to be repaired. Overall, the work is expected to take around two months.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was moved into the loco shed on Saturday 23rd December 2023 for winter maintenance involving repairs to her exhaust system and attention to some bodywork corrosion. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

The railway is now closed to the public until Saturday 23rd March and the infrastructure engineers have control of the line so that they can progress their various improvement projects. In the event that an engineering train needs to be hauled from A to B, we have Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) available at Williton and we have Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 available at Bishops Lydeard, in addition to the WSR’s own diesel shunting locomotives.

 

On the last day of 2023, the WSR moved the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ train from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead but did so in the hours of darkness, so that the spectacle could be viewed along the length of the line. The weather was very poor, but this did not prevent spectators from gathering at the stations, their patience being rewarded when the steam-hauled working passed through with lights ablaze ! A very nice piece of public relations work by the WSR, and many thanks to the staff and volunteers who gave up their time on New Year’s Eve to make it possible.

BR(WR) 4-6-0 7828 ‘ODNEY MANOR’ was pictured heading the ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ empty coaching stock through Stogumber towards Minehead on New Year’s Eve 2023. Photo by Steve Leek © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

The WSR’s 2023 Christmas programme has been VERY SUCCESSFUL and a big ‘thank you’ has gone out to all staff and volunteers involved with delivering these services – and to the passengers who bought the tickets to ride on them. Well done all !

 

 

WSRA ‘BUY A BAG OF BALLAST‘ CAMPAIGN 

The West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA) has reported that the campaign to buy bags of ballast has resulted in two complete truckloads (40 tonnes in total) being provided to the infrastructure teams so far, so WELL DONE and THANK YOU VERY MUCH to all who contributed. Our 23-mile-long railway needs plenty more, so please buy a bag or two whenever you can. Thanks !

Ballast purchased via the WSRA’s ‘BAGS of BALLAST’ scheme was delivered to Dunster station yard on Monday 8th January 2024. Photo by Jeff Price © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Each bag of ballast (approximately half a ton per bag) costs £13 and each year, the railway needs hundreds of bags of fresh ballast, so CLICK HERE or on the image below to buy a bag of ballast. THANK YOU VERY MUCH and well done to the WSRA and all their supporters !

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – with the loco outdoors and the weather at the start of the year being somewhat wet, attention turned to those tasks that could be done from within the loco shed, the cooler group refurbishment being an obvious target. The cooler groups each comprise a 2-tonne steel structure containing hollow sections for the water tanks and attachment points for 48 radiator elements, 24 per side. The upper part of the structure forms a roof section and includes two hydrostatically-driven fans. All in all, when including the pipework, valves, sensors and switches, it amounts to a lot of work …. x2 !

The transmission team took a break from D1010 during the first week of the year, but we have plenty of progress to report in the next edition of roundup.

Further work took place on the behind-the-scenes with the detailed planning for the lifting of the loco to release the bogies for overhaul. This will be a major piece of work and we will need MORE HANDS to help us get this work done. If you want to see this locomotive back on the rails soon, then PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ! There is plenty more to do, so let us know by using the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

D1010 – Ian Fn turned his attention to the ‘A’ end cooler group at Williton on Saturday 30th December 2023. The various liveries carried by D1010 were gradually turned to grey. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Thanks to responses to our appeal for help, we now have two new volunteers working on the photographs and the certificates that will soon be on their way to all who have sponsored a patch on D1010. Almost all of the sponsored patches have now been engraved into the new metal on the loco and efforts are now focused on producing the certificates that will be emailed to each sponsor in recognition of their contribution. Here’s an example:

Sponsorship includes a photograph and a certificate via email, but we can print these certificates on photo paper and mail them out upon request, in which case we would need to ask for an additional £2 donation per certificate to cover paper, ink and postage.

The drawings that have been developed in parallel will provide a formal record of the position of each sponsored patch and this will allow sponsors to look up the location of their patch when they visit the depot at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT – and your PATIENCE !

Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now back at Williton and was in use on Saturday 6th January for a practical demonstration session for a new batch of trainee secondmen, under the instruction of WSR Diesel Traction Inspector John Leach. The loco was repeatedly coupled and uncoupled to the brake van and each of the trainees had an opportunity to get ‘hands on’ with what must have been some very cold steel ! Many thanks to John for running these training courses !

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was in use for shunting training at Williton on Saturday 6th January 2024. The three trainee secondmen were under the instruction of WSR Diesel Traction Inspector John Leach. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

DEPG trainee Ian Fs was grappling with the vacuum brake pipe on Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) while instructor John Leach and fellow trainee Paul looked on. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 6th January 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – work is progressing rapidly on the exhaust system overhaul, the exhaust system having been completely removed from the locomotive by the end of the week. The rocker covers were also removed from the eight cylinder heads, and this showed that one cylinder head was suffering with leakage through the valve guides. This one head will be removed and replaced with a spare from our stock to prevent any delays in completing the work. The roof section is a steel framework which is covered with translucent fibreglass, so the opportunity will be taken to clean this assembly in parallel to the work taking place withing the loco. Here are some photos showing the progress:

D6575 (33 057) – the exhaust system comprises several very large and heavy sections that have to be unbolted and lifted out of the loco. The once-white heat resistant tape wrapping does not contain asbestos. Volunteers Ian and Tom were pictured while hard at work at Williton on Saturday 6th January 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 (33 057) – the view of the engine at the end of the day, with all of the exhaust system removed and the exhaust ports of the eight cylinder heads clearly visible. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 6th January 2024 by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 (33 057) – some of the exhaust system components awaiting cleanup and inspection after being removed from the loco at Williton on Saturday 6th January 2024. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 (33 057) – the roof section is awaiting a cleanup after being removed from the loco. The huge exhaust port will be the first area for attention. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 6th January 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is ready to return to service subject to some test runs that will be used to accumulate hours and ensure reliability. Our spare Westinghouse air compressor (one in each ‘Hymek’ and two in the ‘Western’) was painted by Linda at Williton last Tuesday, and is now ready to go back into storage until it is needed. The worksplate fitted during it’s last overhaul states that the warranty expired in October 1993 !

The recently-acquired spare Westinghouse compressor was painted by Linda at Williton on Tuesday 2nd January 2024 and is now ready to go back into storage. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The worksplate on the spare Westinghouse compressor advises us that the warranty expired in October 1993, a mere 30 years ago. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 6th January 2024 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – no change this week.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the investigation into the repair or replacement options for the cardan shafts is continuing and visits have been made to review spares held by other groups. The most likely outcome is that several ‘old’ shafts will need to be gathered up and sent to a specialist subcontractor so that at least one set of serviceable shafts can be made from them. The easier option is to buy a set of new shafts, but this will cost upwards of £10,000 and would be the subject of additional fund raising, so it is being viewed as a last resort.

Meanwhile, work proceeds on the many other tasks associated with the cab rebuild. The electrical cable conduits and trunkings are in the process of being restored by Andy P at Williton to ensure that they are all ready and waiting for when their re-installation time comes along.

D9518 – The electrical cable trunking covers were restored and repainted by Andy P at Williton on Saturday 30th December 2023. Photo 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco moved to Bishops Lydeard on Sunday 31st December 2023 and is on standby in case a need for an engineering train working arises.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco has been undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway but we are pleased to report that the work has been completed and the loco has also completed her static testing. The loco was taken out on a loaded test run on Friday 22nd December and some additional faults flagged for attention. The plan is for this loco to be in use during February.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco stabled on number 3 road at Williton and is ready for use if 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 !

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – this week, we feature two pre-owned books from a collection that has been very kindly donated to the DEPG. A search online revealed that two books in particular command a higher price than might be expected, so we are featuring these two books below for the purposes of gathering feedback on their value. All monies gathered from the sale of pre-owned books go directly to DEPG funds for the upkeep of our locomotive fleet, so we would like to say thank you very much to all who have donated and all who have purchased from our online store.

Book: APT – A promise unfulfilled Author : Hugh Williams	Book: BR in the Eighties Authors: David St John Thomas and Patrick Whitehouse
Asking price : £45 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store	Asking price : £15 Click here for a link to the DEPG online store

 

  

The last few copies of our 2024 DEPG CALENDAR are still in stock at Williton, so this is probably your last opportunity to obtain your own copy of this A3-sized 12-page glossy publication which has a theme of DEPG locomotives in ‘then and now’ liveries. Quantities are very limited so PLACE YOUR ORDERS NOW to ensure that you get your copy.

Click HERE or on the image below to order you 2024 Calendar

 

ON SHED – sorry, but we will need to skip this feature this week due to lack of space.

 

DEPG NEWS – we aim to produce our ‘DIESEL & ELECTRIC’ Newsletters on a quarterly basis, but events back in August took their toll on the available resource and other catch-up activities have prevented us from completing the Autumn edition. This will be rectified in the coming weeks with a combined Autumn and Winter edition that will be distributed before the end of January. Apologies for this delay.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of our members and supporters ! Let’s hope that 2024 is going to be a better year for everyone, wherever they are in the world.

 

Here’s a quick roundup of the last 12 months to remind us of the highs and lows that we encountered during 2023:

 

JANUARY 2023 – Our Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 returned to the WSR after her very successful visit 18-month to the Kent & East Sussex Railway during which she clocked up 768 hours of use !

Class 09 D4107 (09 019) and Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 were pictured together at Westridge Loco Shelter, Bishops Lydeard in January 2023. Photo by Mike Collins © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

FEBRUARY 2023 – Class 09 D4107 (09 019) moved to Williton for a month, to undergo maintenance and repair work in the hands of the DEPG.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) stands alongside Class 09 D4107 (09 019) at Williton on Saturday 18th February 2023. The ’09’ was undergoing planned maintenance in the hands of the DEPG while the ’33’ was the designated duty loco and was ready for action. Photo by Natalie Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

MARCH 2023 – Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was in use for crew refresher training purposes, running in the section between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was pictured while stabled at Westridge Carriage Sidings, just south of Bishops Lydeard, on Saturday 18th March 2023 as Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 returned from Norton Fitzwarren on a driver refresher turn. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

APRIL 2023 – the WSR re-opened with a mixture of steam and diesel-hauled services, helped by some early warm weather. Sadly, at the end of this month, we lost our Class 14 team leader and good friend SIMON PURVIS at the age of 61.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was pictured as she approached Williton with the 10:00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard service under the BLUE timetable on Sunday 16th April 2023. Photo by Edward Martin © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The late Simon Purvis, thoroughly immersed in his work on Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 at Williton on Saturday 15th October 2022. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

MAY 2023 – Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) emerged from the paint shop at WSR Restorations in Williton, resplendent in her early-BR livery with the addition of the small yellow warning panel. An excellent paint job indeed !

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) returned to action on Saturday 27th May 2023 looking absolutely top notch after a re-paint at WSR Restorations in the Swindon Shed at Williton. Pictured upon arrival at Crowcombe Heathfield station with the 16:35 Bishops Lydeard to Minehead service, photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

JUNE 2023 – we worked alongside our WSR colleagues to deliver the WSR’s Summer Diesel Festival, a 3-day event featuring intensive timetabling and FOUR visiting locos, the headliner being Class 55 ‘Deltic’ 55009 (D9009) ‘ALYCIDON’ but equally appreciated were Class 33 ‘Crompton’ 33 002 (D6501) ‘Sea King’, Class 24 D7659 (25309, 25909) and Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9551.

Class 55 ‘Deltic’ 55009 ‘ALYCIDON’ was pictured approaching Goviers Lane Crossing at Watchet on Thursday 8th June 2023. Photo by Martin Rouse © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

JULY 2023 – our Class 52 ‘Western’ D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ lightened her load by having both of her cooler groups and her ‘A-end’ transmission lifted out for overhaul. The crane stayed overnight to complete other tasks early the next morning, minimising the overall cost and preventing annoyance to our neighbours. Many thanks to Heaver Brothers for their help.

D1010 – the 4.5 tonne Voith hydraulic transmission was lifted out from ‘A’ end of the loco at Williton on Monday 24th July 2023 so that it could undergo a complete overhaul in the care of the DEPG ‘transmission team’. The rain had stopped a few hours before the lifting operations began. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

AUGUST 2023 – the peak season ‘Yellow’ timetable included an out-and-back working that was ideal for our Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526. The expanded pool of drivers allowed her to be used on 3 out of the 5 weeks, sharing the roster with Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057).

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 worked the YELLOW timetable services on Tuesday 8th August 2023 – which was unexpected because Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) had been booked for that turn. Pictured at the delightful Blue Anchor station by Tony Latham © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

SEPTEMBER 2023 – the planned ‘DEPG at 50‘ event had to be postponed due to the misdemeanours of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018, but a surprise visitor in the form of a GWR mainline ‘Castle’ set brought the crowds to the railway instead. The GWR green livery blended into the WSR scenery very nicely.

A GWR Class 255 ‘Castle’ set was in use for the special Yellow Timetable on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th September 2023, creating plenty of photo opportunities and interesting passenger experiences. Power car 43162 ‘Caerhays Castle’ was leading and 43042 ‘Powderham Castle’ trailing when pictured on the approach to Doniford Halt while working a Minehead to Bishops Lydeard service on Saturday 23rd September 2023. Photo by Mark Ireland © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

OCTOBER 2023 – our Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 went out on a test run following electrical system repairs that had kept her out of service for most of the season. The test run was a success and the loco will be ready for service in 2024. Sadly, this was an awful month as we lost two of our volunteers, CHRIS SHIELDS aged 64 and MIKE EVANS aged 63, and also DEPG member and well-known railway preservationist and author PETER NICHOLSON, aged 75. They are all sadly missed.

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was pictured at Williton on Saturday 21st October 2023, coupled up to Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and waiting for Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 to join the consist for a combined test run to Bishops Lydeard and back. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Williton Loco Shed was the venue for Rod’s Model Railway Sales stand and for our own DEPG Sales Stand for each day of the 2023 Spring Steam Spectacular event. The late Chris Shields covered the sales stand duty on the Saturday and again on Sunday. Pictured on 29th April 2023 by Mark Ireland © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the late Mike Evans was pictured while tidying up after needle-gunning the bodyside of his favourite loco at Williton on 26th February 2022. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The late Peter Nicholson on board Class 17 ‘Clayton’ D8568 at Bishops Lydeard on 18th June 2022. Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

NOVEMBER 2023 – our ‘transmission team’ reached a milestone with the completion of the turbine rail from the ‘A’ transmission of Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’, after a complete overhaul of the this complex piece of precision engineering. The overhaul of the ‘B’ transmission had been completed earlier in the year and the experience gained had allowed the ‘A’ transmission to be turned around in a matter of weeks. Well done team !

D1010 – the end cover of the turbine rail output shaft was pressed on at Williton on Tuesday 28th November 2023, with Tim watching over the process. This closed up the assembly in readiness for the milestone completion stage that took place later that day. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DECEMBER 2023 – our Class 47 had been out of use all summer after suffering some cylinder head bolt failures, but a complete ‘top end’ overhaul was undertaken at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and ‘NORTH STAR‘ was back in action, just before year end.

Darkness fell but test runs up and down the yard continued at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on Thursday 14th December 2023 as our 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was checked out following the ‘top end’ overhaul that has been taking place at Grosmont over the past few months. Photo by Pete Dawson © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

Closing the year 2023, Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 hauled the last train of the year, an Empty Coaching Stock move from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard, which the ‘Teddy Bear’ took over at Williton from ‘Winterlights’ stalwart D6566 (33 048).

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 was pictured at Williton at 17:28 on Sunday 31st December 2023 as she prepared to depart with a Mark 3 sleeper coach and a brake van in tow. Photo by Edward Martin © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

As always, we are very grateful for another year of support from our members and volunteers, and those from the wider railway ‘family’, who have contributed their time and funds to allow the DEPG to continue its work. The continued patronage and financial help from all who support the railway and appreciate the locomotives that run upon it is essential and very much appreciated. Thank you !

 

Many more items of news from 2023 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 2024 Diesel Gala will take place from Thursday 6th through Saturday 8th June 2024, with mixed traction on Sunday 9th, so keep these dates free and make a plan to attend !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

The view of the DEPG yard at Williton on Saturday 16th December 2023 showed (from left to right) Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) on number 1 road (hiding Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 behind her), then Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 on number 2 road, then ‘Hymek’ D7018 with Barclay 578 (ROF 1) completing the ensemble on number 3 road. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

The holiday season is definitely upon us, but activities continue in support of the WSR seasonal services and in preparation for the closure of the line from 31st December until spring time. The railway is active right up to the end of this year, the only exceptions being Christmas Day and Boxing day. Here’s the schedule of what is running and when: 

 

Date	Service	Starting from	Link (click the images or text to go to the WSR website page)
Friday 22nd	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard	SOLD OUT
	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard	Only a few tickets available
Saturday 23rd	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard	Only a few tickets available
	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard	SOLD OUT
Sunday 24th	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard	SOLD OUT
Monday 25th	No services
Tuesday 26th	No services
Wednesday 27th	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Thursday 28th	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Friday 29th	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Saturday 30th	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Sunday 31st	No public services		Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) trains and Engineering trains will run the length of the line, providing photo opportunities.

 

The WSR’s seasonal programme has clearly been VERY SUCCESSFUL and a big ‘thank you’ needs to go to all staff and volunteers involved with delivering these services – and to the passengers who bought the tickets to ride on them. Well done all !

 

WSRA ‘BUY A BAG OF BALLAST‘ CAMPAIGN

The West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA) is a registered charity that operates in support of activities across the West Somerset Railway, and raises considerable sums of money for use for the development and long-term preservation of this wonderful heritage line. Each year, the WSRA run their ‘buy a bag of ballast‘ campaign and it is very successful because it is simple. Each bag of ballast (approximately half a ton per bag) costs £13 and each year, the railway needs hundreds of bags of fresh ballast, so CLICK HERE or on the image below to buy a bag of ballast. THANK YOU VERY MUCH and well done to the WSRA and all their supporters !

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – efforts switched to preparing the loco for a few months outdoors to make way for Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) to enter the loco shed for attention to her exhaust manifold. The tarpaulins were put back in place and the sponsored patches were rubbed down and protected with paint to prevent rust forming in the exposed metal (don’t worry, the patches are quite deeply engraved and cannot be obliterated without the use of an angle grinder!).

Progress continued on the ‘A’ transmission, with the turbine rail being re-installed in the housing, marking another significant step in the overhaul of this huge piece of 1960s precision machinery. Well done team !

Further work took place on the behind-the-scenes with the detailed planning for the lifting of the loco to release the bogies for overhaul. This will be a major piece of work and we will need MORE HANDS to help us get this work done. If you want to see this locomotive back on the rails soon, then PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ! There is plenty more to do, so simply use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

D1010 – Ian F prepared several engraved areas of the loco for painting at Williton on Saturday 16th December 2023. Sponsors need not worry – the marking is deep and will remain in the metal for a very long time to come. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Roy applied the paint that is going to be needed to prevent rust from taking a hold on the new steel before the loco is moved outside on Saturday 23rd. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 16th December 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the turbine rail of the ‘A’ transmission was lowered into position within the housing by Geoff at Williton on Monday 11th December 2023. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the size of the new (and very expensive) bearing is apparent in this view of the reverser gear assembly and Tim at Williton on Tuesday 12th December 2023. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

Thanks to responses to our appeal for help, we now have two new volunteers working on the photographs and the certificates that will soon be on their way to all who have sponsored a patch on D1010. Almost ALL of the sponsored patches have now been engraved into the new metal on the loco and efforts are no focused on producing the certificates that will be emailed to each sponsor in recognition to their contribution.

The drawings are being developed in parallel so that we have a formal record of the position of each sponsored patch and this will allow sponsors to look up the location of their patch when they visit the depot at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT – and your PATIENCE !

Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now in regular use on the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that started on Friday 24th November and will run through to the end of the year. Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is stabled on number 1 road at Williton but will be moving into the loco shed on Saturday 23rd December for approximately two months to undergo attention to a leaking exhaust manifold, and will also receive some bodywork corrosion repairs while under cover.

Meanwhile, winter maintenance work continued and the crankcase cover was removed from the Sulzer 8LDA28 engine so that the gasket could be replaced. The size of this fabricated aluminium cover made it very difficult to photograph !

The crankcase cover from Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was removed and steam cleaned by Tom at Williton on Saturday 16th December 2023. The cover was removed so that a new gasket could be made, and Ian R and Tom had the cover back in place on the loco by the end of the day. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is ready to return to service subject to some test runs that will be used to accumulate hours and ensure reliability. With no work scheduled for this loco until next spring, the opportunity will be taken to perform an oil change and get some loaded test runs carried out as soon as the line is available again (expected to be March 2024). We are determined that this loco is going to have a very good year in 2024.

Our spare Westinghouse air compressor (one in each ‘Hymek’ and two in the ‘Western’) was cleaned up by Linda at Williton last Tuesday, and Tony did some steam cleaning on Saturday. This machine appears to be in very good condition and in full working order, so it will be prepared for painting then lubricated and stored until it is needed.

The recently-acquired spare Westinghouse compressor was moved back into the loco shed by Colin G and Terry for testing, after being steam cleaned outdoors by Tony on Saturday 16th December 2023. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – no change this week.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the team have been in contact with other Class 14 owner groups to try and establish the overall picture of availability of spare cardan shafts. There are some possibilities and these will be investigated in early January. Meanwhile, quotations are being requested for a batch of new cardan shafts to see if there are cost savings that are worth chasing around for.

Meanwhile, work proceeds on the many other tasks associated with the cab rebuild. The removable section of the roof panel is undergoing refurbishment at the moment, with the pegboard lining being replaced and new seals being fitted all around. The pegboard is a very ‘1960s’ material, basically perforated hardboard, but it is authentic.

D9518 – The pegboard lining of the removable cab roof section was undergoing refurbishment at Williton on Saturday 16th December 2023, with Colin G and Terry pictured while refitting the aluminium retaining strips. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – an odd place to hide, perhaps when trying to dodge the hustle and bustle of Christmas, but these legs apparently belong to Tony who may or may not have been doing some work underneath the loco when pictured at Williton on Tuesday 12th December 2023. Photo by Nick Boyce 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is stabled at Williton and is available for service, if called upon. The loco will be in use on Saturday 23rd for shunting the yard, and is scheduled to move to Bishops Lydeard on Sunday 31st.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco has been undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway but we are pleased to report that the work has been completed and the loco has also completed her static testing. The loco will go out on a loaded test run as soon as the railway operating timetable allows. STOP PRESS – we have just received the following image via Tom Courtney:

Captured from the Railcam at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on Friday 22nd December 2023, our 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was out on a loaded test run and was sounding good ! Well done to the team at Grosmont for doing a great job on ‘NORTH STAR’. Image courtesy of Railcam UK and the NYMR © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is going to be in use for a yard shunt at Williton on Saturday 23rd December.

 

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

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

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – this week, we again pause the book reviews to use the space to promote our new 2024 DEPG CALENDAR which has a theme of DEPG locomotives in ‘then and now’ liveries. Quantities are limited so PLACE YOUR ORDERS NOW to ensure that you get your copy (we are only ordering a limited quantity to prevent waste).

Regrettably, we have had to increase the price to £14 but this still represents great value at £1 per month plus VAT.

Click HERE or on the image below to order you 2024 Calendar

 

 

ON SHED – by comparison with our opening photograph, we received the below from Josh Brinsford this week and it shows how the loco lineup at Williton has changed over the last five years. In the view below, D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ is unrestored and Class 47 D1661 (47077, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was still in green livery. Strangely, the weather appears to be unchanged. Many thanks to Josh for sharing items from his back catalogue.

A view of the DEPG yard in 2018 shows (left to right) Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’, Class 47 D1661 (47077, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’, Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 and Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) on a wet and dull day. At least some things are consistent ! Photo by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – the board meeting synopsis was emailed earlier this week to all DEPG members for whom we hold a valid address. Please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form if you are a member but you didn’t receive an email.

 

The DEPG aims to produce our ‘DIESEL & ELECTRIC’ Newsletters on a quarterly basis, but events back in August took their toll on the available resource and other catch-up activities have prevented us from completing the Autumn edition. This will be rectified in the coming weeks with a combined Autumn and Winter edition that will be distributed in early January. Apologies for this delay.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

This view from the signalbox at Bishops Lydeard shows Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) at the platform and coupled to the former BR-Southern Region ‘Parcels & Miscellaneous Van’ (PMV) which houses the generator that will later be powering the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ illuminations. Pictured on Saturday 9th December 2023 by Liam Hebditch © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

The holiday season is fast approaching so the railway is gearing up a notch and will be running services over one part of the line or another from now until Saturday 30th December, except of course on Christmas Day and Boxing Day – the railway’s volunteers need a well-earned break !

Here’s the schedule of what is running and when: 

Date	Service	Starting from	Link (click on the image)
Friday 15th	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Saturday 16th	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard
	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Sunday 17th	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard
	Carol Train	Bishops Lydeard
Monday 18th	Carol Train	Bishops Lydeard
	Carol Train	Minehead
Tuesday 19th	Santa Express	Minehead
Wednesday 20th	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard
Thursday 21st	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard
	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Friday 22nd	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard
	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Saturday 23rd	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard
	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Sunday 24th	Santa Express	Bishops Lydeard
Monday 25th	No services
Tuesday 26th	No services
Wednesday 27th	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Thursday 28th	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Friday 29th	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard
Saturday 30th	Winterlights	Bishops Lydeard

 

The ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services are running on Friday and Saturday then from Thursday 21st until the end of the year (25/26th excepted) and the SANTA EXPRESS services are running up to Christmas Eve, mostly between Bishops Lydeard and Williton but on the 19th December, from Minehead to Williton. In addition to the above, there are CAROL TRAINS from Bishops Lydeard on Sunday 17th and from both Bishops Lydeard and Minehead on Monday 18th, so the railway is really pulling out all the stops this year. Take a look at the WSR’s EVENTS page for more details. Some trains are already sold out, so don’t delay, book now while choices exist.

 

The DEPG depends on the WSR as our home base and primary running line, so please support and enjoy these seasonal services and in doing so, support both the WSR and the DEPG !

 

WSRA ‘BUY A BAG OF BALLAST‘ CAMPAIGN

The West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA) is a registered charity that operates in support of activities across the West Somerset Railway, and raises considerable sums of money for use for the development and long-term preservation of this wonderful heritage line. Each year, the WSRA run their ‘buy a bag of ballast‘ campaign and it is very successful because it is simple. Each bag of ballast (approximately half a ton per bag) costs £13 and each year, the railway needs hundreds of bags of fresh ballast, so CLICK HERE or on the image below to buy a bag of ballast. THANK YOU VERY MUCH and well done to the WSRA and all their supporters !

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the opportunity to lubricate and rotate the engines presented itself on Saturday 9th December so Gordon and Leroy removed the cam box covers of each engine and Gordon administered some lubrication while the engine was being ‘barred over’. This is a form of exercise that is particulary enjoyed by Leroy, so a thorough job was done and the register updated. The turbocharger oil feeds were also primed to ensure that the turbo bearings are kept well oiled and able to resist corrosion.

Progress continued on the ‘A’ transmission, with the fitting of more new bearings, this time the reverser shaft being the recipient of most of the attention.

New volunteer Vivian made further progress on the ‘B’-end bogie, removing the flaking paint and dirt from the outer framework in readiness for inspection and re-painting. It is great to report that we have new hands at work, but don’t leave it to others, if you want to see this locomotive back on the rails soon, then PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ! There is plenty more to do, so simply reply to this email or use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

D1010 – positioned by the inboard axle of the ‘B’ end bogie, new volunteer Vivian was clearly enjoying making a contribution to the restoration of this massive locomotive at Williton on Saturday 9th December 2023. His efforts are very much appreciated ! Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the inside view of the inboard axle of ‘B’ bogie showing the heavy-duty cardan shaft connected to the Final drive gearbox. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 9th December 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – pictured from the space above the bogie where the ‘B’ transmission would normally be, the output end of the ‘B’ engine clearly shows the ‘V’ formation. Both engines were lubricated and ‘barred over’ (rotated manually) by Gordon and Leroy at Williton on Saturday 9th December 2023. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the reverser gear wheels had already been re-fitted to the turbine rail assembly of the ‘A’ transmission when the outboard bearing race was in the process of being pressed home by Tim at Williton on Tuesday 5th December 2023. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the new bearings for the reverser shaft that runs parallel to the turbine rail were also fitted at Williton on Tuesday 5th December 2023, again with Tim in charge of his hydraulic assistant. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Thanks to responses to our appeal for help, we now have two new volunteers working on the photographs and the certificates that will soon be on their way to all who have sponsored a patch on D1010. More patches have been marked out and are due to be engraved this weekend, to bring us right up to date !

The drawings are being developed in parallel so that we have a formal record of the position of each sponsored patch and this will allow sponsors to look up the location of their patch when they visit the depot at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT – and your PATIENCE !

Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now in regular use on the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that started on Friday 24th November and run through to the end of the year. Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is stabled on number 1 road at Williton and is available for service, if needed to support one of the seasonal services. This loco is due to go into the loco shed on Saturday 23rd December for approximately two months to undergo attention to a leaking exhaust manifold, and will also receive some bodywork corrosion repairs while under cover.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco is ready to return to service subject to some test runs that will be used to accumulate hours and ensure reliability. With no work scheduled for this loco until next spring, the opportunity will be taken to perform an oil change and get some loaded test runs carried out as soon as the line is available again (expected to be March 2024). We are determined that this loco is going to have a very good year in 2024.

Our Class 35 ‘Hymeks’ and our Class 52 ‘Western’ are fitted with Westinghouse air compressors (one in each ‘Hymek’ and two in the ‘Western’) so we were very pleased to be able to acquire a used but good spare machine recently. This machine is undergoing a clean up and will be overhauled so that it is ready for immediate use, should the need arise. Our newest recruit was busy working on the machine on Tuesday 12th December, so thank you very much to Linda for joining the ‘Tuesday Team’ and taking on this important task.

The recently-acquired spare Westinghouse compressor was getting the benefit of new DEPG volunteer Linda’s attention at Williton on Tuesday 12th December 2023. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – no change this week.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the team are making contact with other Class 14 owners to try and establish the availability of spare cardan shafts and assess the ‘appetite’ for having a batch of shafts made to the original specification. The flanges of the shafts are metric and are still readily available, but the modern-day standard shaft dimensions do not fit into the space available, so some degree of customisation will be needed if off-the-shelf parts are to be adapted.

Meanwhile, work proceeds on the many smaller components that all need to be cleaned, inspected and repaired or repainted, in order to make them fit for further service. Luckily, the quality and robustness of the original parts makes them repairable, so the original parts are being refurbished wherever possible.

D9518 – the start contactors were dismantled by John C for inspection and cleaning, and were found to be in need of attention after having had a long and hard life. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 9th December 2023 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the solenoid coils showed clear evidence of heat damage and the insulation of the wiring had become brittle, so the coils will need to be rewound – but they are almost 60 years old, so such things are to be expected. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 9th December 2023 by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the Drivers Safety Device (DSD) pedals, sometimes known as ‘Deadmans pedals’ are foot-operated switches that are mounted under the driver’s desks (one on each side of the cab). The driver needs to keep the pedal depressed to prevent the brakes from being applied automatically. These original parts have been restored by Colin G and are ready to be re-installed on the loco. Photo dated 9th December 2023 by Colin Girle © 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is stabled at Williton and is available for service, if called upon.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The progress on ‘NORTH STAR’ has moved on rapidly and the loco is due to go out for a test run as this issue of Roundup goes to distribution. More on this story next week (see also our ON SHED feature below).

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – the internal cab repaint being carried out by ‘JT’ has progressed well, but he is keeping us in suspense and not providing photos until he has finished the job. We look forward to seeing the internal photos in the near future. Thanks Jon !

 

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

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

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – this week, we again pause the book reviews to use the space to promote our new 2024 DEPG CALENDAR which has a theme of DEPG locomotives in ‘then and now’ liveries. Quantities are limited so PLACE YOUR ORDERS NOW to ensure that you get your copy (we are only ordering a limited quantity to prevent waste).

Regrettably, we have had to increase the price to £14 but this still represents great value at £1 per month plus VAT.

Click HERE or on the image below to order you 2024 Calendar

 

 

ON SHED – bending the rules slightly, the below photograph was taken on Thursday 14th December 2023, which is outside of the reporting timeframe of this roundup, but this transgression can hopefully be forgiven. The subject is our very own Class 47 ‘Brush Type 4’ 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ and the place is Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The loco was being moved under it’s own power as a precursor to a test run that was scheduled for the following day. More on this story next week. Many thanks to the team at the NYMR for their great work on this loco, and for keeping us supplied with photos.

Darkness fell but test runs up and down the yard continued at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on Thursday 14th December 2023 as our 47077 (D1661, 47613, 47840) ‘NORTH STAR’ was checked out following the ‘top end’ overhaul that has been taking place at Grosmont over the past few months. Photo by Pete Dawson © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – a board meeting was held at Williton last Saturday, the synopsis of which will be prepared and sent out ASAP to all DEPG members for whom we hold a valid email address.

The DEPG aims to produce our ‘DIESEL & ELECTRIC’ Newsletters on a quarterly basis, but events back in August took their toll on the available resource and other catch-up activities have prevented us from completing the Autumn edition. This will hopefully be rectified in the coming weeks with a combined Autumn and Winter edition, but to be realistic, it will not be distributed this side of Christmas. We apologise for this delay and we look forward to a smoother year in 2024 !

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by responding to this email or by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED magazine issue 251 dated January 2024 features a 5-page article about the DEPG and the sensational West Somerset Railway ! Well worth a read, this article is great news for both the DEPG and the WSR. Many thanks to our Publicity Officer Mark Bladwell for working with Andy Coward at RI on the detail of this article. The above photo of the first page of the article has been purposefully blurred to respect the copyright © MORTONS MEDIA GROUP LTD.

 

 

Following a visit to the WSR that took place on Saturday 23rd September 2023, we are delighted to see that a 5-page article has been published in RAILWAYS ILLUSTRATED magazine (issue 251 dated Jan 2024) where both the history and the current activities of the DEPG have been covered in some detail. The role played by the DEPG in supporting the WSR was also highlighted and from reading the article, it seems that RI editor Andy Coward had a very enjoyable day in West Somerset !

 

Many thanks for DEPG Publicity Officer Mark Bladwell and all of the DEPG volunteers who were on site to meet Andy Coward that day and contribute to this excellent article. Well done all !

 

 

The ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services are running on Fridays and Saturdays from now until the end of the year with additional days directly before and after Christmas, and on Saturdays and Sundays up until the big day, the SANTA EXPRESS services are running, mostly between Bishops Lydeard and Williton but on the 19th December, from Minehead to Williton. In addition to the above, there are CAROL TRAINS, DINING TRAINS and FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA TRAINS, so the railway is really pulling out all the stops this year. Take a look at the WSR’s EVENTS page for more details. Some trains are already sold out, so don’t delay, book now while choices exist.

 

The fully booked steam-hauled DUNSTER BY CANDLELIGHT service that ran on Saturday night 2nd December encountered very frosty and slippery rail conditions on the return leg and lost time on the climb from Blue Anchor to Washford. Our Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was despatched from Bishops Lydeard to meet the train at Williton and assist the heavy train on the six mile climb to Crowcombe Heathfield. Well done to the volunteers who took on these late night duties !

 

The DEPG depends on the WSR as our home base and primary running line, so please support and enjoy these seasonal services and in doing so, support both the WSR and the DEPG !

 

WSRA ‘BUY A BAG OF BALLAST‘ CAMPAIGN

The West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA) is a registered charity that operates in support of activities across the West Somerset Railway, and raises considerable sums of money for use for the development and long-term preservation of this wonderful heritage line. Each year, the WSRA run their ‘buy a bag of ballast‘ campaign and it is successful because it is simple. Each bag of ballast (approximately half a ton per bag) costs £13 and each year, the railway needs hundreds of bags of fresh ballast, so CLICK HERE or on the image below to buy a bag of ballast. THANK YOU VERY MUCH and well done to the WSRA and all their supporters !

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – undeterred by the very cold weather, Ian F and Roy continued their work on the filling and sanding of the ‘A’ side at ‘A’ end. This side was previously the worst area on the locomotive in terms of corrosion and now carries more new metal than any other area of the locomotive. As the below photograph shows, the diligent work by these two volunteers has put shape back into the loco and she is close to being ready for a top coat of BR coach maroon (to replicate her original livery of 1962). Well done guys !

Progress on the ‘A’ transmission reached a milestone when the end plate of the turbine rail was re-fitted on Tuesday 28th November, completing the overhaul of this sensitive and complex assembly in an overall timeframe of less than 3 months. There are still several more stages of re-assembly to go before the transmission can be considered complete, but the work is of a more straightforward nature. Again, well done team !

Meanwhile, new volunteer Vivian made a start on the ‘B’-end bogie, removing the flaking paint and dirt from the outer framework in readiness for inspection and re-painting. It is great to report that we have new hands at work, but don’t leave it to others, if you want to see this locomotive back on the rails soon, then PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ! There is plenty more to do, so simply reply to this email or use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

D1010 – the weather was too cold for top coat at Williton on Saturday 2nd December 2023 so the team applied the paint as an additional undercoat, after working on the filling and sanding. Roy and Ian F are doing a great job, as this view of ‘A’ end shows. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the very robust and heavy turbine rail output shaft was lowered into the turbine housing at Williton on Monday 27th November 2023 while being guided by Geoff. This part will become attached to the secondary shaft (visible in the centre) via a tapered fit that will become a precise and very tight fit by injecting oil under very high pressure. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the end cover of the turbine rail output shaft was pressed on at Williton on Tuesday 28th November 2023, with Tim watching over the process. This closes up the assembly in readiness for the milestone completion stage (next photo). Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the sensitive and complex phases of the turbine rail assembly of the ‘A’ transmission have now been completed and the assembly is ready for the fitting of the reverser gear wheels. This photo dated 28th November 2023 marks a milestone in the overhaul process and comes less than 3 months after the start of the overhaul. WELL DONE TEAM ! Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the bogie at ‘B’ end was the focus of attention of new volunteer Vivian on Saturday 2nd December 2023, with attention being given to removal of flaking paint and accumulated dirt. Not a glamorous task, but essential just the same. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Thanks to responses to our appeal for help, we now have two new volunteers working on the photographs and the certificates that will soon be on their way to all who have sponsored a patch on D1010. More patches have been marked out and are due to be engraved this weekend, to bring us right up to date !

The drawings are being developed in parallel so that we have a formal record of the position of each sponsored patch and this will allow sponsors to look up the location of their patch when they visit the depot at Williton. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT – and your PATIENCE !

Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now in regular use on the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that started on Friday 24th November and run through to the end of the year. Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

D6566 – the ‘Cromptons’ are the workhorses of the WSR and are often found out and about in all seasons, as in the case of this engineering ‘tidy train’ working led by D6566 (33 048) on Monday 27th November 2023, picking up life-expired materials at Castle Hill, near Williton. Photo by Malcolm Anderson © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco has been receiving attention to a leak in a control air pipe that was in a difficult-to-reach place (of course), but the issue has now been resolved by the Class 33 team plus a little help from Terry, and the loco has been returned to service status. This will be a short-lived condition because the loco is due to go into the loco shed on Saturday 23rd December for approximately two months to undergo attention to a leaking exhaust manifold.

D6575 – the leaking control air pipe was isolated and bypassed at Williton on Saturday 2nd December 2023. The driver’s seat had to be removed and the floor lifted to gain access to the delinquent pipework. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 – the view under the driver’s desk at Williton on Saturday 2nd December 2023, with the Driver’s Safety Device (DSD or ‘deadmans’) pedal removed and the side panels also removed. Photo by Terry Deacon © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D6575 – the light was fading fast when this picture was taken at Williton on Saturday 2nd December 2023, with volunteer loco manager Ian R and Tom at work inside the cab, braving the very cold conditions that prevailed that day. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – after another static engine test run that was conducted by Neil, John and Bob last Saturday 2nd December, the issue with the engine governor has been resolved and the loco has been pronounced as ready to return to service. There is no work scheduled for this loco until next spring, so the opportunity will be taken to perform an oil change and hopefully get some loaded test runs carried out as soon as the line is available again (expected to be March 2024). We are determined that this loco is going to have a very good year in 2024.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – no change this week.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the bad news about the cardan shafts last week has dampened the spirits of the team, but no doubt a solution will be found and the necessary funds raised to support the work. Meanwhile, work on the cab assembly is moving forward and this gives a new focus and restores the impetus. The cab assembly involves many small parts, all of which need to be cleaned, inspected and painted, so there is in fact a lot of work to be done.

D9518 – the pegboard lining of the cab roof section has been replaced with new material, pictured here at Williton on Saturday 2nd December 2023. The sealing strips around the outside edge of the panel have been removed and will also be replaced with new material. Photo 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is stabled at Williton and is available for service, if called upon.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The progress on ‘NORTH STAR’ continues in between having to work on the other diesel locos in their care but a milestone has been reached because all twelve cylinder heads have now been re-fitted and work on re-attaching the manifolds and services has begun. We look forward to seeing the loco completed in the very near future.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – the internal cab repaint being carried out by ‘JT’ has progressed well, but he is keeping us in suspense and not providing photos until he has finished the job. We look forward to seeing the internal photos in the near future. Thanks Jon !

 

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

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

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – this week, we again pause the book reviews to use the space to promote our new 2024 DEPG CALENDAR which has a theme of DEPG locomotives in ‘then and now’ liveries. More details will be provided next week but PLACE YOUR ORDERS NOW to ensure that you get your copy (we are only ordering a limited quantity to prevent waste).

Regrettably, we have had to increase the price to £14 but this still represents great value at £1 per month plus VAT.

Click HERE or on the image below to order you 2024 Calendar

 

ON SHED – regular correspondent NEALE LONG was out and about on his local station at York on the 25th November 2023 when he came across this wonderfully presented example of the famous English Electric Class 55 ‘Deltic’, in this case D9000 ‘ROYAL SCOTS GREY’ stabled on the former parcels sidings alongside the station. Wonderful stuff indeed. Thank you Neale for sharing your sighting with us ! 

English Electric Class 55 ‘DELTIC’ D9000 ‘ROYAL SCOTS GREY’ was stabled in the former parcels sidings at York Station on Saturday 25th November 2023. Photo by Neale Long © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – a board meeting was held at Williton last Saturday, the synopsis of which will be prepared and sent out ASAP to all DEPG members for whom we hold a valid email address.

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by responding to this email or by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

 

 

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was in charge of the ‘tidy train’ on Monday 27th November 2023 and was pictured at Williton, coupled to three flat wagons and a brake van. The train worked slowly along the line, with a gang of volunteers picking up the life-expired sleepers and other scrap materials that had been left behind after maintenance work. Photo by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

The railway is most definitely in full swing for the Christmas season, with the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services running on Fridays and Saturdays from now until the end of the year, with additional days directly before and after Christmas. On Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd December, there will a special non-stop steam-hauled service departing Bishops Lydeard at 1630 for the DUNSTER BY CANDLELIGHT event, and on Saturdays and Sundays up until the big day, the SANTA EXPRESS services are running, mostly between Bishops Lydeard and Williton but on the 19th December, from Minehead to Williton.

 

These services generate essential income for the WSR that will carry the railway through the winter season, when expenses are high due to the increased level of maintenance activities that are undertaken while the railway is not operating. Although these trains may not be everybody’s ‘cup of tea’, they are valuable in many ways, including giving young children memories that will stay with them and bring them back to the railway in later years, right through to when they have their own children, even their own grandchildren. So, they are an investment in the long-term future of the railway and need everyone’s support.

The WSR’s unique 2-6-0 ‘Mogul’ number 9351 was pictured departing from Bishops Lydeard with the first ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ service of the 2023 season on Friday 24th November 2023. Photo by Chris Haig © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

In addition to the above, there are CAROL TRAINS, DINING TRAINS and FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA TRAINS, so the railway is really pulling out all the stops this year. Take a look at the WSR’s EVENTS page for more details. Some trains are already sold out, so don’t delay, book now while choices exist.

The DEPG depends on the WSR as our home base and primary running line, so please support and enjoy these seasonal services and in doing so, support both the WSR and the DEPG !

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – more progress was made on the overhaul of the ‘A’ transmission, with the turbine rail being re-assembled with new bearings, where necessary. The overall condition of this complex precision assembly is amazing, considering that it has been almost 50 years since the internals last saw the light of day. Many of the internal components are gleaming as if they were brand new. The parts that are external to the turbine rail but still internal to the transmission housing have all suffered the effects of condensation corrosion, but experimentation by Colin F has shown how the internal humidity level of the housing can be managed with very little energy consumption. We will share more information on this at some point in the future.

Meanwhile, Gordon continued his work on preparing the bogies for their overhaul, the details and the plan for which will be explained in the forthcoming issue of the DEPG Newsletter (available only to DEPG members). SIGN UP NOW to be sure of receiving your copy. There is much to do, so PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ON THIS LOCO. Simply reply to this email or use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

D1010 – the very robust and heavy turbine rail output shaft was readied for re-installation at Williton on Tuesday 21st November 2023. This part is attached to the turbine rail secondary shaft via a tapered fit that is adjusted to a precise fit by injecting oil under very high pressure. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Although there was no time to mark any sponsored patches last Saturday, there has been progress on the drawings that record the position of each patch. These drawings are needed so that we can write to each sponsor and show the position of their sponsored patch, along with a photograph of the engraved patch. We are backlogged with this work so please bear with us a little longer while we ramp up the administrative resources on this highly successful fundraising campaign. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT !

D1010 – the ‘B’ end of the locomotive carries 86 patches, each of which is numbered and has been engraved with the name of (or the message provided by) the sponsor. Drawing by Barry Quest © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now in regular use on the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that started on Friday 24th November and run through to the end of the year. Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

 

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco has been stood down from service while a leak in a control air pipe is being dealt with. As often happens, the leaking pipe is in a very difficult-to-reach area, but parts have been ordered that will allow a repair to be effected. Hopefully this loco will be able to resume standby duties soon.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco received attention from Neil, John and Bob last Saturday, when they performed an engine test and made adjustments to the engine governor. This loco is close to being ready for service.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – no change this week.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – some bad news reached us regarding the cardan shafts, which had been sent out to a specialist firm for balancing some weeks previously. The level of wear in the splined joints prevented the shafts from being spun fast enough for balancing, so both shafts are beyond repair and will have to be replaced. The estimated cost of replacement parts is £10,000 for the pair, so we are going to need to fund-raise before we can place an order. More details will be included in the next edition of the DEPG Newsletter.

Meanwhile, the focus remains on the restoration of the cab assembly, to allow the re-installation of the electrical control cubicle to take place. Here are a few photos that give the flavour of the work that is in progress:

D9518 – the pegboard lining of the cab is being replaced with new material, pictured here at Williton on Saturday 25th November 2023 while receiving a coat of primer from Colin G to improve its moisture resistance. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the inside faces of the cab skin have been painted and now carry a layer of insulation of the same type of material that is used in trucks and buses. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 25th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the removable section of the cab roof has been turned over so that the seals can be replaced and the metalwork painted before being set aside for refitting at a later date. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 25th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – a selection of parts that have been cleaned, inspected, painted and tested in the careful hands of Colin G are now ready to be re-attached to the locomotive when their turn comes. Pictured on Thursday 23rd November 2023 by Colin Girle © 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is stabled at Williton and is available for service, if called upon.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The progress on ‘NORTH STAR’ continues in between having to work on the other diesel locos in their care but a milestone has been reached because all twelve cylinder heads have now been re-fitted and work on re-attaching the manifolds and services has begun. We look forward to seeing the loco completed in the very near future.

47077 – the progress with the ‘top end’ overhaul of the twelve-cylinder twin bank SULZER diesel engine is apparent in this view taken at Grosmont Works of the NYMR on 23rd November 2023. Photo by Pete Dawson © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

47077 – the air intake manifold, fuel injection pumps and pushrod tubes are all in place in this view taken at Grosmont Works of the NYMR on 23rd November 2023. Photo by Pete Dawson © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

47077 – the blue-painted coolant tubes are visible in this view taken at Grosmont Works of the NYMR on 23rd November 2023. Photo by Pete Dawson © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – the internal cab repaint being carried out by ‘JT’ has progressed well, but he is keeping us in suspense and not providing photos until he has finished the job. We look forward to seeing the internal photos in the near future. Thanks Jon !

 

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

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

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – this week, we again pause the book reviews to use the space to promote our new 2024 DEPG CALENDAR which has a theme of DEPG locomotives in ‘then and now’ liveries. More details will be provided next week but PLACE YOUR ORDERS NOW to ensure that you get your copy (we are only ordering a limited quantity to prevent waste).

Regrettably, we have had to increase the price to £14 but this still represents great value at £1 per month plus VAT.

Click HERE or on the image below to order you 2024 Calendar

 

ON SHED – the photo that we featured a few weeks ago continues to fascinate as several of the acknowledged ‘experts’ in the field of Western Region diesel-hydraulics provide their opinions about the identity of the locomotives in the picture. This week, we include the feedback from author and photographer ANDREW VINES who provided us with the following information:

     “Regarding the picture on your website by Phil Gray at Old Oak Common, the green ‘Western’ is D1004 ‘WESTERN CRUSADER’. Each of the three green ‘Westerns’ built at Swindon had their Overhead Line Warning (OLHLW) flashes placed in slightly different positions on the nose (and were also different to the Crewe-built green ‘Westerns’). The exact position shown here was unique to D1004 among the green ones, so mystery solved!  Unfortunately I don’t think it’s possible to identify any of the three maroon locos in the picture.”

Many thanks to ANDREW VINES for his comments and to Phil Gray for providing us with this photograph.

There were 60 ‘Westerns’ in service by July 1963 and six of that 60 have been preserved (D1023 ‘WESTERN FUSLILIER’ came along later), so there is a very good chance that one of the four maroon locos in this photograph is still with us today.

Five Class 52 ‘WESTERNS’ gather around one of the four turntables that were under the roof of the old steam shed at Old Oak Common Depot near Paddington. FOUR in maroon and one in green, does anyone have any information that might help identify the locomotives in this July 1963 photograph ? Photo by Phil Gray © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – well, the Calendar has been done, the Board Meeting Synopses have been done (and will be sent out after this roundup) and the Newsletter is the next task to be caught up with. Apologies for these delays.

The next board meeting will take place tomorrow afternoon, Saturday 2nd December, so please let me know if you have a question that you would like to have put to the board.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

 

 

 

Barclay 0-4-0DH number 578 (ROF1) dominated this view of the south yard at Williton on the damp and dismal Saturday 18th November 2023. Visible in the background are Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) on number 1 road, then Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 on number 2 road and ‘Hymek’ D7018 on number 3 road. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

The railway has come back to life with the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services running on Fridays and Saturdays from now until the end of the year, with additional days directly before and after Christmas. This Saturday there will also be a special non-stop steam-hauled service departing Bishops Lydeard at 1000 in support of the MINEHEAD CHRISTMAS MARKET, and next weekend, the SANTA EXPRESS services and DUNSTER BY CANDLELIGHT services are operating (predictably, the Saturday service has already sold out).

 

 

Some detail about the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services follows, as this might help explain the unusual movements that are visible via the Railcams (thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for providing these facilities). Before darkness falls, a diesel loco runs along the route and checks that the displays are all functioning correctly. Any maintenance needed is then carried out while daylight remains. The ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ train itself is ‘top and tailed’ with a steam loco at one end and a diesel at the other and performs two runs from Bishops Lydeard to Crowcombe Heathfield and back, slowing down at each lineside display so that the travellers have time to see everything. After the second run gets back to Bishops Lydeard (just after 8pm), the diesel goes out again to shut down the displays. The diesel loco tasked with the train duty this year is Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and the Class 09 Shunter D4107 (09 019) is booked to cover the switch on and shut down trips, to minimise the costs. It will be almost 10 o’clock before the crews put their locos away and book off, so spare a thought for the staff and volunteers, especially on the cold and wet nights.

Class 09 D4107 (09 019) was pictured at Crowcombe Heathfield on Wednesday 22nd November 2023 during a ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ test run that provided a thorough test of the arrangements and provided training for the staff and volunteers who will be working late nights to deliver these highly successful services. Photo by Liam Hebditch © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Just a reminder, the steam-hauled ‘SANTA EXPRESS‘ services start on 1st December, running on Saturdays and Sundays from Bishops Lydeard to Williton and back, and this year there is one day where the ‘SANTA EXPRESS’ runs from Minehead to Williton instead. Intermingled with these services are CAROL TRAINS, DINING TRAINS, FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA TRAINS and the fast-selling ‘DUNSTER BY CANDLELIGHT‘ trains, so take a look at the WSR’s EVENTS page for more details. Some trains are already sold out, so don’t delay, book now while choices exist.

The DEPG depends on the WSR as our home base and primary running line, so please support and enjoy these seasonal services and in doing so, support the DEPG !

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – Ian F and Roy returned to their bodywork tasks last Saturday and made further progress on the ‘A’ side at ‘A’ end while Gordon continued to chip away at the debris that had accumulated on the inside of the bogie frames over the years. One lump of dirt dislodged after a major effort was bigger than a cricket ball !

PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ON THIS LOCO. Simply reply to this email or use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

Transmission rebuilding work also made good progress, with the output shaft assembly being jacked into place and the the filling pump being overhauled. There were also some very clean and shiny turbine rail components being reassembled, with careful checks taking place on a step-by-step basis. Here are some of the photos:

D1010 – Roy holds the piece of dirt that had been removed from the inside of the bogie frame by Gordon earlier in the day. Quite an accumulation and hard as rock! Pictured at Williton on Saturday 18th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the large and heavy output shaft assembly was slowly jacked into place at Williton on Monday 13th November 2023, using two pieces of studding and a bottle jack. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – by comparison, the filling pump bearings are small and easy to change ! Pictured at Williton on Monday 13th November 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – two days later, the filling pump is reassembled and is ready to be refitted to the transmission. Pictured at Williton on Wednesday 15th November 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Tim watches carefully as he guides the second stage turbine runner into position within the turbine rail. Note the clean and shiny condition of these parts, which is amazing considering that their previous works overhaul would have been in the mid 1970s. Pictured at Williton on Wednesday 15th November 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

There was no time to mark any patches last Saturday due to the more urgent need to hold discussions about the plan to lift the loco so that the bogie overhaul could proceed, so there are still 46 patches to be engraved on the loco this coming weekend. There is still plenty of new metal to be marked and we certainly need the funds to continue with the pace of progress, so please keep up this amazing level of support and help get D1010 back to working order ASAP. Many thanks to those who placed their orders during the last few weeks.

Photographs and certificates of sponsorship will be sent out to all who have sponsored the restoration work, but we are still short of volunteer resources and have not yet been able to catch up with this obligation and deliver the documents. Apologies for the delay, we will get it done ASAP. Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now in regular use on the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that start on Friday 24th November and run through to the end of the year. Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

 

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – while undergoing routine maintenance at Williton on Saturday 18th November, the air system was charged up from the depot compressor (to avoid the need to start the engine) and checks were made on the control air pressures that result from the different positions of the driver’s controller. It had become apparent that the same setting gave different performance results when applied from a different end of the locomotive. While performing these tests, a leak developed when a pinhole opened up in a control air pipe, so the loco has been stood down while a repair is effected. As is often the case, access to the leaking pipe is very restricted, so it is likely that a temporary repair will have to be made and the corroded pipe replaced at the next opportunity.

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) and Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 shared the yard with other locos that were hidden from view on the damp and dismal Saturday 18th November 2023. The compressed air line from the shed supply can be seen attached to the air reservoir hose on the locomotive. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – this loco received attention from Neil and John as they dealt with some minor issues that had been identified during October’s test run. This loco is close to being ready for service.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – no change this week.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the focus has switched to the restoration of the cab assembly, to allow the re-installation of the electrical control cubicle to take place. There is a lot of work involved in this complex assembly, much of which takes place in the background, but we will try to keep the photographs coming as each sub-assembly reaches completion.

D9518 – the inner cab wall is now ready for the insulation material to be added prior to the installation of the pegboard cladding, after which the electrical control cubicle can be moved into position so that work can continue on the rewiring. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 18th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – the various ‘Traffolyte’ cab placards are beyond redemption and will be replaced with new parts that are produced in the exact same style. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 18th November 2023 by Colin Girle © 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is stabled at Williton and is available for service, if called upon.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The progress on ‘NORTH STAR’ continues in between having to work on the other diesel locos in their care. The NYMR released a 6-minute YouTube video on Monday 20th November and our ’47’ could be seen in the shed at Grosmont. The quality of the work is evident from the view looking down into the engine room (starts at t=4.17 in the video).

47077 – the NYMR released an update via YouTube and our ’47’ could be seen in the works at Grosmont. Screenshot from the YouTube video by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – the internal cab repaint being carried out by ‘JT’ has progressed well, but he is keeping us in suspense and not providing photos until he has finished the job. We look forward to seeing the internal photos in the near future. Thanks Jon !

 

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

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

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – this week, we need to pause the book reviews to use the space to promote our new 2024 DEPG CALENDAR which has a theme of DEPG locomotives in ‘then and now’ liveries. More details will be provided next week but PLACE YOUR ORDERS NOW to ensure that you get your copy (we are only ordering a limited quantity to prevent waste).

Regrettably, we have had to increase the price to £14 but this still represents great value at £1 per month plus VAT.

Click HERE or on the image below to order you 2024 Calendar

 

 

ON SHED – last week, we featured a photo of FOUR Class 52 ‘WESTERNS’ at Old Oak Common depot, near Paddington in July 1963, but closer examination reveals a fifth, only just visible in the middle of the photograph. Count the buffers and the fifth loco will be revealed.

We asked for help in identifying these locomotives and we had a very fast response from well-known photographer and author  ROGER GEACH who provided us with the following information:

     “The green ‘Western’ in the picture is either D1002 or D1003 or D1004 as it is Swindon built (don’t know which it is though). D1003 was in Swindon Works 15/7 to 2/8/63 so may rule that one out, D1004 12/7/63 to 16/7/63, so D1002 may be favourite, but hard to tell without the actual date. The maroon one next to it further away is also a Swindon-built ‘Western’. The one furthest away is from Crewe and the nearest is uncertain.

     Nothing I can see to help identify the ‘Westerns’ really, but the picture is a bit early for me. Nice shot, but hard to identify the locos.”

 

Many thanks to Roger Geach for his comments and to Phil Gray for providing us with this photograph.

There were 60 ‘Westerns’ in service by July 1963 and six of that 60 have been preserved, so there is a very good chance that one of the locos in this photograph is still with us today.

Five Class 52 ‘WESTERNS’ gather around one of the four turntables that were under the roof of the old steam shed at Old Oak Common Depot near Paddington. FOUR in maroon and one in green, does anyone have any information that might help identify the locomotives in this July 1963 photograph ? Photo by Phil Gray © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – well, the Calendar has been done, which now leaves the Board Meeting Synopses and the Newsletter to be caught up. Apologies for these delays.

The next board meeting will take place on Saturday 2nd December, so please use our CONTACT FORM to let us know if you have a question that you would like to have put to the board.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

The autumn line-up at Williton comprises Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) on number 1 road with Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 hiding behind, then Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 in the middle on number 2 road, and ‘Hymek’ D7018 on number 3 road. Pictured on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

The WSR’s Permanent Way (PW) teams have been busy working at several areas along the line, taking advantage of an ‘engineering possession’ which gives them control of the line during the periods when the line is closed to the public. This provides uninterrupted access for specialist equipment to be moved to the places where the work is needed. The work ranges from changing sleepers to the complete relaying of sections of the track and pointwork, such as is taking place at Blue Anchor Station at the moment.

The WSR’s volunteer PW team were busy changing sleepers at Horse Parks near Blue Anchor on Sunday 5th November 2023. Photo by Malcom Anderson © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Their window of opportunity is quite short because this coming week will see the empty coaching stock move from Minehead, where it has been decorated in preparation for the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services, to Bishops Lydeard which will be the departure point for most (but not all) of the Christmas services this year.

The first of the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services will run on the evening of Friday 24th November and will be ‘top and tailed’ with a steam loco at one end and a diesel at the other. The loco tasked with the diesel duty this year is Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and the loco is ready and waiting at Bishops Lydeard.

The scene at Minehead on Saturday 11th November 2023 when volunteers gathered to dress the coaches in their festive regalia, both inside and outside. Photo by Robin Wichard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The steam-hauled ‘SANTA EXPRESS‘ services start on 1st December, running on Saturdays and Sundays from Bishops Lydeard to Williton and back, and this year there is one day where the ‘SANTA EXPRESS’ runs from Minehead to Williton instead.

Intermingled with these services are CAROL TRAINS, DINING TRAINS, FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA TRAINS and the fast-selling ‘DUNSTER BY CANDLELIGHT‘ trains, so take a look at the WSR’s EVENTS page for more details. Some trains are already sold out, so don’t delay, book now while choices exist.

The DEPG depends on the WSR as our home base and primary running line, so please support and enjoy these seasonal services and in doing so, support the DEPG !

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – the bodywork was left alone this week as the effort moved to the revision of the plans to lift the loco from her bogies so that the suspension components and brake rigging can be overhauled. Being no stranger to hard work, Gordon made a start on cleaning 50 years worth of dirt and grime from the bogie frame at ‘A’ end, his efforts revealing just how much work is involved in just the preparation for the overhaul. PLEASE COME ALONG AND HELP US WITH THE WORK ON THIS LOCO. Simply use the CONTACT FORM on our website if you can lend a hand.

The re-assembly of the ‘A’ transmission is making very good progress, with the new bearings being fitted and the oilways checked as the work proceeds. In parallel, Steve continues to work diligently on the wiring in the ‘B’ cab and Tony has been pressure testing all of the radiator elements and now has a small pile requiring repair and a much larger pile that are fit for further service. The ‘A’ end cooler group frame has also been the subject of his attention and has now swapped positions with the ‘B’ frame so that he can assess the repairs that need to be made to the corroded areas. The photos below show the progress:

D1010 – Gordon was working in the space that is normally occupied by the transmission at ‘A’ end, to make a start with scraping off the 50-years-worth of dirt and grime that has accumulated since the loco was last lifted from its bogies. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Gordon stands aside to let the camera capture an image looking down on the bogie at ‘A’ end. Two of the six brake cylinders are clearly visible along with one of the two cardan shafts that connect the final drive gearboxes of the three axles in the bogie. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – The cooler group frame from ‘A’ end has now been moved into the yard to await repairs to the corroded and in some places distorted metalwork. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – The cooler group frame from ‘B’ end has now moved into the loco shed to allow repair assessment work to take place. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023 by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Geoff was pictured at Williton on Monday 6th November 2023 with Tony observing the fitting of the new bearing on the input shaft of the ‘A’ transmission. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Geoff continued with the rebuild of the input shaft and was pictured at Williton on Monday 6th November 2023 while testing the alignment of the oilways that keep the bearing lubricated. Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – a rare photo featuring Colin F as he applies oil injection pressure to achieve the correct taper fit position for the massive output gear wheel of the ‘A’ transmission. Pictured at Williton on Wednesday 7th November 2023 by Tim Zilkha © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

We engraved another 20 patches on the ‘B’ side of the ‘B’ end of the locomotive last Saturday and we still have another 46 patches to engrave on the loco this coming weekend. There is still plenty of new metal to be marked and we certainly need the funds to continue with the pace of progress, so please keep up this amazing level of support and help get D1010 back to working order ASAP. Many thanks to those who placed their orders during the last few weeks.

Photographs and certificates of sponsorship will be sent out to all who have sponsored the restoration work, but we are still short of volunteer resources and have not yet been able to catch up with this obligation and deliver the documents. Apologies for the delay, we will get it done ASAP. Click the image below to sponsor a patch. Thank you in advance for your support and your patience!

See our CAMPAIGN for CAMPAIGNER web page for more details. We still have a lot of work to do on this massive locomotive, so PLEASE DO COME ALONG AND HELP IF YOU CAN !

 

 

Class 33 D6566 (33 048) – this loco is now stabled at Bishops Lydeard to take on the role of ‘Duty Loco’ and will be covering the ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ services that start on Friday 24th November. Test runs for staff training will be carried out on 22nd and 23rd November.

Click here or on the ticket icon below to go to the WSR’s ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ page:

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco returned to Williton on Saturday 21st October to undergo winter maintenance, including an overhaul of her exhaust system. The loco will remain available for service until December and is scheduled to go into the loco shed on 23rd December, and will probably remain there for two months while the work is being done.

D6575 (33 057) – a night photoshoot at Williton on Friday 10th November 2023 caught this sturdy and reliable 1961-vintage machine in the yard on number 1 road, alongside the platform. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – apart from some minor details that will be sorted out during the coming weeks, this loco is ready for action and will be sent out for a loaded test run as soon as possible when the line re-opens in the spring. Meanwhile, the loco will be ‘winterised’ to protect her from the elements, as far as possible, while she rides out the winter in the yard at Williton.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – the Root Cause Analysis has identified several probable causes for the uncommanded engagement of the torque converter and each has been ranked for probability, based on the available evidence. Some additional testing will need to be performed to focus in on the most probable cause. Meanwhile, several other maintenance tasks are outstanding on this locomotive and will be progressed during the winter.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – the focus has switched to the restoration of the cab assembly, to allow the re-installation of the electrical control cubicle to take place. There is a lot of work involved in this complex assembly, much of which takes place in the background, but we will try to keep the photographs coming as each sub-assembly reaches completion.

D9518 – Colin G was hard at work at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023, preparing to paint the metalwork in the cab so that the electrical control cubicle can be fitted into place, in turn allowing the re-wiring work to continue. Photo 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 fully operational condition as ‘NCB No. 7‘.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 – this loco is stabled at Williton and is available for service, if called upon.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The progress on ‘NORTH STAR’ continues in between having to work on the other diesel locos in their care. We look forward to her being back out and about again.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – the internal cab repaint being carried out by ‘JT’ has progressed well, but he is keeping us in suspense and not providing photos until he has finished the job. It is already apparent from the outside view below that the cab is looking so much brighter and cleaner, so we look forward to seeing the internal photos in the near future. Thanks Jon !

Barclay 578 (ROF 1) – Pictured in the autumn sunshine in the yard at Williton on Saturday 11th November 2023, this loco has been benefiting from an internal cab repaint in the careful hands of ‘JT’. Photo by Jon Tooke © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

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

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

 

 

BOOK REVIEW – we have received the book review of ‘THE BEATEN TRACK Volume 3‘ from NEALE LONG but regret that we haven’t had chance to create the associated book review page on our website. We will try and get this done during the next few days, and then the book review will be available via our BOOK REVIEWS page and via our online store. Thanks again Neale !

Meanwhile, click on the images below to buy these books from our online store and in doing so, support the DEPG.

  

 

Also available via the DEPG ONLINE STORE is this sought-after new book by former BR apprentices Mike Woodhouse and Graham Howell describing the ‘PYRAMID OF DIESEL HYDRAULICS‘ that comprise the D600, D800, D1000, D6300, D7000 and D9500 series of locomotives (classes 41, 42/43, 52, 22, 35 and 14). This book has been selling like hot cakes and has already had to be reprinted to meet the demand !

Available from the DEPG for £15 plus £3.50 P&P. Click here or on the image below to order this book.

 

We are grateful to regular contributor NEALE LONG for providing a very thorough and detailed book review, an extract from which is reproduced below. Click here to go to the full review on our website.

     “Of the many books published about British Rail’s foray into diesel-hydraulic traction over the years, very few have featured any account by staff involved in either the operation or maintenance of the fleet. This handily sized A5, 146-page softback by two ex-British Railways Engineering Limited apprentices, Mike Woodhouse and Graham Howell, sets out to redress this particular imbalance. The book tells the fascinating story from within British Rail from the planning of the diesel-hydraulic pyramid as part of the 1955 Modernisation Plan, to its final collapse in 1977. This story is presented …..” click here to read more.

 

Many thanks to Neale for putting so much time and effort into this book review to help prospective buyers decide. Much appreciated !

 

 

ON SHED – one of the many photographs that adorn the wall in the classroom at Williton Depot caught my eye as it depicted FOUR Class 52 ‘WESTERNS’ around one of the four turntables that used to be under the roof of the old steam shed at Old Oak Common depot, near Paddington. The depot no longer exists as the site is being used for HS2, but there is a fighting chance that one of the locomotives in this photo might still be with us. This is a challenge for those with the detailed knowledge of the slight differences between the various members of the 74-strong class of locomotives. Many thanks to Phil Gray for providing us with this photograph.

Four Class 52 ‘WESTERNS’ gather around one of the four turntables that were under the roof of the old steam shed at Old Oak Common Depot near Paddington. Three in maroon and one in green, does anyone have any information that might help identify the locomotives in this July 1963 photograph ? Photo by Phil Gray © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – significant effort has been put into the planning of the D1010 lifting and the DEPG yard improvements during the last week, leaving little time to catch up with the administrative and editorial tasks. The coming week will hopefully be a little quieter and allow work to resume on the Board Meeting Synopses, the Newsletter and the 2024 calendar. Apologies for these delays.

 

The DEPG is entirely run by volunteers and we need to expand our volunteer numbers if we are going to be able to continue making progress on so many fronts simultaneously. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. We look forward to hearing from you !

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. If you are not sure about your membership status, please click here or on the image below to access your membership record via MEMBERMOJO. It is very quick and easy, and does not require you to remember yet another password. Thank you very much !

 

 

 

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