| As an active volunteer I get to see (and participate) in some of the work that goes on.
Of course, I also see some of the regular running, special events, incoming charters from 'the big railway' etc. too. The gallery for 2008 includes: An early season private charter (11:00 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead, 14:30 Minehead - Bishops Lydeard) using two of the groups locos, Class 14 no D9526 and Class 47 no D1661 'North Star', changing from the latter to the former on the outward run at Williton. We also see Class 03 shunter no D2119 assisting with some shunting. On Saturday 16th February, after several months repairs, tests and checks, locomotive 33057, a privately-owned loco in the care of the group, was started for the first time since 1996. Pictures here are from the first power unit fire-up and running of the day. A soon-apparent problem was a foreign-body up-stream of the turbo in the exhaust system, which was found to be a dead bird that got blasted into the turbo and caused it to stop rotating. A few other minor problems were identified too, but not enough to prevent an attempt at movement under the hand of group chairman and driver Bob Tiller, albeit only a few inches in either direction. Do check the group site, linked from my front page, for more info, but note that traffic use will be some time yet ... Whilst in Somerset on a week's break, I worked at the shed during the week after Easter, seeing Class 33 D6566 in action twice, on Tuesday 25th March running to Bishops Lydeard to collect the S&T Departments Mark 1 BG Full Brake workshop / stores van ready for the gang to replace the level crossing gate at Williton. Then on Thursday 27th it collected 4 'Dogfish' ballast hoppers from Minehead for the next day's shunting training course using both sets of sidings at Williton, held to help staff be aware of the risks involved in this activity, shown to be the most risky part of railway operations, and how to reduce them. On Sunday May 4th, we see work under way on Warship D832 'Onslaught', recently arrived by road from the East Lancashire Railway-based Bury Hydraulic Group for an extended visit, needing some attention to a power unit before use in June's Mixed Traffic gala as a replacement for D7017 whose power unit is not going to be quite ready in time. D6566, D1010, D1661 and 03119 are also receiving attention of one sort or another. Saturday 28th June, the date of the group's AGM, sees D7017s power unit set-up for pressure testing, a Hymek transmission split in two and the damaged fuel tap from D9526 which prevented its visit to the Merehead open day. D7523, one of two locos in use that day, is also seen at Williton in charge of a service train in lieu of a steam loco. D1661, not pictured, was used on the WSR plc's shareholder's train. Saturday 2nd August sees D6566 waiting at Bishops Lydeard with the 11:30 - Minehead, part of the series of regular summer running days for the group's fleet. Saturday 13th September sees D832 on its second day in traffic, on the diesel diagram at the beer festival, after returning from repairs, a lovely sight and sound and one which I was able to enjoy as a punter. |
Nameplate & beer, Minehead 425x640 08D2178.JPG 2008-09-13 17:39:11 |
D832, Minehead 640x426 08D2177.JPG 2008-09-13 17:37:56 |
D832, Minehead 640x427 08D2175.JPG 2008-09-13 17:34:00 |
D832, Williton 640x427 08D2174.JPG 2008-09-13 16:42:00 |
D7523 & D1010, Williton yard 640x426 08D2173.JPG 2008-09-13 16:39:00 |
D832, Bishops Lydeard 425x640 08D2172.JPG 2008-09-13 15:55:57 |
D832, Bishops Lydeard 640x417 08D2171.JPG 2008-09-13 15:53:00 |
D832, Bishops Lydeard 425x640 08D2170.JPG 2008-09-13 15:49:48 |
D832, Bishops Lydeard 426x640 08D2168.JPG 2008-09-13 15:49:00 |
D832, Bishops Lydeard 640x426 08D2167.JPG 2008-09-13 15:47:54 |
D832, Crowcombe Heathfield 640x426 08D2166.JPG 2008-09-13 15:21:37 |
D832, Crowcombe Heathfield 640x426 08D2165.JPG 2008-09-13 15:20:24 |
D832, Minehead 640x426 08D2164.JPG 2008-09-13 13:15:52 |
D832, Williton 640x426 08D2163.JPG 2008-09-13 10:20:31 |
D6566, Bishops Lydeard 640x426 08D1713.JPG 2008-08-02 11:20:00 |
D7523, Williton 640x426 08D1350.JPG 2008-06-28 16:50:28 |
D7523, Williton 640x426 08D1349.JPG 2008-06-28 16:49:18 |
Fuel tap, D9526 640x426 08D1348.JPG 2008-06-28 16:34:00 |
Hymek transmission, Williton shed 640x426 08D1347.JPG 2008-06-28 16:32:49 |
Hymek power unit, Williton shed 640x426 08D1346.JPG 2008-06-28 16:31:58 |
D1010 'Western Campaigner', Williton yard 640x426 08D0752.JPG 2008-05-04 16:34:54 |
D1661 'North Star', Williton 640x426 08D0751.JPG 2008-05-04 15:09:18 |
03119, Williton 640x426 08D0750.JPG 2008-05-04 15:08:09 |
D6566, Williton 640x426 08D0749.JPG 2008-05-04 15:07:14 |
MD650 power unit inside D832, Williton shed 640x426 08D0748.JPG 2008-05-04 11:45:02 |
MD650 power unit inside D832, Williton shed 640x426 08D0747.JPG 2008-05-04 11:44:28 |
D832 'Onslaught', Williton shed 640x426 08D0746.JPG 2008-05-04 11:43:11 |
D6566, approaching Williton 640x426 08D0386.JPG 2008-03-27 14:06:21 |
D6566, approaching Williton 640x426 08D0385.JPG 2008-03-27 14:06:18 |
D6566, approaching Williton 640x426 08D0384.JPG 2008-03-27 14:06:05 |
D6566, approaching Williton 640x426 08D0383.JPG 2008-03-27 14:05:45 |
D6566, approaching Williton 640x426 08D0382.JPG 2008-03-27 14:05:37 |
D6566, approaching Williton 640x426 08D0381.JPG 2008-03-27 14:05:23 |
D6566, Bishops Lydeard 640x426 08D0380.JPG 2008-03-25 13:35:01 |
D6566, Bishops Lydeard 640x426 08D0379.JPG 2008-03-25 13:32:09 |
D6566, Bishops Lydeard 425x640 08D0378.JPG 2008-03-25 13:30:30 |
D6566, Bishops Lydeard 640x426 08D0377.JPG 2008-03-25 13:28:50 |
D6566, Bishops Lydeard 640x426 08D0376.JPG 2008-03-25 13:26:38 |
D6566, Bishops Lydeard 640x426 08D0375.JPG 2008-03-25 13:26:05 |
D6566, Williton 640x426 08D0374.JPG 2008-03-25 11:48:22 |
D6566, Williton 640x426 08D0373.JPG 2008-03-25 11:47:56 |
33057 first start-up in preservation, Williton 640x426 08D0195.JPG 2008-02-16 13:27:54 |
33057 first start-up in preservation, Williton 640x426 08D0192.JPG 2008-02-16 13:26:59 |
33057 first start-up in preservation, Williton 640x426 08D0191.JPG 2008-02-16 13:26:56 |
33057 first start-up in preservation, Williton 640x426 08D0190.JPG 2008-02-16 13:26:55 |
33057 first start-up in preservation, Williton 640x426 08D0189.JPG 2008-02-16 13:26:53 |
33057 first start-up in preservation, Williton 640x426 08D0188.JPG 2008-02-16 13:26:51 |
33057 first start-up in preservation, Williton 640x426 08D0187.JPG 2008-02-16 13:26:50 |
