The British Rail Class 37 is a diesel-electric locomotive ordered as part of the British Rail modernisation plan.
The Class 37 became a familiar sight on many parts of the British Rail network, in particular forming the main motive power for InterCity services in East Anglia and within Scotland. They also performed well on secondary and inter-regional services for many years. The Class 37s are known to some railway enthusiasts as "Tractors", a nickname due to the agricultural sound of the diesel engine of the locomotive.
Despite all members of the class now being over 55 years old, more than 60 locomotives are still mainline registered and remain active undertaking a variety of passenger, freight and departmental duties on the national rail network in 2020. Approximately 30 locomotives have been preserved.
In their early life they looked a bit like this ...
... but without the high intensity headlight. Then came yellow warning rectangles, yellow front ends, rail blue livery and more recently a plethora of company liveries. fbb's favourtite is/was Colas Freight ...
... but the plain green, when it was clean and shiny (which it usually wasn't), inspired strength and quality.
Models of the 37 have always been popular. From Lima (no longer producing UK models) ...
... from Hornby (using Lima tooling) ...
... from ViTrains (no longer trading) ...
... and Bachmann.
Prices vary hugely on EBay, but the older Lima/Hornby locos can be had for the lowest prices. Pedantic picky promoters of pulchritude in their models will go for Bachmann (about £100) and collectors will pay silly prices for the out of production ViTrains version.
But what if you are uncontrollably lusting after a model of loco 37610?
There are many detailed differences between various members of the class, but, apparently, this loco is special in so many ways that you really MUST own one.
Well, now you can! Or at least you can order one for delivery "some time in 2021".
The basic model will cost you £170 but if you want DCC and sound, you can spend £260.
Accurascale will be "making" the model (i.e. "having the model made" in China) exclusively for Rails of Sheffield. Accurascale have released a pre-production model for wealthy potential buyers to slaver over.
Dig those crazy WIPAC light clusters and cab windscreen-mounted top headlight. Bet fbb is unsure about the single cab door kickplate.
fbb looks and marvels but thinks of how many of those bits he could break off by mishandling with his stubby and slightly shaky fingers.
To be specific, it's the 37610 model that is a Rails exclusive; Accurascale make other version of the "37" for general sale.
Some More NHS Tributes
GoAhead Gateshead Depot - Multicoloured
Southern Class 455 - Adorned By Its Driver
Warrington's Buses
Station Benches (not sure where)
Bus Staff "Heroes" From First Cymru
How Did You Mark VE Day?
An idea not well publicised?
Spam Fritters anyone?
fbb did not realise you could buy them "ready fritted"!
What?
An interesting on-liner conversation (incomplete summary quotes) between fbb and some chums.
More tomorrow.
Good News And Bad News For First
Snippets from First Cymru and First South Yorkshire; but guess which copmpany is reporting good news.
More tomorrow.
Where Is This Bus Now?
More tomorrow.
And Finally For Today
Is this illiteracy or an over reliance on an online spill churker?
Grantchester Meadows are at Cambridge ...
... and not far away is the village of Soham where Notwork Rail wants to build a brand new station.
The plans include ...
Construction of a single 102 metre platform to accommodate four car train services including waiting shelters, lighting, information screens and a public address system,
Installation of a stepped footbridge across the railway to connect to an existing public right of way, designed for any future installation of lifts for a potential second platform for any scheme.
Construction of a drop off point and a car park to accommodate 50 vehicles and five spaces for blue badge holders, as well as lighting masts.
Cycle parking and ticket vending machines on the station forecourt.
Doesn't seem much for nearly £19 million.
The station is on the single track line between Peterborough and Ipswich.
Next Sunday Stuff blog : Sunday 10th May
"Class 37s the main motive power for Inter City trains in East Anglia and Scotland" Really? I should stick to buses if I were you.
ReplyDeleteIf you know it's wrong, it's helpful to advise what is correct. But as long term readers of this blog know, text in blue is usually taken from somewhere else, in this case the Wikipedia entry for the Class 37.
DeleteFrom my own knowledge, class 37s were once common on London-Cambridge-Norwich trains, before electrification went north of Bishops Stortford. In Scotland, I am only aware of their use on secondary routes, principally in the Highlands and West Highlands.
Shieldsman may be right; I only remember them running from London-Cambridge-King's Lynn. Certainly in the early days of GE line dieselisation some EE Type 4s (Class 40) were used - there is a BTC film of them working the Harwich boat train and I know they were used for a bit on the Norwich services. My personal knowledge is more confined to the 1980s when Brush Tye 4s (Class 47) were in use.
DeleteAs far as Soham is concerned, I see they are leaving space for a second track, which may well happen if freight traffic continues to increase. The bridge further towards Ely, which collapsed some years ago, was rebuilt big enough for double track. There have been pleas to reopen Soham for years. The problem is that it’s on the “wrong” line, i.e. the one between Bury St Ed’s and Ely. Most people will want to travel to Cambridge which means a change at Ely. That makes the journey much less attractive compared to a car or a direct bus although Bury St Ed’s, which has a good shopping centre not too far from the station, might benefit. I think I’d prefer to see Wisbech reopening although, to be fair, it would be a much bigger project and getting to Cambridge from there would take time too.
Station benches - Glasgow Central
ReplyDelete