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First BR Blue 37


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Since I've been involved with the C37LG I've often been asked which 37 was the first to carry BR Blue livery. I have never got to the bottom of this. Does anyone here know?

 

I once heard that it was D6966 some time in 1966 but cannot find any evidence of this.

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This has *possibly* been touched on in one of the occasional threads about early blue locos, but it aint in the one I just checkedhuh.gif. If it doesnt come to light, a PM to livery guru Russell Saxton will probably get you the answer.

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The first report of a blue 37 in the RO, is D6753 in April 1968, followed by D6937 in July and D6992 in October. I know that D6797, D6923 & D6945 at least, also were blue before the end of steam and there were possibly others. It should be stressed, that these are reported sightings and NOT official data, as regards the dates. I have nothing do back up D6937 being blue at that time, but I have photos of the rest in blue, with "D" prefixes.

 

I reckon D6966 can be discounted, as I have a photo of it, stlll in green, on 1/1/1970.

 

Rgds, Ron.

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  • 4 months later...

I don't actually know which was the very first. As Ron says those were reported in RO in the late 60s.

Early repaints had cabside numbers and arrows and D prefixes. 6753/97, 6812/24/31/45, 6945/92 were all like this. 6812 may have been done just after steam as it's number lines up without a D.

Two very odd ones were 6882/3 which looked like the old Triang D6830, cabside arrows but bodyside numbers-however these were done by Crewe in March and April 1970 and did not have ds. Moreover, they lasted until TOPS numbering as 37182/3 like it-photos are very rare. I do have some....(whistles nonchalantly). A PM will secure.

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Two very odd ones were 6882/3 which looked like the old Triang D6830, cabside arrows but bodyside numbers-however these were done by Crewe in march and April 1970 and did not have ds. Moreover, they lasted until TOPS numbering as 37182/3 like it-photos are very rare. I do have some....(whistles nonchalantly). A PM will secure.

 

PARDON??? You have shots of 37182/3 other than the one of 37182 I sent you???

 

'And 'em over, sunshine............................

 

It seems there are a few knocking around of 6883 but 6882 seems to be a tad "camera-shy". I don't have ANY of 6882. Just the one of 37182, several of 6883 and nothing of 37183. Anything anyone can contribute.............

 

Not sure that 6824 carried a "D". I have a shot of it, pretty much ex-Works, with numbers over emblems and no "D".

 

Rgds, Ron.

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Oh I Love it when my Modern Image homies start squaring up to each other wink.gif

 

Weird how 6845 AND 6945 both went eBFYE, no doubt leading to all manner of second thoughts on observers' behalfs.

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  • 1 month later...

A Dr. I C Allen photograph, in his 1980 OPC published book " Diesels in East Anglia" shows D6753 in blue with arrows & D pre-fixed numbers under the cabs, piloting two tone green class 47 with full yellow ends at Ipswich in August 1968

 

hope this is of help

 

Nigel

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I've found a shot of D6937 in blue with cabside arrows & numbers, taken in March 1967. If the date of the photo is correct, it pre-dates the previous contender by about a year. This MUST be the leading contender for "first blue 37".

 

Ron.

 

I too have now seen photos purportedly taken in March '67 of D6937 in eBFYE.  This loco was reallocated to Eastfield in Spring '68 and reallocated to Haymarket a few weeks later.

 

It IS recorded as having worked over the Waverley route.  In which case, this makes TWO EE Type 3s in corporate image blue through Hawick!

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POST IT UP!!!!

 

This photo was taken by the late Bob Ranson, a driver based at Llantrisant and is dated March 1967.

.

The photo has been posted several times elsewhere on t'interweb, and depicts  D6937 parked outside the former steam shed at Llantrisant, which was by then closed but used as a stabling / signing on point.

.

post-1599-0-69752700-1496665040_thumb.jpg

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PARDON??? You have shots of 37182/3 other than the one of 37182 I sent you???

 

'And 'em over, sunshine............................

 

It seems there are a few knocking around of 6883 but 6882 seems to be a tad "camera-shy". I don't have ANY of 6882. Just the one of 37182, several of 6883 and nothing of 37183. Anything anyone can contribute.............

 

Not sure that 6824 carried a "D". I have a shot of it, pretty much ex-Works, with numbers over emblems and no "D".

 

Rgds, Ron.

 

Not sure of the provenance of the image shown below, and I'll remove if necessary.

.

6882 is shown at Seven Sisters in the Neath Valley ( or Vale of Neath ) during April, 1970 - photographer unknown.

post-1599-0-73807600-1496665607_thumb.jpg

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This photo was taken by the late Bob Ranson, a driver based at Llantrisant and is dated March 1967.

.

The photo has been posted several times elsewhere on t'interweb, and depicts  D6937 parked outside the former steam shed at Llantrisant, which was by then closed but used as a stabling / signing on point.

.

 

Aaah superb.

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I reckon D6937 has to be the first.
Also done 1967 and up to October 1968 we have 6753/73/97, 6812/31/45/89, 6945/92 and 6824 done in the old style with cabside arrows and numbers prob just after steam, then in the odd livery 6882/3 done at Crewe in 1970.
As far as I know all other blue repaints were cabside number and bodyside arrows.



 

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My photo at the link below has been cited as a 'blue' 37 (6835/6836).  I CANNOT confirm that this was Blue as the photo is B&W and my memory isnt so good.  As noted in the comments of the photo, these locomotives could well have been recently outshopped in Green (with double arrow in different positions) prior to transfer/en route from the WR to Hull (Dairycoates).   Whether Green or Blue, I'm sorry I cannot say with certainty .... and I was there :)  

 

https://flic.kr/p/7eAPTF

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My photo at the link below has been cited as a 'blue' 37 (6835/6836).  I CANNOT confirm that this was Blue as the photo is B&W and my memory isnt so good.  As noted in the comments of the photo, these locomotives could well have been recently outshopped in Green (with double arrow in different positions) prior to transfer/en route from the WR to Hull (Dairycoates).   Whether Green or Blue, I'm sorry I cannot say with certainty .... and I was there :)  

 

https://flic.kr/p/7eAPTF

 

6835 and 6836 were both blue at this time. The were the first blue 37s at Dairycoates, they had been painted at Doncaster within weeks of one another, it was thought the 6835 may have been done at Crewe but it was seen in the Plant in late 68.

 

Al Taylor

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