Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) worked a short freight train from Minehead to Williton on Saturday 14th October 2023. This very unusual view was captured from within the brake van while the consist was being prepared at Minehead. Photo by Seb Welsh © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was put to work on Saturday 14th October 2023 to move a flat wagon loaded with tender wheelsets from Minehead to the Swindon Shed at Williton for restoration. This photo was taken by secondman Tom Courtney while the train was being prepared at Minehead. © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

Although the scheduled diesel running of the 2023 season is behind us, there are still occasions when our diesels are in use, such as last Saturday, when a flat wagon loaded with steam loco tender wheelsets needed to be moved from Minehead to Williton. As we needed the loco back at Williton to support the planned test running of Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 and Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 (Saturday 21st October, see our DIESELGEN posting), the obvious choice for the job was Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and several interesting photos resulted from this working, two of which are above. Follow this link to wsr.org.uk for more photos of this and other October workings.

 

The RED timetable is in force for the coming weekend (21/22 October) then the BLUE timetable runs for most of the following week, bringing the season to a close on Sunday 29th. Christmas services begin on Friday November 24th with the return of the very popular ‘WINTERLIGHTS‘ specials. Click here for a link to the events page on the WSR website.

 

 

CHRIS SHIELDS 1959-2023 R. I. P.

Sadly, on the morning of Saturday 14th October, we lost CHRIS SHIELDS at the age of 64 due to Motor Neurone Disease (MND), a degenerative condition that had affected him for several months and had caused him to gradually have to give up his many DEPG roles, of which there was quite a list – Membership Secretary, Sales team member, Online Storekeeper, D1010 team volunteer and trainee secondman.

Following retirement from his 40-year career with Lloyds Bank, Chris dedicated himself to supporting the many railway-oriented causes that he loved, the list including the Western Locomotive Association (WLA), the Deltic Preservation Society (DPS), the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (owners of 60163 ‘TORNADO’), the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (where he was a passed firemen) and of course the DEPG, where Chris always carried out his duties to the fullest extent and always went the extra mile to raise money for the group or to take on a task that just needed to be done. When considering that Chris worked for so many other groups, including several model railway clubs, it is remarkable that he had any free time at all – but that was just the way he wanted it to be.

With sincere thanks for his tireless work for so many railway causes, Rest In Peace.

 

Here are just a few of the many images showing Chris at work for the benefit of the DEPG. He will certainly be missed.

Above: Chris at work on D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ on 19-Mar-22 (JB)	Above: Chris (in black) at the Bristol Model Railway Exhibition with Mark T and John K on 01-May-22 (MB)
Above: Chris at work on Class 09 D4107 (09 019) on 11-Mar-23 (AR)	Above: Chris (furthest from camera) participating in secondman training on 04-Feb-23 (AR)
Above: Chris minding the store at Williton on 29-Apr-23 (MI)	And as we remember him best, happy and smiling, Chris in the cab of D1062 ‘WESTERN COURIER’ on 07-May-23 (PB)

Photos by Josh Brinsford, Mark Bladwell, Andy Royal, Mark Ireland and Peter Bamber © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

Bristol Siddeley Maybach MD870 exhibit

The DEPG have just taken delivery of a wonderful exhibit that was previously on display in the ROLLS-ROYCE HERITAGE TRUST museum in Coventry, showcasing the fine work that was done in the 1960s by Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited when they took on the licence manufacture of the Maybach high-speed diesel engine family, in support of British Rail’s Class 35, 42 and 52 locomotive programmes. The engines were produced at the former Armstrong Siddeley factory in Ansty, Coventry and were renowned for their quality and performance. The licenced designs were also supplied to marine and power generation users, in addition to their more well-known railway applications.

We are very grateful to the ROLLS-ROYCE HERITAGE TRUST for donating this  engine to the DEPG. Former DEPG Chairman BOB TILLER was instrumental in securing this marvellous exhibit for the DEPG and he also very kindly donated the considerable transportation cost of moving this 6-ton artefact from Derby to Williton. We hope to repay his kindness by having the engine on display in our future Williton museum area, for the benefit of future generations.

Possibly the cleanest diesel engine ever seen, this Bristol Siddeley Maybach MD870 diesel engine has cutaway sections and is motor driven to show the key principles and the major components. This wonderful 6-ton exhibition piece has been very kindly donated to the DEPG by the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust thanks to the efforts of BOB TILLER, who also kindly donated to cover the transportation cost from Derby to Williton. Photo by Bob Tiller © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – further progress on the overhaul of the ‘A’ transmission has allowed the team to move on to the reverser assembly, where condensation and the subsequent corrosion damage have rendered the large diameter and very expensive bearings as beyond further use. This was expected and had been budgeted, but we had been hoping for some good luck to conserve funds. Several ideas have come forward to find ways of preventing or reducing internal condensation and extending the lives of the new bearings that are now being fitted, and all such ideas will be thoroughly evaluated.

Elsewhere on the loco, Ian F continues his painstaking work on filling and smoothing the bodysides of this giant loco. His quiet and careful approach has resulted in significant progress and he can justly feel great satisfaction with the work that he been doing. Thank you Ian !

Steve has been busy in ‘B’ cab with the overhaul of the driver’s desk and associated wiring, while Gordon has been working on the auxiliary shafts and has been dismantling the universal joints of the cardan shafts to find out why they were feeling ‘sticky’. Some of the needle roller bearings were found to be well past their best and will need to be replaced. These shafts are difficult to get at when in normal use, so now is the time to overhaul them, while access is easy.

D1010 – the auxiliary cardan shafts from the ‘B’ end were retrieved from the container and will be stripped down for cleaning and inspection. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 14th October 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the disassembly of the ‘A’ end auxiliary cardan shafts by Gordon revealed that the universal joints were not fit for further service and will need to be replaced. Pictured at Williton on Saturday 14th October 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – Ian F, the volunteer who has done most of the work on the surface finish of this giant loco, was pictured while filling and smoothing at Williton on Saturday 14th October 2023. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

There are still some patches waiting for sponsors at the ‘B’ end of the loco, so GET IN QUICK TO HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED before Roy and Ian reach this end. Many thanks to those who placed their orders during the last few weeks.

Having the loco outdoors has generated an increased interest in our SPONSOR A PATCH scheme, with several more patches being engraved with their sponsor’s names or messages. This initiative remains the single most successful fund-raising activity and has allowed us to make significant progress with the restoration work. PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP US FUND THIS PROJECT.

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 currently stabled at Williton but will move to Bishops Lydeard on Saturday 21st October to cover the Christmas workings.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco will move to Williton on Saturday 21st October to undergo winter maintenance, including an overhaul of her exhaust system.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – a test run has been arranged for this loco on Saturday 21st October. See our DIESELGEN posting for details.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco is waiting patiently for work to be completed on sister D7017.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – work continues on the restoration of the cab assembly and the replacement of the electrical wiring loom that runs inside the driver’s ‘desk’. The Class 14 team is currently sharing its time between this project and the 1000-hour service on sister D9526, so we would welcome additional help to keep both sets of tasks moving along. Just respond to this email if you feel that you could help. Thanks !

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 inside the shed at Williton where work on the 1000-hour service has now been completed. The loco will undergo inspection at Williton on Saturday 21st October and will then go out on a test run to Bishops Lydeard and back, to bed in her new brake blocks and ensure that everything is as it should be. 

D9526 has had a 1000-hour service performed and is now ready for a test run. Attention was being given to replacing a cable conduit on the governor assembly (the brightly lit region) while inside the loco shed at Williton on Saturday 14th October 2023. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9526 has been fitted with a set of new brake blocks while undergoing her 1000-hour service at Williton. Pictured on Saturday 14th October 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Photos will be provided ASAP.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is currently undergoing an internal cab repaint in the hands of volunteer Jon Tooke. Photos will be provided ASAP.

 

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 just added a new title to our online store and we now have stock available of the THIRD VOLUME in the very successful ‘THE BEATEN TRACK’ series by Andy Chard, published by Platform 5. These popular books are very interesting, very well produced and are selling quickly. Click here or on the image below to buy this book from our online store.

 

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

 

 

ON SHED – last week, we featured a photo of D1041 ‘WESTERN PRINCE’ that had been brought to our attention by Paul Fleet, and it resulted in a flurry of information from a number of regular correspondents including Andrew Royle and Paul Mear, all of whom quickly identified the location as being Westbury. Thank you to all who replied !

We can’t include all of the responses, but here is the information received from long-time DEPG member Brian Ringer, based on his experiences when based at Westbury in BR days:

     “In answer to the question of the location of D1041 ‘WESTERN PRINCE’ photographed in 1976 is almost certainly Westbury, the shot being taken from the platform looking west towards the yard, with the servicing shed just visible in the background. D1041 appears to have been uncoupled or about to be coupled to a train of MSV aggregate tipplers in the background. I spent some time at Westbury in 1975/76 at the start of my railway career and remember these scenes well. Happy days!”

 

Well-known railway author Roger Geach provided the following information, along with a photo of ‘PRINCE’ bearing similar battle scars, taken in October 1976:

     “1041 is at Westbury, photographed from the up side platform clearly 1976, I would say late summer or autumn time. It is hard to know what the working might be as 1041 was at Westbury quite a bit during January 1977 alone. As it is light loco in the picture, it makes it harder to identify as several stone trains worked out of here. I think its possibly coming on or off the depot at this point.

     I’ve enclosed a picture you can use of 1041 also showing the rusty front. It is on the 4B08 1050 Plymouth to Penzance vans at Moorswater, Liskeard, on 19th October 1976.”

 MANY THANKS to Brian and Roger and to all who responded to this challenge !

 

D1041 ‘WESTERN PRINCE’ was looking very rough but still fully active when photographed at Moorswater near Liskeard while working the 4B08 1050 Plymouth to Penzance vans on 19th October 1976. Photo by Roger Geach © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

 

DEPG NEWS – we have sadly lost several fine and capable volunteers this year, so we have to say that we are feeling the pressure. The activities at the DEPG continue to place significant demands on our volunteers and we need to share the load among more hands. This does not just apply to the maintenance and restoration of our locos, but it also applies to the hidden background tasks such as running the online store, producing the newsletters, publishing booklets, handling the pre-owned books and selling them to raise funds. 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. Thank you very much !

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was called upon to take over a steam-hauled service due to a technical issue arising with the rostered loco on Sunday 8th October 2023. The loco is pictured at Williton later in the day, having just returned ‘Light Engine’ from Bishops Lydeard. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

The 2023 running season is drawing to a close, with steam locomotives rostered for the remaining timetabled services during October because of the need to heat the carriages. The WSR’s Class 115 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) was rostered for the Sunday services, but these have had to be re-planned for steam haulage due to the ongoing maintenance work on the DMU.

 

However, things don’t always go to plan, and on Sunday 8th October, BR(W) 0-6-0PT 9466 developed a fault while working the ‘QUANTOCK BELLE‘ dining train and had to wait at Blue Anchor to be rescued by BR(W) 4-6-0 7828 ‘ODNEY MANOR’ which was ‘borrowed’ from the 1430 departure from Minehead. This left the 1430 in the capable hands of standby loco Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) and with no carriage heating – but luckily, the unseasonably warm weather and pleasant sunshine kept the passengers comfortable throughout the journey to Bishops Lydeard !

Well done to driver John G and Secondman Tom C for stepping in at short notice to crew the ‘Crompton’ last Sunday.

 

Last week, we covered the surprise appearance of privately-owned Class 52 D1048 ‘WESTERN LADY’ at the SVR’s ‘Magnificent Severn’ event, but the good news keeps coming because the Western Locomotive Association (WLA) have announced that the loco has been gifted to their care and will now remain at Kidderminster for the time being while a technical assessment is undertaken. Once the condition of the loco has been established and the cost of restoration to running condition estimated, the membership will need to decide on the next steps. This appears to be good news for the ‘Lady’ and we look forward to hearing more about her in the near future.

Ownership of D1048 ‘WESTERN LADY’ has now transferred to the Western Locomotive Association (WLA) and the loco will be remaining at Kidderminster for the time being. The ‘Lady’ was pictured when on static display at Kidderminster station on Sunday 1st October 2023 by Josh Brinsford © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – further progress has been made on the overhaul of the ‘A’ transmission, with the auxiliary shafts now receiving the bulk of the attention. The majority of the bearings on these shafts will need to be replaced because of corrosion damage caused by condensation that has formed within the transmission housing and has dripped onto the shafts. Some of these bearings are very large and expensive, so we will need to find a way to prevent this kind of damage from happening again. This is an issue that affects most preserved locomotives and arises from infrequent use and the need to be worked to get up to operating temperature. We will come up with a solution, although it may take some experimentation. Aside from the transmission work, Gordon has been cleaning up the auxiliary cardan shafts and pipework, as can be seen from the photo below:

D1010 – the auxiliary cardan shafts and some of the pipework from the ‘B’ end were cleaned up and given a coat of primer by Gordon at Williton on Saturday 7th October 2023. Photo by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the disassembly of the ‘Group 9’ output shaft of the ‘A’ end transmission was under way at Williton on Friday 6th October 2023, with Peter S doing the heavy lifting (with his fingertips). Photo by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the inner race of bearing 9/28 from the ‘A’ end transmission shows a corrosion mark that has been caused by condensation finding its way along the shaft and into the bearing, and then staying in the same place for a long time. This bearing will be replaced before reassembly. Pictured at Williton on Friday 6th October 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the ‘Group 9’ oil control ring should be held in position by a small pin (marked on the photo above) but the pin was missing, resulting in misalignment of the ring and a reduced oil feed to the bearing. Pictured at Williton on Friday 6th October 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the massive bulk of the ‘Group 9’ output shaft is visible in this view, taken after removal of the bearings and the output pinion. Apart from the corrosion and wear in the bearings, the shaft and pinion are in good condition and are fully serviceable. Pictured at Williton on Friday 6th October 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

There are still some patches waiting for sponsors at the ‘B’ end of the loco, so GET IN QUICK TO HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED before the painters reach this end. Many thanks to those who placed their orders during the last few weeks.

Having the loco outdoors has generated an increased interest in our SPONSOR A PATCH scheme, with several more patches being engraved with their sponsor’s names or messages. This initiative remains the single most successful fund-raising activity and has allowed us to make significant progress with the restoration work. PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP US FUND THIS PROJECT.

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 here or on 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 currently stabled at Minehead but will move to Williton on Saturday 14th October and will subsequently move to Bishops Lydeard to cover the Christmas workings.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco underwent a brake block change at Bishops Lydeard last weekend, followed by an underframe inspection and traction motor inspection before being given the green light to return to duties. Many thanks to Ian R, Tom C and Ian F for getting this work done.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – further progress with the engine being run up again to check other systems and to exercise the electrical system to ensure reliability. The power check raised some points for further attention, so the engine will undergo a timing check this coming weekend and the injection timing will be corrected if found to be wanting.

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco is waiting patiently for work to be completed on sister D7017.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – work continues on the restoration of the cab assembly and the replacement of the electrical wiring loom that runs inside the driver’s ‘desk’. The Class 14 team is currently sharing its time between this project and the 1000-hour service on sister D9526, so we would welcome additional help to keep both sets of tasks moving along. Just respond to this email if you feel that you could help. Thanks !

D9518 is sharing the Williton loco shed with her younger sister D9526 while the latter undergoes a 1000-hour service. Pictured on Sunday 8th October 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9518 – a collection of sheet steel parts have been restored and painted and are lined up for re-installation at Williton. Pictured on Sunday 8th October 2023 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 inside the shed at Williton and work is proceeding on the 1000-hour service. The tasks involved with this service have been quite invasive and labour intensive, but the work is close to completion. This loco will then move to Bishops Lydeard to cover for Class 09 D4107 (09 019) while that loco undergoes bodywork repairs.

D9526 is undergoing a 1000-hour service inside the loco shed at Williton before she heads off to Bishops Lydeard for winter duties. Pictured from the ‘B’ end on Sunday 8th October 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D9526 is undergoing a 1000-hour service inside the loco shed at Williton before she heads off to Bishops Lydeard for winter duties. Pictured from the ‘A’ end on Sunday 8th October 2023 by Andy Royal © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. After a delay in obtaining replacement cylinder head studs, work has now reached the reassembly stage. Here are some photos that were taken during a recent visit by our Tom Courtney:

47077 – the loco has been out of service for the whole 2023 season because of fractured cylinder head bolts, but remedial action is being taken and the loco has been undergoing a thorough ‘top end’ overhaul at Grosmont works. Pictured inside the shed at Grosmont on Monday 10th October 2023 by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

47077 – this photo of the top of the engine block shows the high standard of work that is being carried out by the team at Grosmont. Pictured at Grosmont on Monday 10th October 2023 by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

47077 – the twelve cylinder heads have already been refurbished and are ready and waiting to be re-installed. Pictured at Grosmont on Monday 10th October 2023 by Tom Courtney © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is currently inside the loco shed but is ready to take up her place outside the shed, where she can proudly display her new cabside lettering.

 

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 just added a new title to our online store and we now have stock available of the THIRD VOLUME in the very successful ‘THE BEATEN TRACK’ series by Andy Chard, published by Platform 5. These popular books are very interesting, very well produced and will no doubt sell quickly. Click here or on the image below to buy this book from our online store. Well done Andy !

 

Also becoming 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 from Friday 20th October for £15 plus £3.50 P&P. Click here or on the image below to order this book.

 

 

ON SHED – last week, we featured a photo of D1041 ‘WESTERN PRINCE’ that had been brought to our attention by Paul Fleet, and this week we have another shot of the same loco at an unknown location and an unknown date. The headcode displaying the loco number puts this in the 1976-77 period, but if any of our readers have more information to share, then we will be pleased to report the details next week, including the name of the photographer, if known.

D1041 ‘WESTERN PRINCE’ was looking the worse for wear when photographed at this unknown location, some time in 1976 or early 1977. This loco survived in service to the very end of the diesel-hydraulic era (Feb 1977) and is now cared for by the Bury Hydraulic Group on the East Lancashire Railway. Photographer unknown.

 

 

DEPG NEWS – the activities at the DEPG continue to place significant demands on our volunteers and we need to share the load among more hands. This does not just apply to the maintenance and restoration of our locos, but it also applies to the hidden background tasks such as running the online store, producing the newsletters, publishing booklets, handling the pre-owned books and selling them to raise funds. If you have some time and feel able to help, please let us know by clicking this link to use our online CONTACT form. Thank 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. Thank you very much !

 

 

Go to previous Weekly Roundup post

Several former mainline diesel-hydraulics gathered for the Severn Valley Railway’s Magnificent Severn’ event. From left to right, D1062 ‘WESTERN COURIER’, D1013 ‘WESTERN RANGER’ and D1048 ‘WESTERN LADY’ were pictured together at Kidderminster Station on Saturday 30th September 2023. Photo by Geoff Miles © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Congratulations to the SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY and to all of the loco owning groups and volunteers who pulled together to deliver the ‘Magnificent Severn’ event last weekend, featuring a whole host of locos but with particular focus on the preserved mainline diesel-hydraulics, with five such locos in traffic and three on static display. Although our two ‘Hymeks’ had been invited, they were sadly unable to attend due to issues explained in an earlier roundup.

 

The Diesel Traction Group (DTG) operated their Class 42 ‘Warship’ D821 ‘GREYHOUND’ and their mainline-registered Class 52 D1015 ‘WESTERN CHAMPION’ and had their Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7029 on static display. The Bury Hydraulic Group operated their Class 42 ‘Warship’ D832 ‘ONSLAUGHT’ and their recently overhauled Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7076, and the Western Locomotive Association (WLA) operated their Class 52 D1062 ‘WESTERN COURIER’ and displayed D1013 ‘WESTERN RANGER’.

 

A surprise but very welcome guest was privately-owned Class 52 D1048 ‘WESTERN LADY’ making a very rare appearance away from her usual home at the Midland Railway Centre in Butterley, Derbyshire, the visit being facilitated by the WLA. The ‘Lady’ has recently undergone bodywork repairs and was resplendent in her BR-blue livery, further adding to the atmosphere of the event and bolstering the recreations of the Old Oak Common turntable scenes of the early 1970s – except that these locos were all clean and shiny, which was certainly not the case when the locos were in service!

The classic lines and symmetry of Sir Misha Black’s design seem to be accentuated in this view of D1048 ‘WESTERN LADY’ on the low loader, as if placed on a pedestal. The loco was pictured on Thursday 19th September 2023 while waiting in a layby for the rush hour to pass before making the final leg of the journey into Kidderminster. Photo by Paul Finch © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Here are some photos that show the strength of the diesel-hydraulic presence at the SVR event:

The DTG’s Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7029 was on static display at Kidderminster Station on Saturday 30th September 2023. Photo by Geoff Miles © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Three of the seven surviving Class 52 ‘Westerns’ were gathered outside Kidderminster diesel shed on the evening of Tuesday 26th September 2023. From left to right, D1013 ‘WESTERN RANGER’ then D1048 ‘WESTERN LADY’ then D1062 ‘WESTERN COURIER’. Photo by Paul Finch © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Re-kindling the distant memories of the turntable at Old Oak Common depot, three classes of diesel-hydraulic locomotives were gathered around the turntable at Kidderminster for this evocative night scene. Pictured on Tuesday 26th September 2023 by Paul Finch © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

 

Well done to all of the volunteers who worked so hard to deliver so much at this event. We hope to be able to participate next time.

 

 

 

Our DIESEL RUNNING DATES page has been updated to include the three October Sundays of the RED timetable when the WSR’s Class 115 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) is scheduled to run, but the DMU has had a tough year and may not be available for service. At the time of writing, it is not known if these workings will run with diesel haulage or revert to steam haulage, as per the other Red timetable days. Click here or on the banner below to go to the website page:

The DIESEL RUNNING DATES pages is supplemented by our DIESELGEN bulletin service which captures non-public running such as special trains and engineering workings (where we have sufficient notice to publish such workings). Sign up for DIESELGEN emails or keep an eye on our website homepage.

 

 

LOCO NEWS:

Class 52 D1010 ‘WESTERN CAMPAIGNER’ – attention has now moved to the input and auxiliary shafts while the findings of the turbine rail disassembly work are being collated for review by the DEPG board. The turbine rail is well protected and remains coated in a film of oil after use, but the other shafts are exposed to the condensation that forms inside the top cover of the transmission and subsequently drips down onto the shafts, getting into the bearings and initiating corrosion during the long periods when the loco is out of use. As we anticipated, these bearings will all need to be replaced and the budget already includes provision for them.

D1010 – the ‘Group 8’ input shaft of the ‘A’ end transmission has now been disassembled. The corrosion damage is self-evident on the inner raceway of bearing 8/30. All such parts will be replaced during the rebuild, but the operating and storage conditions of the loco will need to be revised to minimise the risk of future damage. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 26th September 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

D1010 – the disassembly of the ‘Group 8’ input shaft of the ‘A’ end revealed corrosion damage to all four bearings on this shaft. The damage to bearing 8/42 above is less severe than that affecting bearing 8/30, but is still way past being fit for further use. Pictured at Williton on Tuesday 26th September 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

New bearings have also been fitted to the governor assembly (Group 7), which is now fully reassembled and ready for use. A curious finding in this assembly was a thrust bearing (part 7/27) that had been fitted the wrong way around, and had resulted in overheating of the bearing and associated pressure plate (part 7/28). This was easily resolved with a new bearing of the correct type, fitted the right way around !

D1010 – pictured exactly as removed from the governor of the ‘A’ end transmission, the heat damage is evidenced by the blue discolouration of thrust bearing 7/27 and pressure plate 7/28. During the previous overhaul, probably at Swindon Works in the 1970s, this small bearing had been fitted the wrong way around. Pictured at Williton on Monday 18th September 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the transmission governor fitted to the Class 52s uses the centrifugal force generated by rotating weight(s) 19 to balance the pressure that is generated by pre-set springs (96 and 97) acting through lever arms 38 and 48. The resultant movement allows valve spindle 23 to control the gear selection. Drawing by Voith GmbH © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

D1010 – the complete governor assembly includes the hydraulic cylinder (yellow) that is fed by the engine-driven hydraulic pump (not shown) and is used to provide feedback to the governor and adjust the gear-change speeds according to the power setting selected by the driver. Pictured at Williton on 18th September 2023 by Colin Foxhall © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

There are still some patches waiting for sponsors at the ‘B’ end of the loco, so GET IN QUICK TO HAVE YOUR NAME ENGRAVED before the painters reach this end. Many thanks to those who placed their orders during the last few weeks.

Having the loco outdoors has generated an increased interest in our SPONSOR A PATCH scheme, with several more patches being engraved with their sponsor’s names or messages. This initiative remains the single most successful fund-raising activity and has allowed us to make significant progress with the restoration work. PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP US FUND THIS PROJECT.

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 currently stabled at Minehead as the standby locomotive but will return to Williton on Saturday 14th October and will eventually move to Bishops Lydeard in time for ‘WINTERLIGHTS’ duties.

 

Class 33 D6575 (33 057) – this loco is now stabled at Bishops Lydeard in readiness for an underframe and traction motor examination that will take place during this coming weekend. The loco also needs a brake block change, so the team are going to be busy indeed !

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 – the electrical fault-finding work has been completed by Neil, John, Ian and Tom and everything checked out OK. This was confirmed during a static engine run and system check at Williton on Saturday 30th September. Click here or on the image below to view a short video clip of the startup.

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was started up on Saturday 30th September 2023 to check and confirm the correct operation of the electrical circuity. Video clip by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Following the successful static test, Ian finished the electrical work by dressing and securing the wiring in readiness for a formal brake test this coming weekend (or next), and a test run on the WSR, probably during the weekend of 21st October. The finished control cubicle can be seen in the view below:

Electrical work on Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7017 was completed by Ian R on Sunday 1st October 2023. The control cubicle pictured above shows (clockwise from upper left) the exhauster contactor (white), High Transmission Temperature Relay (HTTR), Shutdown Transmission Temperature Relay (STTR), Converter Relay (CR), another exhauster contactor (white) and the newly-added 100A fuse for the second exhauster (EXF2). Photo by Ian Robins © CC BY-NC 3.0 

 

Class 35 ‘Hymek’ D7018 – this loco has now been towed out of the loco shed to allow work on other locos to take place under cover. The quarantine on this loco has now been lifted but the Root Cause Analysis is still in progress, so the transmission will not be touched until that analytical work reaches the relevant stage. Other work on the loco can now resume.

 

Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9518 – work continues on the restoration of the cab assembly and the replacement of the electrical wiring loom that runs inside the driver’s ‘desk’. The Class 14 team is currently sharing its time between this project and the 1000-hour service on sister D9526, so we would welcome additional help to keep both sets of tasks moving along. Just respond to this email if you feel that you could help. Thanks !

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 inside the shed at Williton and work is proceeding on the 1000-hour service. The tasks involved with this service are quite invasive and labour intensive, so the work is likely to take several weeks. Upon completion, the loco will move to Bishops Lydeard to cover for Class 09 D4107 (09 019) while that loco undergoes bodywork repairs.

 

Class 47 47077 ‘NORTH STAR’ – this loco is undergoing a ‘top end’ engine overhaul at Grosmont Works on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Work is proceeding well, but the amount of work being done means that the loco is unlikely to emerge for a while yet, but she will be in very good shape for 2024 and beyond. 

 

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0DH 578 – this loco is inside the loco shed and will remain there until the 1000-hour service has been completed on Class 14 D9526.

 

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 just added a new title to our online store and we now have stock available of the THIRD VOLUME in the very successful ‘THE BEATEN TRACK’ series by Andy Chard, published by Platform 5. These popular books are very interesting, very well produced and will no doubt sell quickly. Click here or on the image below to buy this book from our online store. Well done Andy !

 

Here’s an extract from the publisher’s website:

     “The Beaten Track was first published in 2021. Its combination of outstanding colour photography from 1970–1985, featuring superseded motive power and long-lost extremities of the British railway network received widespread critical acclaim.

     Although originally intended to be a single volume, the success of The Beaten Track gave rise to a second volume, published in 2022, which continued in the same vein and received similar praise in reviews.

     We’re now proud to present The Beaten Track Volume 3 – a third selection of the best colour photography from 1970–1985. More than 250 high quality colour images illustrate an assortment of traction types, very few of which can still be seen on the main line, many at railway locations that have long since disappeared or have changed out of all recognition.

     All the photographs are accompanied by extensive captions, containing considerable historical and anecdotal information relating to the lines, stations and trains depicted. Hardback. A4 size. 176 pages.”

 

 

ON SHED – not on shed, in fact the total opposite being so very far from home, WSR and DEPG driver Paul Fleet has provided us with this photograph of D1041 ‘WESTERN PRINCE’ in the late days of her mainline service life, looking very much in need of the tender loving care that she was soon to receive in her preservation days. Here’s some background to the image:

     “Taken from an overbridge about a 1/4 mile south of Luton Station, the train, 6V76 13.20 Luton to Westbury is still crawling out of Crescent Road Yard at the start of its return journey via Cricklewood (Brent Curve) and Acton Wells to Acton Main Line and on to Westbury. The inbound working came to Leagrave (a northern suburb of Luton) via Didcot, Oxford, Bletchley (Flyover) to Bedford, where it reversed and headed south along the Midland Main Line. The train usually comprised of a loco plus 32 loaded MSV stone tipplers, so was a reasonable load on the continual incline up from Bedford into Leagrave Yard. Manned by a Didcot driver and Guard, Bedford Depot provided a conductor driver between Bletchley and Acton. The photo is uncredited, but dated 15th April 1976, just under a year before the last ‘Western’ was withdrawn from service.”

D1041 ‘WESTERN PRINCE’ was pictured far from home on 15th April 1976, working the 6V76 Luton Crescent Road Yard to Westbury stone empties. This loco survived in service to the very end of the diesel-hydraulic era and is now cared for by the Bury Hydraulic Group on the East Lancashire Railway. Photographer unknown.

 

Many thanks to Paul for sharing this very unusual image with us all.

 

DEPG NEWS – our well-known volunteer Secondman, Trustee and Board Member TOM COURTNEY celebrated his 21st birthday last week by sharing a buffet lunch and chocolate birthday cake with his fellow volunteers at Williton depot. Congratulations Tom, and thanks for the lunch !

DEPG volunteer Secondman, Trustee and Board Member TOM COURTNEY celebrated his 21st birthday with a buffet lunch and a slice of chocolate cake at Williton on Saturday 30th September 2023. Photo by Martin Howard © CC BY-NC 3.0

 

The DEPG depends on the support of all of our members, so please make sure that your membership is up to date. To vote at the AGM, it is essential 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. Thank you very much !

 

 

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