Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) stands in the snow at Williton yard on 18th March 2018. Photo by Graham Perry (c) CC BY-NC 3.0
Our Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) is going to be in action on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th December in support of the WSR’s “Santa Express” workings between Bishops Lydeard (BL) and Williton (WN).
The “Santa Express” is steam-hauled but the Covid-19 precautions have introduced a strict requirement for all services to run to time, to ensure that the guests from one service are clear of the station before the guests for the next service arrive.
D6575 will be coupled up to the rear of the train on departure from BL to provide assistance on the climbs to Crowcombe Heathfield. This will be a risk mitigation measure to ensure good timekeeping on the first service of the day, when railhead conditions could be at their worst. The diesel will come off when the train returns to BL and will spend the rest of the day on shed at BL, on standby.
It is great to see revenue-earning services re-commence on the WSR and we all hope that they will be a great success and provide plenty of seasonal enjoyment to the many guests that have pre-booked. Many thanks to all of the volunteers from so many organisations in the WSR family and all of the WSR staff who have been involved in making this return to service a reality. Have a happy Christmas !
The booked movements (steam and diesel) are:
1100 BL arriving WN 1135
1150 WN arriving BL 1222
Note that services may leave BL early if all of the pre-booked guests are on board.
The remaining steam-hauled (unassisted) services are:
1345 BL arriving WN 1420
1440 WN arriving BL 1512
and
1630 BL arriving WN 1705
1725 WN arriving BL 1757
Please note that the stations are closed to the public (except where pre-booked) and trespassing is not allowed. During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the best way to view these workings is via the webcams at BL and WN.
Work continues on the emptying of the Old Goods Shed to allow for the scaffolding to be erected next week. We are very grateful for the assistance of WSR Infrastructure team member Matt Brewer and the WSR Road-Rail Vehicle to help with the heavy lifting of significant structures of our Class 14 number D9518, all of which have to move elsewhere in our yard until the building is repaired. The RRV is seen in the following webcam capture, with some of the Class 14 structural parts on the move, while BR(W) 4-6-0 No 7828 “ODNEY MANOR” stands at Platform 2 with a crew training special:
In addition to the large items, there are hundreds of small items, all of which need to be relocated. The DEPG will not be able to access the building for some considerable time as the repairs depend on a significant amount of fund-raising, so the priority at the moment is to make the building safe and prevent further deterioration. Read more about the 158-year-old Grade II listed Old Goods Shed at Williton by clicking here.
Here’s another webcam image showing the RRV lifting the bonnet of Class 14 D9518 before taking it to a safe and covered location on the DEPG’s “LOWMAC” wagon:
Many thanks to our volunteers for working so hard to make the building accessible for the RRV and for their tireless work on the removal and relocation of the hundreds of items. Many thanks to Railcam UK and the WSR for installing and operating these webcams.
DEPG LOCO WORKINGS: Today, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) was used on crew refresher training workings between Bishops Lydeard and Williton. More training services are running tomorrow, but steam only, using WSR 4-6-0 No. 7828 “ODNEY MANOR”. These training services can be viewed from the webcams when they are departing from Bishops Lydeard and when “running round” at Williton. For advance notification of DEPG diesel loco workings, join the DIESELGENmailing list.
Thanks again to Railcam UK and the WSR for installing and operating these webcams. They really do help us all keep in touch with what is going on at the WSR. Links to the Railcams can be found on the wsr.ork.uk website and are also provided below:
No update about the status of our fleet this week – this is because our focus has to be on the Old Goods Shed so all other work has been suspended. Normal activities will resume next week with a focus on the completion of the work on 47077.
Many thanks to all of our volunteers for working in cold and wet conditions to get these tasks done !
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Our Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) is going to be in action on Saturday 5th December on crew refresher training special workings between Bishops Lydeard (BL) and Williton (WN).
The booked movements are:
0900 BL arriving WN 0937
1005 WN arriving BL 1045
1250 BL arriving WN 1329
1400 WN arriving BL 1440
Please note that the stations are closed and trespassing is not allowed. During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the best way to view these workings is via the webcams at BL and WN.
D6575 positioned over the pit at Westridge Shed, Bishops Lydeard, on 2nd November 2020. Sister D6566 and Class 09 D4107 also in attendance. Photo by Martin Howard. (c) CC BY-NC 3.0
Our Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057) is going to be in action on Thursday 03 December 2020 on an Engineering train. The detailed timings have not been released but the loco is due off shed from Williton at 0930.
The planned movements are from Williton (WN) to Stogumber (SR) then returning to WN then to Norton Fitzwarren (NF) then to Bishops Lydeard (BL).
At BL, D6575 will swap with D6566.
D6566 will then return to WN light engine.
Please note that the stations are closed and trespassing is not allowed. During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the best way to view these workings is via the webcams at BL and WN.
The survey of the roof of the Old Goods Shed at Williton has been completed and the results are disappointing. The slate roof tiles have apparently become porous over the years and this has led to deterioration and weakening of the underlying structure. As a result of this, we must vacate the building until structural repairs are completed, meaning that we have to remove all of our artefacts and find safe places in which to store them.
Our Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ D9526 will now have to spend the winter outside, unless some other arrangements can be made. The above photo from Class 14 team member Terry Deacon shows the loco in splendid condition, standing outside the Old Goods Shed last Saturday, along with ‘Hymek’ D7017 and ‘Crompton’ D6575 (33 057).
On the day of the inspection, 25th November 2020, DEPG Chairman Martin Howard provided a photo of the Road-Rail-Vehicle-mounted Elevated Work Platform that allowed Andrew Young and the WSR Civil Engineering team to inspect the inside of roof and the supporting structure.
The next step will be a meeting between the WSR and the DEPG to determine the way forward and decide upon the strategy for raising the multiple-six-figure sum that will be required to allow work to proceed on this 158-year-old Grade II listed building. Read more about the Old Goods Shed at Williton by clicking here.
Many thanks to our volunteers for working so hard to make the building accessible for the RRV EWP and for their work since the inspection, on the removal of the hundreds of smaller artefacts.
DEPG LOCO WORKINGS: Yesterday, Class 33 ‘Crompton’ D6566 (33 048) was used on crew refresher training workings between Bishops Lydeard and Williton, during which several of the WSR drivers renewed their Class 33 “tickets”. More training services are running today, but steam only, using WSR 2-6-0 ‘Mogul’ No. 9351. These training services can be viewed from the webcams when they are departing from Bishops Lydeard and when “running round” at Williton. For advance notification of DEPG diesel loco workings, join the DIESELGENmailing list, details as below:
Thanks again to Railcam UK and the WSR for installing and operating these webcams. They really do help us all keep in touch with what is going on at the WSR. Links to the Railcams can be found on the wsr.ork.uk website:
Moving on to an update about the status of our fleet:
D1010: Work has been suspended for the duration of the lockdown.
D6566 and D6575: D6566 has been in use during this week and D6575 remains on standby at Williton.
D7017 and D7018: Work has been suspended for the duration of the lockdown.
D9518: Work has been suspended for the duration of the lockdown.
D9526: This loco has now been moved outdoors and needs to be prepared for the winter by providing protection from the worst of the elements. Although D6575 has to be kept outdoors and “at the ready”, the fact that she gets used is very helpful toward arresting deterioration. Her stablemates D1010 and D7017 are destined to be static outdoors through the winter and they are already partly covered by tarpaulins. Additional covered accommodation for all heritage assets remains a long-term goal of both the DEPG and the WSR.
47077: No change from last week due to the priority being placed on clearing the Old Goods Shed.
The DEPG depot at Williton is classed as a workplace and is maintained Covid-safe as per Government guidelines. Work will only take place if deemed essential by the Board and our volunteers will only attend if it is necessary to do so.
