A FORMER War Department 0-4- 0DM, owned by members of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR), is being restored for use on the Derwent Valley Light Railway (DVLR). War Department No. WD 37 (later 70037) was one of a batch of 0-4-0DMs supplied by the Drewry Car Co in 1941. It was built by English Electric (Dick Kerr works No. 1195)/ (Drewry No. 2164), powered by a Gardner 6L3 engine of 153bhp.
It was moved from the NYMR in June 2021 to the DVLR’s headquarters at Murton Park, York for restoration to working order. This is being financed by NYMR’s York Area Group (YAG) and the work undertaken mainly by DVLR volunteers. When completed the loco will remain on loan to the DVLR, and after being fitted with a vacuum exhauster will be used on passenger trains.
The project reached a milestone on October 19, when the old cab was lifted from the frames and sent to D JMetals of Leeds, which is building a new replacement. While this is away, the team at Murton will be concentrating on those areas below footplate level which are normally inaccessible under the cab. Prior to transfer to the DVLR, the loco was based at New Bridge depot on the NYMR for use on permanent way duties. It was set aside when mechanical problems occurred. After years of open-air storage, the Drewry was reduced to a sorry state: The bodywork was badly corroded; the radiator, comprising both water and oil cooling sections, needed replacement; and perhaps worst of all, the engine was seized solid. Its future was in doubt until salvation came when the DVLR agreed to take it on for a new life.
Disposal would have been a shame as it has an interesting history, serving its country during the Second World War. It was used by the WD in the UK before shipment to the Middle East in 1943, where it worked near Suez, until returning to the UK in 1947. It was sold to Shell Mex & BP Ltd as war surplus in 1948 and was used at various depots around the country until donated to YAG in 1984.