Favorite Class 37 Hauled Train

[br2975]

In my 'spotting' years it had to be either the Waterston - Albion tanks (as with Phil) or the Aberthaw - Purton PFA trains as they opened up through Cardiff.

.

Then, when I lived in Beddau, the workings around LLantrisant to Coed Ely, Cwm and Creigiau.

 

In later years it had to be the triple headed Port Talbot - Llanwern iron ore trains.

.

But my abiding memory is of one service in particular, the 06:59 Rhymney - Radyr and the then Radyr - Canton ECS. The only loco hauled diagram that worked my local line, The City Line.

.

Brian R

[TEDDYBEAR D9521]

Hi Chaps

 

Here's my favorite place for 37's Radyr shed 

 

Cheers Gareth 

Edited May 20, 2015 by TEDDYBEAR D9521

[br2975]

I can still smell the oil, hear the tick, tick from the 'six-eighters' and the only other sound is my feet on the ballast............... can it be a Sunday morning, almost fifty years ago ?

.

Thanks again Gareth.

.

Brian R

[class"66"]

Nice photos ...

[TEDDYBEAR D9521]

Hi

 

Chaps

 

2 more of 37's

 

Barry shed March 66

 

D6998 at Pontypridd on the returning Aberdare ballast and MGR passing for Aberthaw from Lady Windsor.

 

Cheers GARETH

Edited June 8, 2015 by TEDDYBEAR D9521

[roy h]

used to see the ici hoppers with 2 37's every Saturday when I was younger and helped my granddad when he worked at simons in Cheadle. but the best ever one for me was a double headed loaded roadstone train through reddish even though they always came through this one time we were on the bridge and the lady slowed the train right down as we all look over the bridge parapet  full throttle was applied with a smile. wow the heat given off and the sound. even though it was 20 odd years ago can remember it like it was yesterday.

[phil_sutters]

The only 37 hauled trains I can remember seeing, when we lived at Highbridge in Somerset, were those used on the M5 motorway fly-ash traffic. I believe they originated in South Wales and ran down to a spur built along the old SDJR track bed from Highbridge station. These are my father's photos of them taken in July 1971.

[TEDDYBEAR D9521]

Hi Phil

 

Yes the fly ash trains came from Aberthaw Power Station in connect with the M5 building as you have said.

 

Cheers GARETH

[TEDDYBEAR D9521]

Hi Steve

 

Here's a colour shot of D6830 at Cardiff General taken by a friend of mine Bob Masterman.

 

Cheers GARETH

[ColinK]

For those interested in class 37s, West Coast are running Scarborough Spa trains from Carnforth to Scarborough (where else) on a few days this year. They are steam hauled between York and Scarborough. I've seen a couple of them on the diesel section, both hauled by a pair of 37s.

[brushman47544]

Favourite 37 "hauled" train? Being banked up the Lickey.

 

 

Also enjoyed 37307 out of Paddington on the Fishguard Harbour one summer Saturday morning many years ago.

Edited July 8, 2016 by brushman47544

[OllieTurrellDRS]

Mine are NR Test Trains in Cornwall

[JonKing]

Mine has to be the Fawley to Tavistock Junction fuel / bitumen train in the late 90s. I used to live 2 minutes walk from Rattery bank at Tigley and remember walking "up the railway" with my Dad after he finished work to specifically see this working which at the time was booked for a single heavy weight 37 which at the time could be in a myriad of liveries (i recall seeing triple grey, EWS, Mainline blue, Mainline grey and load haul).

 

I remember waiting with my Dad anxiously listening for the sound of the train leaving the loops at Totnes (where a down passenger working was booked to pass) and hearing the distant growl of the 37 as it began to climb towards Rattery. The noise would gradually get louder for the next 10-15 minutes until the train came into view by which time the train was at walking pace with the loco on full power trying to get its train up the steeply graded and sharply curved bank. The roar of the loco quite literally shook the ground as it passed and heat & sparks from the exhaust were particularly welcome on cold evenings. On summer evenings you could occasionally hear the fire bells ringing if the driver had the cab window open, set off by the combination of heat in the engine room and over sensitive heat sensors.

 

The Enterprise workings to Tavistock Junction and St Blazey hauled by pairs of 37s were also notable. Later on during my early railway career I would learn from a driver that the more "enthusiastic" drivers would operate the control cut out switch on the rear 37 (basically preventing it from taking power) to increase the thrash!.

 

The locos and trains are all gone now, there being only one booked freight through Totnes A WEEK now (there used to be 2 or 3 on a typically weekday EVENING when me and Dad went up to watch trains). I wish I had taken photos at the time but assumed they would be around forever.

[Rivercider]

Although the sight of a class 37 (or two) at the head of a heavy freight train always impressed me

they always seemed more at home in the South Wales Valleys.

 

I made a few visits to the Radyr area in the late 1970s and early 1980s and one memory is of hearing

a distant horn as one approached down the valley towards Radyr, with a brief roar as the driver applied

power to keep the train running steadily downhill.

 

37273 cautiously approaches Radyr from up the valley with a mixture of 21t and 16t minerals of coal, 11/8/82 

 

cheers

[Benjamin Brady]

Has to be the North Wales Coast, remember countless trips on this service, even staying on it to Birmingham International sometimes.

[pharrc20]

For me it has to be the mid to late 1990s when the 37s ruled supreme on the I.C.I. hoppers. I have many fond memories of going out to see them in and around Hazel Grove right up until the end when the JGV wagons retired from the mainline in Decemeber 1997. Loads of photos and notes but I regret not having a video camcorder to capture the magical EE sounds and clag as they stormed up the grade back to Great Rocks sidings.

Cheers Paul

[Fat Controller]

9B81/2/3; the three Llandeilo Jct trip workings serving Burry Port and the L&MMR from about 1965 onwards. The ones to and from Cynheidre used to pass within about 50 metres of my primary school classroom; the teacher (by then Mr Morgan) would wait until the train to Cynheidre had passed before restarting lessons. The down trains would have the loco pretty well idling all the way down, until it came to restart at Sandy Bridge, when it would make an almighty noise.

[Downendian]

Lots of fond memories of 37s from South Wales in Bristol. The 4E70 Danygraig-Stratford freightliner had a 37 on banking duties with normally a 47 or sometimes a Western up back. The 37 would detach at Parkway and roar off LE back to STJ. The racket those used to make coming up Patchway bank will live with me forever. 37s also on Coke trains to Avonmouth, with often a brake tender in tow, trains of a bygone era. I also fondly remember the triple header iron ore trains to Llanwern, and the Highbridge fly ash trains previously mentioned. Split box 37s were very rare in Bristol but occasionally turned up on services from immingham to Avonmouth, tanks with smelly caustic nasties. So no one special train, just dirty run of the mill South Wales Engos for me with classic 1970s freight wagons before their fancy liveries started appearing, and there was just two generic types, split or central headcode.

Neil

[D860 VICTORIOUS]

Back on 1st June 1996,I was having a day's photography on the farm bridge at Cholsey,just east of Didcot.Although there was still much of interest to see at that time,I really wanted a picture of the Saturday Leeds to Southampton freightliner.It was a fine still evening,but as time wore on I thought it was running too late for a photo.I took a shot of a 47-hauled liner,at which point the slide film (remember them?) in my camera rewound. I was just about to call it a day when the unmistakable 37 sound was heard,new film quickly loaded! The train,which must have been running in the next section back,soon appeared,and a shot was duly recorded of 37058 and 37131 thundering past-superb! I saw this working several times that summer,many of the 37's used were not in exactly exemplary external condition.

Also,the  train being hauled by 37906 on a SVR Diesel Driving experience sometime around July 2009 was pretty good,I was driving it!

 

Neil

[BoD]

One of my favourite journeys was made during the time that 37s 'topped and tailed' on the Settle and Carlisle line.

On one occasion one of the 37s failed (37411 I think) and was left off.  37408 had to run around at Carlisle.

The run up to Ais Gill was music to the ears.

 

 

 

[owentherail]

My fave 37 working was a light engine movement. In late 70s at Didcot a pair of Welsh 37s would come thru on a Sunday evening towards Londo, 37s was not to common then, think they returned separate on vans of some sort.

[mark374]

Only 37 hauled trains ive had the joy off is the 37 hauled stock on the cumbrian coast,   which ive travelled on when i can

 

first two i snapped is 37423 & 37609

 

also one ive been on is 37401

 

 

 

 

[Northroader]

A favourite story for 37s in South Wales was when there was some problem with the steel works in Scotland, and some of the Eastfield ones were sent down for gainful employment until it was sorted. These were, of course, adorned with that small Scotty dog that depot put on their fleet. One night, in Canton depot, the foreman was going round one ready to be released following a service, and he found some joker had been busy with the white paintbrush. A second scotty dog had appeared behind the first, doing what scotty dogs do. Blue paint quickly brought to the scene!

[Albie the plumber]

Would have to be the triple headers on the Port talbot to Llanwern run .

 

With the advent of the new 'Earthmover' speakers , it will be fun trying to recreate the sound of the trio of beasts in model form !

[whoppit]

 

 

Army officers birthday special, Ludgershall 1992. The mark 2s are Army green!