rolling stock : class 37

Overall Fleet History

As part of the 1955 BR Modernisation Plan, Class 37 locomotives were ordered by BR and built at the Vulcan Foundry, Newton-Le-Willows and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn, Darlington. All locomotives had steam heating, four character headcode boxes, nose end communication doors and vacuum brakes. These locomotives were delivered in BR Green livery without yellow warning panels, but half-yellow panels appeared later due to safety regulations. The last locomotive to be built became 37308 in the TOPS numbering scheme, but was later renumbered to avoid confusion with the refurbished Class 37/3 locos.

The first batch of locomotives were sent to East Anglia. Between 1968 and 1976 about two thirds of the fleet were modified with the addition of air brakes. Until the programme of dual braking was complete, BR had to be careful about which locomotives to operate on air brake only trains.

In 1985, a major refurbishment programme for the Class 37 locomotives started, and 135 locos were modified, leaving 173 unrefurbished locos. Features of the refurbishment was the sealing off of the nose end communication doors and plating over of the four character headcode boxes.

Class 37/0 (37003-37308)

built : 1960-1965 / weight : 102-108t / max speed : 80mph / air and vacuum /
multiple with class 31/33/37 fleets

History

These locomotives were the 173 locomotives that were not refurbished in the initial programme instigated by BR. These locomotives are identifiable by the prefix 370xx, 371xx, or 372xx. Some locos still retain headcode boxes (albeit plated over). Some locomotives also have the original nose end communication doors which have been taken out of use and sealed up. There are a few locos that have newer flush ends fitted, gaining them through subsequent overhaul (37116 for example), or collision damage.

Current Status

The EWS Class 37/0 locomotives were withdrawn from traffic in 2004 with the end of the sandite season and the only remaining operator to use the original, unmodified Class 37/0 locomotives is Direct Rail Services which has 3 locos in original condition in traffic. It also has 4 Class 37/0s in traffic which were part of the refurbishment programme so have heavily modified front ends and cabs. The DRS locos are used on nuclear traffic throughout the UK.

EWS have many stored locomotives around the network, many in a state which can be reactivated at short notice and are most commonly used for the autumn sandite season to work water cannon trains.

Class 37/3 (37331-37384)

built : 1960-1965 / weight : 106t / max speed : 80mph / air and vacuum /
multiple with 31/33/37 fleets

History

Alternatives to a complete major refurbishment for the Class 37/0 fleet were considered as the refurbishment of the whole fleet was considered too expensive. Conseqently a small batch of locos were given a standard intermediate overhaul, and were fitted with CP7 bogies recovered from withdrawn Deltics. These locomotives were reclassified in the 373xx series. These locos were used in a