The excitement of welcoming visitors to the Williton Diesel Depot during the two Galas in October, November has proved to be a quiet month for the Williton Team. Steady progress has been made in fitting out our new Depot Mess Room by Graham Perry and colleagues and we hope to move early in December if all goes to plan. The outside access pathways have been concreted and all services have been connected.
In the Shed work continues on connecting up inside the engine room of Class 35 “Hymek” D7017 now the Maybach MB870 engine is in situ and hopefully we will see a trial start up before Christmas. Good progress is also being made with the rebuild of the Maybach MD655 engine for Class 52 “Western” D1010 by Robert Tiller and his colleagues but it is still too early to say when this engine will be ready to fit in the locomotive. On the downside the Team discovered the other engine fitted to D1010 has suffered water ingress at sometime since the locomotive has had to be stored outside due to the exhaust cover becoming dislodged. Since there is no way we can store the locomotive permanently undercover and progress repairs and restoration of other locomotives we will have to face up to sourcing a purpose designed tarpaulin cover for the locomotive that she will have to wear when stored outside. To date the Group has resisted going down this road because we appreciate it means visitors to the Railway cannot see and photograph locomotives covered by tarpaulins but to prevent further damage we will have to introduce this method of protection.
During the month the Company service locomotives have been Class 08 D3462 and Class 25 D7523 and sadly the latter has suffered a partial cab floor collapse on the second man’s side at the Bishops Lydeard end. This is not a new problem and the locomotive has been withdrawn from service and is back at Williton for attention. In her place Class 33 D6566 has returned to service after some attention to her Sulzer engine by Ian Robins, ably assisted by apprentices Leroy Ford and Matt Hunt. The problem of the Class 47 D1661 “North Star” not starting on the Sunday morning of the “Somerset in Autumn” Gala was found to be the starting contactor tips being welded together. Once freed up by Iam Robins and cleaned up and the batteries fitted to this locomotive so Neil McCannon has taken the good set from D1010 before she returns to service. Class 14 D9526 continues to remain berthed at Minehead and Simon Purvis spent a day there repairing a cab door that had been forced whilst she has been stored waiting a move home to Williton.
Finally as the Santa season rapidly approaches palns are in place for the Team Christmas Dinner to be held this year in a new venue for us the “Wyndham Arms” at Williton and I will close this alst report before the Festive Season by thanking you all for supporting the Williton Team during 2008 and wish you and your family a Happy Christmas and New Year. We look forward to welcoming you to our Depot once again after Christmas when our Williton Depot will be open to visitors during the Winter Steam Festival.
(John Cronin)