50th ANNIVERSARY OF “HYMEK” DIESEL HYDRAULIC PRESERVATION TO BE MARKED ON WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY

Over the weekend of August 30^th and 31^st the Quantock Hills and West Somerset Coast will be alive with the sound of “Maybach Music”, the term used by diesel locomotive enthusiasts to describe the distinctive sound of “Hymek” diesel hydraulic locos at work.

It is now half a century since a group of enthusiasts got together to try to preserve at least one of the diesel hydraulics built for the Western Region of British Railways.

To celebrate this the West Somerset Railway will be running a special timetable on both days, with the chance for those who so wish to travel 120 miles behind the locomotives. They will be hauling an eight coach set of carriages which will mean they should be clearly audible on the climbs to Crowcombe Heathfield and Washford. For the less dedicated it will be possible to ride behind one of the “Hymeks” as well as taking a steam train trip between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead. D7017 and D7018 will operate both individually and as a double -headed lunchtime pairing on both days and there will be early morning and evening trips. Some of these special trains will run as “semi-fast” and not call at all stations.

Historically there were 101 “Hymeks” built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester. During the transition from steam to diesel haulage B.R.’s Western Region was keen to emulate West German practice by combining hydraulic transmission with diesel power units, whilst the other 5 Regions favoured electric transmission. Although the “Hymeks” were successful as mixed traffic locomotives, working both passenger and freight trains, they fell victim to a drive for standardisation of types and had short working lives of just over a decade. Nonetheless they became and remain very popular with enthusiasts.

Locally they did work over the line to Minehead on summer holiday trains but the big historical note is that one of the class headed a special 5 coach train from Paddington to Minehead as part of the filming of the Beatles’ first feature film “A Hard Day’s Night”. Various on train scenes were filmed and at Crowcombe Heathfield station a short scene of all 4 running along the platform and George and Ringo riding bikes was shot. The local schools bowed to the inevitability of pupils wanting to try to see the “Fab Four” and closed for the day.

Today the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group has constructed a large depot and workshop building at Williton and has eight locomotives in its care.

West Somerset Railway General Manager Kerry Noble commented “The DEPG has been part of the West Somerset Railway from the earliest days and it’s great to be able to highlight their hours of patient work by putting a weekend spotlight on two of their fleet. It’s sobering to think that in the year of Railway 200 that they have been caring for “modern traction” for half a century and that the two “Hymeks” have spent four times as long on the WSR as they did in British Railways’ service”.

Tickets for August 30^th and 31^st can be purchased in advance from the West Somerset Railway’s website or by calling 01643 704996. Or they can be purchased from station ticket offices on the day of travel.