The past couple of weeks have seen a fair bit of work on Class 37s so here is an update to the fleet:

37230: Transrail Dutch - Resprayed from a BR Blue Bachmann 37/0 with the ends modernised with high intensity headlights, fitted with Extreme Etchings roof and frost grills.  Currently OO 

 

37057 Viking EW&S - A basket case body obtained from ebay which was stripped down and resprayed into EW&S livery (Phoenix EWS red and Vallejo Golden Yellow), a centre box body was converted (riveted strips added to the roof, removing the air horns and adding new ends.  Transfers were from Railtec. P4

 

 

37403: BR Green - Respray from a Large Logo Blue loco, fitted with an Extreme Etchings roof grill, Heljan snowploughs and Dingham couplings.  Railtec transfers (and 3D plates) have been used, with the BR logo modified to 1998 condition hand painted to remove most of the colour. P4 

  

 

 

37521 English China Clays: EWS - renumber of a Bachmann 37411 which has been fitted with  second hand set of Bachmann 37/5 ends.  A favourite loco, this is earmarked as the first of my EWS 37/4s to get the Extreme Etchings treatment.  I am also having thoughts about replacing the numbers with the Railtec product (rather than the Fox ones that have been used which are the wrong colour).  The left hand grills also need to be replaced with the one piece type. P4

 

 

37612 DRS - This loco had previously been converted into refurbished condition, but has now been backdated to 1998 pre WIPAC lights.  It has had a full respray and an Extreme Etchings grill.  After discussion with Railtec Transfers I was able to get them to produce a new version of their DRS transfers without the web address.  I lost the doors from one side of the loco, so drew up a replacement as 3 layers of 10thou + a 10thou window frame and cut out on the silhouette.  Finally it was fitted with a set of Laserglaze for the cab windows (and Bachmann glazing for the rest.  There are still a couple of remaining jobs to do to finish the model off, needing the standard bufferbeam detailing and the multiple working jumpers adding to the ends (along with the missing cut off switches from the sides.) Currently OO with no couplings.  Not sure what has happened with the number, this will need to be fixed...

 

 

37607 DRS, my second DRS loco intended as a pair to go with 612.  The model started as a very tatty Bachmann 37/4 in RFD livery, the bodyside window on one side was filled before respraying the dark grey band (as the prototype has a deeper grey band), ends were converted to a flush front with a set of Bachmann flush front ends from Rainbow Railways which I modified with the DRS jumper recess.   Speaking of the roof it has also been fitted with an Extreme Etchings roof grill.  Transfers are by Railtec.  As with 37612 there are still a few jobs to do on the ends, including the jumper cables and bufferbeam detail.) Oo with no couplings 

 

 

37672 in Transrail  - Standard Bachmann release with weathering, P4

 

 

37667 Meldon Quarry Centenary - Another renumber of a 37411, although in this case I have corrected the left hand grills to the solid type.  It was previously

modelled in 2000s condition but has now been back dated with new ends and the Sandite port filled.  Still having problems matching in the gold stripe.

 In a honesty the loco is not needed and there are other locos which would be more interesting  choices (671 in transrail

or 668 in EW&S) but as 667 was always a favourite it’s likely to stay.  Currently OO with screw links

 

 

37670 St Blazey T&RS: EWS livery - Kernow Models release with the fuel tanks corrected.  It still needs the factory weathering improving and Dinghams fitting (not quite sure how it missed getting couplings in the run up to Wheal Imogen’s debut. P4 

37065 Mainline

Bachmann 37/0 which has been fitted with a converted flush and (ex 607) and resprayed into Mainline livery 

P4, needs couplings, it has been fitted with new brake cylinders from my own print (the rest of the fleet need to be fitted still)

 

 

Next Steps:

There is still some minor detailing to finish adding pipe work to the buffer beams.  Several locos still have the Bachmann roof grills, which will eventually need retrofitting (along with incorporating the weathering)

 

I am also starting to think about further chassis modifications, lowering the body and improving the fuel tanks.   Finally at some point the windscreens need work, either a complete job with the Shawplan etch or possibly just adding the missing window frames.