It may be near the longest day, but at 20:55 the sun was just on the point of setting on 1 July 1986, as 37201 passed Claydon (Gloucestershire) with the 6V69 19:40 Wednesbury to Cardiff Tidal steel empties. As usual, the train is made up of a rake of SPA wagons, heading back to the Allied Steel & Wire works.

37201 passes Tondu station on 28 July 1991 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z81 06:28 Liverpool Lime Street to Onllwyn 'Vulcan Valley Venturer' railtour. The station had closed in 1970, but would happily reopen a year after this picture was taken. It is clear from the colour of the track that this is the first train to venture this way for some time! 37138 is on the rear of the train.

37201 Saint Margaret & 47805 take the Margate line, as they leave Faversham station on 12 August 1995 with the 1O99 08:56 Birmingham to Ramsgate InterCity service. The classic traction was specially arranged by Rail Magazine, which explains the 'Rail Ramsgate Day Out' headboard.

There is evidence of a severe trackside fire at Swanley on 12 August 1995, as 37201 Saint Margaret & 47805 speed through the station with the 1M79 13:48 Ramsgate to Birmingham New Street InterCity service. The classic traction was specially arranged by Rail Magazine, hence the 'Rail Ramsgate Day Out' headboard. It is not only the passengers who are enjoying the day out, as the Class 37 has five people in the cab!

Consecutively numbered 37203 & 37204 stand in the rain at Oxford station on 7 December 1982 with the 6V38 11:52 Wolverton to Stoke Gifford ARC stone empties, which was running over an hour early. Despite this early running, it would follow directly behind the 2A57 11:55 DMU to Paddington, which can be seen on the right.

I don't often bother to photograph light engines, but made an exception here to show off the lead locomotive's unusual livery. 37203 & 37255 head east at Severn Tunnel Junction on 5 June 1989. 37203 is carrying a sort of 'halfway house' large logo livery, with the aforementioned large logo and numbers, but without the wrap around yellow front end, black bonnet tops and grey roof normally associated with that livery. Note the 'classic' British Rail Leyland lorry employed in rebuilding work on the site of the former Severn Tunnel depot.

37203 pulls slowly out of Didcot Yard, and passes Didcot North Junction on 22 April 2002 with the 6M28 18:22 Didcot to Bescot departmental working. Unfortunately this was running over an hour late, which meant that the light had virtually gone. Note that it is holding up the 4M04 15:37 Southampton to Washwood Heath empty car carriers, which is having to wait on the east curve.

The Southern Railway Art Deco concrete architecture is unmistakable, as 37203 passes through Chessington North station with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z91 'Buffer Puffer - The Return!' railtour on 20 March 2004, returning from Chessington South. 37047 is on the rear of the train working top'n'tail.

37203 passes through Thames Ditton station with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z91 'Buffer Puffer - The Return!' railtour on 20 March 2004, returning from Hampton Court. 37047 can just be seen on the rear of the train. The tour, which started from Marylebone, toured various branch lines in the London suburbs. It was certainly a gloomy day, but I don't think it was dark enough to need the station lights on!

Kempton Park Pumping station, which houses the world's two largest triple expansion steam pumps, dominates the skyline, as 37203 heads back from Shepperton with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z91 'Buffer Puffer - The Return!' railtour on 20 March 2004. Classmate 37047 can be seen on the rear of the train. After a dull day, the sun finally decided to break through towards the end of the day, allowing this backlit picture, the location of which is only a short distance from the world famous racecourse.

37204 runs along the down relief line at Marshfield on Saturday 28 April 1984. As this doesn't remotely mach up with anything in the working timetable, I can only assume that it is either a special, or a late running 6V64 02:10 Albion to Waterston Gulf oil empties The other alternative is an extremely late running 7V89 22:23 Tonbridge or 01:45 Redhill to Llandarcy.

37204 & 37158 accelerate away from Oxford North Junction with the 6V11 10:03 Wolverton to Stoke Gifford ARC stone empties on 4 September 1984. The back of the train is still on the former LMS single track Bicester line, which at this time was freight only. Despite the fact that this picture was taken before the introduction of the Avon binliner, the Bicester route was relatively busy, with MoD trains and the occasional empty stock move to Wolverton in addition to two stone trains per day. The rear loco is displaying the characteristic signs of stone train use - a good helping of the product on the roof! It always amazed me that this didn't cause damage to the exhaust ports and cooling fan.

37205 approaches Fairwood Junction on 11 March 1986 with a short freight comprising Polybulk and cement tanks, and four bitumen tanks, which are presumably destined for Frome. In the 1980s a decrepit PW hut still stood next to the bridge, slightly getting in the way for photography. However, in compensation, the view was wonderfully open, and even though this was a slightly misty day, the cottages on the Fairwood Road can clearly be seen in the distance.

A side view of 37206, as it passes Ebbw Junction on 21 October 1985 with the 6C19 13:55 Baglan Bay to Severn Tunnel Junction acetic acid tanks. In the background is the completely deserted Alexandra Dock Junction Yard, with the buildings of Newport (including the tower of the cathedral) rising up in the background.

37207 passes Little Haresfield on 24 June 1989 with a short engineer's train. This was a very ordinary duty for this Cardiff Canton DCWA loco, but apparently the previous day it did something much more unusual, when it dragged the failed 1E36 13:18 Plymouth to York HST between Gloucester and Birmingham New Street!

37207 passes Denchworth on 17 August 1992 with an eastbound spoil train. The sleepers for the soon to be reinstated down relief line can be seen in the background. When it came the turn of the up relief liner to be reinstated, the up line seen here would have to be moved over to accommodate it, closing up the wide gap in the foreground.

37207 & 31439 North Yorkshire Moors Railway run alongside the M40 motorway at Rowington in the rain on 24 February 1996 with the A1A Charters 1T70 13:16 Stratford-upon-Avon to Worcester Shrub Hill 'Jewel In The Crown' railtour. The Class 31 had worked the train from Preston to Stratford on its own, but then locos kept getting added, with the highlight of the tour being the triple headed ascent of the Lickey Incline.

Shropshire pastoral. With the Long Mynd and Wenlock Edge dominating the background, 37207 passes the 13th century Stokesay Castle with the 10:38 Margam to Llanwern steel train on 27 May 1996. Due to engineering work in South Wales, this normally short working was diverted via the Central Wales line and had to reverse at Craven Arms, which on the original 6x7 transparency can clearly be seen at the end of the straight section of track on the left, over a mile away. Some of the other diverted steel trains on this day were worked by pairs of Class 37s, which would have been a little difficult to fit in that gap in the bushes!

Running an hour early, 37208 passes Croome on 24 October 1985 with the 9B70 14:25 Worcester to Gloucester departmental working. The following year 37208 would be rebuilt at Crewe, emerging in October as heavyweight 37803.

37211 & 37068 Grainflow pass Whittlesea on 20 May 1991 with the 6E84 09:30 Middleton Towers to Monk Bretton sand hoppers. Three decades later this train still runs, albeit now with GBRf Class 66 power.

37211 & 37426 Mt Vesuvius pass Isington on 23 March 1996 with the late running Class 37 Group / Shropshire Rail 1Z63 06:15 Chester to Alton 'Exhibitionist' railtour. Upon arrival at Alton, the tour participants had a trip over the Mid Hants Railway behind Class 27 D5353. The off centre composition of this picture is deliberate, in order to include the picturesque cottage on the right, which, as far as I can tell from Google Earth, is now completely hidden from view by trees.

37212 brings up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z16 06:05 Manchester Piccadilly to Ebbw Vale 'Hoovering Druid' railtour at Tylagwyn on 4 April 1992. 50033 Glorious & D400 are at the front of the train, heading up the valley towards Pontycymer. The 1831 built Tylagwyn Baptist Chapel (now a private residence) can be seen in the background.

After visiting Pontycymer on 4 April 1992, 37212 has the easy task of taking the Pathfinder Tours 1Z16 06:05 Manchester Piccadilly to Ebbw Vale 'Hoovering Druid' railtour back down the valley, while 50033 & D400 take a rest at the rear. The train is pictured passing Pant-y-Gog.

After visiting Pontycymer, 37212 pass Tondu on 4 April 1992 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z16 06:05 Manchester Piccadilly to Ebbw Vale 'Hoovering Druid' railtour. 50033 Glorious & D400 are way out of sight to the right, on the rear of the train. Some track rationalisation had taken place since I visited this location a year earlier for another Class 37 railtour.

37212 brings up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z16 06:05 Manchester Piccadilly to Ebbw Vale 'Hoovering Druid' railtour at Aberthaw on 4 April 1992. The leading locos, 50033 & D400 have already disappeared around the corner.

37212 brings up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z16 06:05 Manchester Piccadilly to Ebbw Vale 'Hoovering Druid' railtour at Aberbeeg on 4 April 1992. A Railfreight Coal Class 37 may have been rateable enough, but the main attraction was obviously the pair of Class 50s at the front!

37212 runs alongside the A467 Crosskeys to Newport road at Rogerstone on 4 April 1992 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z16 17:10 Ebbw Vale to Manchester Piccadilly 'Hoovering Druid' railtour. The main interest of the tour, 50033 Glorious & D400 can be seen idling away (with characteristic blue smoke from Glorious) on the rear of the train.

Unfortunately I have got very few pictures of Network Coal trains, with their distinctive red top HEA hoppers. 37213 passes Callow Hill in poor light on 10 April 1992 with the 6A01 15:23 East Usk Junction to West Drayton service. The declining domestic coal network had been rebranded from Speedlink Coal to Network Coal the previous year, but that didn't help, and the whole operation was abandoned a year later.

Unfortunately severely backlit, but an interesting picture that not only shows 37213 heading an impressively long 6A01 15:23 East Usk Junction to West Drayton domestic coal train past the entrance to Didcot Power Station at Foxhall Junction on 20 May 1992, but also shows the tail end of the 6V99 13:53 Hamworthy to Cardiff Tidal steel train hauled by 37040 disappearing into the distance. 37213 had been waiting for this train to weave across from the relief line before it could proceed.

37213 passes Long Eaton station in the rain on 6 September 1992 with the Pathfinder Tours 1T06 11.51 Nottingham to Derby 'Leicester Looper' railtour, one of a series of mini tours run in connection with the Leicester Open Day. Unfortunately the characterful waiting shelters have since been replaced.

37213 passes Beeston on 6 September 1992 with the Pathfinder Tours 1T08 17:05 Derby to Nottingham 'Leicester Looper' railtour, one of a series of mini tours run in connection with the Leicester Open Day. Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station can be seen in the background.

37214 has clearly been in some kind of mishap, judging by the front end damage. It is pictured here passing Stormy on 15 June 1983 with a westbound loaded coal train, the exact details of which are uncertain, as this was well before the days of reliable gen, and it doesn't seem to match up with anything in the working timetable.

An unusual combination pictured at Llandevenny on 21 October 1985. 37214 & 31461 double head the 2B20 06:55 Yeovil Pen Mill to Cardiff Central service, while 37177 heads light engine in the opposite direction. Not sure what's going on here, but there are at least three people in the cab.

37214 passes Lower Basildon on 11 February 1989 with the 6V04 10:05 Hove to Didcot Network Coal working, conveying empty domestic coal hoppers back from the Southern Region. This small load was typical, and it is quite surprising that these trains managed to struggle on for a few more years, with the market for traditional domestic coal deliveries shrinking all the time. In retrospect it is a pity that I didn't take more pictures of this working, especially as it ran on a Saturday.

37214 rounds the curve at Duffryn on 4 April 1992 with a rake of cement tanks from Aberthaw. The working timetable does not list any cement workings at this time, so presumably this is a special. Hardly the best location, but one of my few pictures of Class 37s on cement.

37214 & 37178 run alongside the M40 motorway at Rowington on 28 July 1992 with the 6M79 15:08 Eastleigh to Crewe Basford Hall MoD stores train. Although nowadays the prospect of a pair of 37s on any freight train would warrant a picture, regardless of the weather, in 1992 I probably wouldn't have made the round trip of nearly 100 miles in these conditions. It so happened, that on this occasion I was on the way home from a trip to the north west, where I had ironically also photographed a lengthy MoD train.

A perfect size train for the location! 37214 passes Didcot North Junction on 31 July 1992 with the 6M79 15:08 Eastleigh to Crewe MoD stores, which was running 15 minutes early. There wouldn't be many more harvests in the field in the background, before it was swallowed up by the huge Ladygrove housing estate.

37214 & 37185 pass the site of the long closed Shrivenham station on 4 September 1992 with the 4L65 06:25 Pengam to Felixstowe freightliner. The lack of boxes at the front of the train reveals even more of the grass covered platform. It was only having to go to work that prevented me from taking more pictures of this train. What a pity there is nothing remotely as interesting as this along this line nowadays, although of course this viewpoint has disappeared under a sea of 25kV wires!

Sporting a headboard which is now in my possession, 37215 passes Stoke Gifford on 30 June 1985 with the F& W Railtours 1Z60 05:15 Cardiff Central to Gloucester Docks 'Severncider 2' railtour. I cannot now recall why I didn't follow this tour to Wapping Wharf and Severn Beach, but I did get the now totally unrepeatable picture of the train at Gloucester Docks.

37215 & 37350 pass Horfield on 13 March 1989 with the 6A18 04:40 Robeston to Theale Murco oil. I'm not too keen on this picture, as the huge area of dense shadow in the foreground rather spoils the composition. However, the entire train is lit (just!), and the combination of the now preserved 37215 with the heritage repainted class prototype 37350 (D6700) makes it worth including.

With Didcot Power Station dominating the background, 37215 & 37294 pass Milton on 24 October 1989 with the 6B33 10:03 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties. Both locos are in the same Railfreight Petroleum livery, but it is obvious which one has seen the washer most recently! Both locos at this time were in Cardiff Canton's FPEK petroleum pool, and were frequent performers on this train.

37215 & 37294 cross the flat expanse of Wentloog Level at Marshfield on 4 November 1989 with the 6B33 10:03 Theale to Robeston empty oil tanks. Of course this train still runs today, but unfortunately without the classic traction. Another change is the timing, running much earlier in the 1980s. Here it is passing Marshfield bang on time at 12:30.

37215 passes the rusting sidings of Stonehouse Coal Depot, as it heads south with the 8A01 09:25 Gloucester to Westbury departmental working on 25 April 1990. Ironically this is not very far away from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, the locomotive's home in preservation. In 1990 it was allocated to the Cardiff Canton's petroleum FPLW pool and would be more often seen working heavy oil trains in multiple with another class member.

On a miserably dull 19 March 1992, 37215 passes East Grimstead with the 6V62 Fawley to Tavistock Junction tanks. As can be seen by the two different types of wagons, this service conveyed both bitumen (in the front portion) and diesel fuel oil. The rail connected quarry in the background has been used in the past for the storage of withdrawn stock.

37215 was withdrawn from mainline service in July 1993 and after acquisition by the Growler Group, moved to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in June 1994. Almost exactly a year after arriving at the railway, it is pictured in Toddington Yard on 21 June 1995. Restoration work is already underway, with the first areas of red primer being applied over the Railfreight Petroleum livery. The somewhat more protracted restoration project of 26043 can be seen in the background.

A ghostly grey 37215, pictured on an appropriately grey day at Toddington, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, on 11 July 1998. The loco was nearing the end of its restoration by the Growler Group, and had been painted in grey undercoat, prior to receiving its BR blue livery.

In the gathering gloom on the evening of 25 September 1998, 37215 passes Hailes on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with its first passenger run in preservation - the 'Gotherington Growler'. Unfortunately the train was running twenty minutes late due to the late arrival at Toddington of the loco's driver, which meant that it was getting dark by the train left. Some indication of how dark it is can be seen by the brightness of the headcode. In fact this was just about on the limit of the combination of a Pentax 6x7 with Fujichrome Provia 400F film!

A private freight charter was run on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on the evening of 14 July 1999, using the Growler Group's superbly restored 37215. It is pictured here at Hailes in spectacular lighting. In order to show off the dramatic clouds, I have deliberately included more sky than normal, which in any case in the instance is preferable to lots of out of focus grass, courtesy of the limited depth of field of a Pentax 6x7!

Extremely lucky lighting at Gotherington on 6 November 1999, as 37215 unexpectedly finds a brief patch of sunshine amidst the dark clouds as it works the 12:25 Toddington to Gotherington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala.

The Growler Group's immaculately restored 37215 catches the late afternoon sun as it passes Prescott on 6 November 1999 with the 14:45 Toddington to Gotherington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The bridge underneath the first coach is for the Gretton to Gotherington road.

37215 stands at the head of a line up of locos in the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Toddington Yard on 5 December 1999. On the left is the as yet unrestored 37099, which would later emerge in the guise of 37324.

A pair of Rail Blue Class 37s in the Cotswolds. 37215 & 37324 Clydebridge pass Dixton on 22 October 2000 with the 15:20 Toddington to Gotherington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala.

37215 passes Hailes on 25 July 2001 with a rake of ballast wagons, during a private photo charter on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, recreating an everyday scene from the mid 1970s. My second freight charter with 37215, and with a different train to the previous one.

37215 approaches Winchcombe on 25 July 2001 with a Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway freight charter. This is the site of the infamous 'Chicken Curve' landslip that happened in 2011, when part of the embankment gave way, closing the railway at this point for two years.

In perfect evening lighting, 37215 pulls slowly away from Winchcombe station, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, with a private freight charter on 25 July 2001. Note the slightly odd conflicting signal indications!

37215 emerges from Greet Tunnel on 25 July 2001 with a Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway freight charter. Slightly head on lighting, but a nice composition, with the tunnel entrance framed by the signal and lineside tree.

Rosebay Willowherb in abundance, not only on the lineside, but actually growing in the ballast, at Dixton, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. 37215 performs a runpast, during a private freight charter on the evening of  25 July 2001.

37215 passes underneath the road bridge at Dixton, on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, with a private freight charter on 25 July 2001. The milepost indicates a distance of 15 miles from Honeybourne, although it will be many years before the line is reinstated to that point.

37215 & 37324 Clydebridge pass Southam on 25 October 2003 with the 10:20 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Unfortunately the earlier sunshine was rapidly disappearing into high cloud.

Nicely framed by the few lineside trees that survived the recent vegetation clearance, 37215 passes Hailes on 26 October 2003 with the 13:05 Toddington to Winchcombe service, during the  Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala.

37215 powers past Winchcombe's up fixed distant signal with the 10:00 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington on 24 September 2005, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Autumn Diesel Gala. This powerful telephoto lens shot emphasises the Cotswold Hills in the background, although it does also show up the undulations in the recently laid track!

37215 passes Hailes on 24 September 2005 with the 12:02 Toddington to Winchcombe freight, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. There would be another opportunity to photograph this loco an hour later, but this time on a passenger train.

37215 passes Hailes on 24 September 2015 with the 13:02 Toddington to Winchcombe service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. An hour earlier the same loco had passed this spot with a demonstration freight train.

37215 passes Hailes on 24 September 2005 with the 16:10 Toddington top Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. In the background the Stanway House Fountain can be seen rising into the air. Opened the previous year, this is the tallest fountain in the UK (over 300 feet), and the tallest gravity fed fountain in the world.

37215 (now running as 6915) looks really impressive when viewed from a low angle, as it rounds the curve at Didbrook with the 11:52 Toddington to Winchcombe local service on 31 March 2007, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala.

The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 2007 Spring Diesel Gala was generally blessed with good weather, but when the 14:40 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington service passed Gotherington on Saturday 31 March 2007, it had only just stopped raining after a heavy storm. 37215, 37219 & 37324 Clydebridge are pictured here accelerating towards Dixton in the gloom.

37215 & 37324 Clydebridge pass Far Stanley with the 13:50 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service on 1 April 2007, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The use of a 200mm lens has made a powerful composition, with the Cotswold Hills in the background haze contrasting with the two clean locos. Behind the rear of the train the whole of the mile long Gretton straight can be seen.

The perfect combination of sun and snow on 6 April 2008 made a visit to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire's Diesel Gala an essential choice. In perfect conditions, 37215 is pictured passing Hailes with the first northbound working of the day - the 10:00 Winchcombe to Toddington service. The Cotswold Hills in the background are still well covered in snow, but it had already started to disappear from the fields and although there is still some clinging to the branches of the lineside trees and bushes, naturally the spectacular show seen whilst driving to the location was already starting to melt in the sunshine!

Still looking in immaculate condition six months after its full repaint, 37215 passes Hailes on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 13:00 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service on 6 April 2008, during the line's Diesel Gala. The unseasonable overnight snow had now virtually completely melted. Compare this view to the same location two hours previously.

37215 emits a brief puff of exhaust as it passes Didbrook with the 10:00 Toddington to Winchcombe service on 5 April 2009, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. For a little bit of pictorial variation I decided to use the tree as strong foreground interest, and by careful positioning used it to hide the group of photographers standing near the track, thereby saving myself time later on by not having to clone them out of the picture! Unfortunately the bright sun and blue skies seen here didn't last long, despite what the forecasters had said!

With Toddington's up outer home signal in the background, 37215 passes Didbrook under a virtually cloudless sky on 19 August 2009 with the 16:15 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service. The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's summer weekdays timetable includes this one out and back diesel hauled train.

37215 accelerates away from the temporary 10 mph speed restriction at Hailes on 26 July 2013, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. It is working the 2C57 10:15 Laverton to Cheltenham Racecourse service, in lieu of E6036, which had to be requisitioned to rescue the failed 45149.

The growling can be heard getting louder, and louder, and then 37215 bursts into the open from the depths of the tunnel. A regular of numerous Gloucestershire Warwickshire Diesel Galas, 37215 was again in action on 26 July 2013, and is seen here emerging from Greet Tunnel with the 2C76 16:40 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service.

37215 & D8137 pass Bishop's Cleeve on 25 July 2014 with the 2C53 09:20 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Yet another small patch of undeveloped land succumbs to infill building in the background!

37215 passes Stanton on a very hot 25 July 2014 with the 2L60 10:10 Cheltenham Racecourse to Laverton service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Although a backlit shot, I particularly like the combination of the bridge, and overhanging tree.

Thistles and Rosebay Willowherb fill the foreground, as 37215 passes through Dixton cutting on 25 July 2015 with the 2L62 12:50 Cheltenham Racecourse to Laverton service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala.

37215 nears journey's end, as it passes Southam on 31 July 2016 with the 2C57 10:50 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. This was during approximately an hour of intermittent sunny spells, during an otherwise largely cloudy day.

37215 passes Southam on 31 July 2016 with the 2T60 12:00 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Having been in operation on the line for nearly two decades, 37215 was understandably slightly overshadowed during the gala by recently restored to traffic classmate D6948.

37215 passes Hayles Abbey Halt on 7 October 2018 with the 10:30 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Out of sight on the rear is classmate D6948.

The dead tree at Didbrook provides an excellent frame for 37215, as it heads south on 13 August 2022 with the 09:55 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service. Due to the extreme heat, and the resultant parched countryside, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway was, like most other preserved railways, replacing their steam hauled services with diesel, to reduce the fire risk.

37215 passes Stanton on 13 August 2022 with the 12:35 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service. 37215 has now been in use on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for nearly a quarter of a century, which possibly explains why, despite the unbroken sunshine, I didn't see anyone else photographing it.

Pure nostalgia! A scruffy and dented 37217 is obviously making a terrific racket as heads east past Marshfield on 28 April 1984 with a lengthy loaded coal train. Close inspection of the original Kodachrome 64 slide reveals 40 well loaded vacuum braked wagons. No idea where this originated, as in 1984 there was a good selection of collieries still hard at work in South Wales. However, its destination was presumably Newport, as the loco returned light engine just 40 minutes later.

A brief break in the clouds at Oxford station on 25 September 1987, resulting in some unexpected dramatic lighting. 37217 waits in the centre road with the 6M93 16:20 Morris Cowley to Bescot Speedlink. This had just been attached to the train, after the removal of 47287.

37218 & 37238 cross the River Stour at Manningtree on 26 August 1991 with an Ipswich to Colchester special, run in connection with the Colchester Depot Open Day. Although nowadays this would be sufficient recent to travel from Oxfordshire to East Anglia, in 1991 it was only the use of 50017 on another special on the same day that made it a must do trip.

37218 & 37602 pass Bilsborrow (between Lancaster and Preston) with the 6K73 15:35 Sellafield to Crewe nuclear flasks on 12 April 2004. I had just stopped at this location to see if the viewpoint was any good, and finding it wasn't was about to leave when this came into view. So despite the wires being intrusive and the overgrown foreground, this purely record picture was taken.

DRS 37218 & 37059 approach Mirfield on 18 March 2006 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z55 07:13 Gloucester to Hull 'Humber Haulier' railtour. We were treated to some top thrash, as the train had been held at Heaton Lodge Junction (visible in the background) for over ten minutes while a succession of units came off the Huddersfield line, so the tractors were working flat out at this point. Unfortunately the good light didn't last much longer, and the rest of the day was plagued by poor weather.

37218 leads the Pathfinder Tours 1Z36 07:02 Stafford to Portsmouth Harbour 'Festive Portsmouth Explorer' railtour through the remains of Shrivenham station on 29 November 2014. 37688 is bringing up the rear. Unfortunately this was running an hour late, which meant that my carefully chosen location had become less than ideal. At the booked time the sun would have been on the nose, and just glancing across the front of the Fat Dog pub in the background. However, I will still surprised to be the only person to witness the train passing this well known location.

Possibly one of the shortest revenue earning trains that I have photographed, and the most overpowered! 37218 & 37716 pass Ashchurch on 18 April 2017 with the 6V73 04:33 Crewe Coal Sidings to Berkeley, conveying a single PFA container flat. This was to receive a container of low level nuclear waste. The train had left Crewe over an hour late, and was still 46 minutes late here, which was fortunate, as the lighting angle was better, and it didn't need to use the loop on the right, which is obviously not so good from a photographic point of view. What I was not prepared for was being a able to get a second picture, after 37716 was removed from the train at Gloucester.

Tractor, van and rookery! 37218 passes Little Haresfield on 18 April 2017 with the very late running 6V73 04:33 Crewe Coal Sidings to Berkeley, conveying just a single PFA low level nuclear waste container flat. Although I was expecting this (having checked Realtime Trains), I was not expecting it to be a single loco. I had photographed the train at Ashchurch, and certainly did not expect to get a second picture here. However, 37716 was removed at Gloucester, as it was deemed too heavy for the Sharpness branch. This delayed the already late running train, making it 142 minutes late here! Photo taken from a public footpath crossing. The Network Rail lookout is warning track workers at Standish Junction of approaching trains.

37218 & 37059 pass Croome on 29 June 2019 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z80 05:39 Tame Bridge Parkway to Penzance 'Mazey Day Cornishman' railtour. This was a good choice of location, as although it seemed like it was going to be a sunny morning, high cloud took the edge of the light at several of the other locations further south that I had considering going to.

37219 passes Twerton on 30 January 1995 with the 7V15 09:28 Bournemouth to Margam Gwent Demolition, conveying Class 415 4-EPB 5605 & Class 416 2-EPBs 6263 & 6273 for scrap. This was a regular working at the time, as the slam door stock finally got to break free of third rail territory, on their final journey to oblivion in Wales, having been replaced by the new Class 465 units.

37219 very slowly approaches Didcot North Junction on 23 April 1997, running wrong line after recovering wagons from an earlier minor derailment at Appleford (just around the corner in the distance). The light was terrible, so it was lucky that the driver seemed to be matching his speed to the two track workers in the foreground, presumably so that he could hold a conversation with them en-route! This was very fortunate, as I had to resort to a shutter speed of only 1/60sec with the lens wide open on Fujichrome 100.

37219 & 37376 pass through the Wylye Valley at Great Wishford on 2 September 1998 with the 6V36 10:23 Southampton Western Docks to Westbury ballast. Admittedly this was an 'as required' working, but I have seen very few pictures of this train, which is strange considering it was booked for a pair of 37s!

37219 ambles past Didbrook on 31 March 2007 with the 12:02 Toddington to Winchcombe freight, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The Mainline liveried Class 37 had recently arrived at the railway to join classmates 37215 and 37324. Splendid thought it looks, the 1990s livery somehow doesn't quite match the vintage wagons!

37219 passes Hailes on 1 April 2007 with the 12:25 Winchcombe to Toddington local service during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Although it doesn't really apply on a preserved line, but that headlight should be switched on!

37219 passes Hailes on 1 April 2007 with the 13:02 Toddington to Winchcombe local service during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala, with its fresh coat of Mainline blue paint glistening in the spring sunshine.

In nice evening light, 37219, 37215 & 37324 Clydebridge pass Hailes with the 16:10 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service on 1 April 2007, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. With Lidcombe Hill standing out clearly in the background, the houses and church of Didbrook can be seen in the middle distance.

37219 Demelza passes Crownthorpe on the Mid Norfolk Railway with the 1W05 10:30 Dereham to Wymondham Abbey service, during the line's Diesel Gala on 5 April 2014. The paintwork is looking quite faded compared with when I last saw it, seven years before.

The Colas operated 3S33 06:18 Swindon to Kings Norton Rail Head Treatment Train virtually always runs early, often by at least an hour, and sometimes by more than two hours! This makes it very difficult to photograph, as it has often reached its destination before sunrise. However, on 28 October 2014, I noticed that the train's previous working (3S32 03:53 Worcester Shrub Hill to Swindon) was actually running 14 minutes late approaching Swindon at 06:00. As it was a sunny morning, this was too good an opportunity to miss. One of the few locations that would (just!) be fully lit, and where the sun would be on the front, was Badgeworth. So here is 37219 passing Badgeworth with 3S33 in stunning light, with 37175 bringing up the rear. They could be heard pulling away from Gloucester Yard, three miles away!

37219 slowly approaches Charlbury station on 2 December 2015 with the 1Q15 09:08 Derby RTC to Derby RTC (via Oxford) Network Rail test train. As if the yellow Network Rail vehicles were not bright enough, the recent handing of the contract to Colas has made the whole train even more colourful! 37175 is on the rear of the train. The train would have to wait in the station for a few minutes (as booked), as the 1P43 11:22 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington Turbo unit was still on the long single track section to Wolvercote Junction.

I couldn't resist a second picture of 37219 at Charlbury on 2 December 2015, as it worked the 1Q15 09:08 Derby RTC to Derby RTC (via Oxford) Network Rail test train. After photographing the train arriving from the road bridge in the background (behind the modern footbridge), I rushed down to the station, hoping for a picture from the down platform. As the signal went to green, and the crew climbed back into the cab as I arrived on the up platform, there was no time to cross the footbridge. So despite the sun coming out weakly, I had to make do with this 'wrong side' picture. However, despite being a grab shot, I quite like it, especially with the GWR style running in board prominent in the foreground.

37219 passes through Shipton station on 15 June 2016 with the 1Z78 08:37 Derby RTC to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train. This had left Derby 30 minutes late, and this delay had increased to 40 minutes by the time it traversed the Cotswold Line. I was surprised that I was able to photograph this in sun, but it was sunny for the entire 25 minutes I was at this location, despite it being cloudy all round. In the background of this picture are the dark clouds in the west that heralded the afternoon's thunderstorms, while to the east was a mass of more broken cloud. Shipton was obviously the spot to be!

37219 passes through Ascott-under-Wychwood station at high speed on 16 June 2016 with the 1Z78 07:14 Bristol High Level Siding to Tyseley Network Rail test train. Unfortunately I couldn't repeat the previous day's amazing luck with the sun at nearby Shipton. In fact quite the opposite, with it being sunny when I left home, and again when I got back, but totally cloudy at the lineside!

Running over half an hour late, despite being on time just a little earlier, 37219 passes Shorthampton on 10 August 2016 with the 1Q05 08:14 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train. 37254 can just be seen on the rear of the train.

37219 brings up the rear of the 1Q05 08:14 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train on 10 August 2016. It is pictured here just south of Sapperton Tunnel, with 37254 powering away at the front, just about to lead the train through the depths of Hailey Wood.

37219 passes Baulking on 10 August 2016 with the 1Q05 08:14 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train, with 37254 on the rear. After some late running the train was now nearly back on time by virtue of missing out its booked layover at Challow. It passed me just four minutes behind time. Five minutes late would have been nice, as the sun was out then!

37219 passes Shrivenham on 11 August 2016 with the late running 1Q05 08:34 Bristol Temple Meads to Derby RTC Network Rail test train. 37254 is on the rear. The fenced area in the field is the works compound that was used during the reconstruction of the road bridge from which this photo was taken.

37219 passes through Moreton-in-Marsh station at high speed on 5 October 2016 with the 1Z78 06:43 Tyseley to Bristol Temple Meads Network Rail test train, with classmate 37175 bringing up the rear. Given that this is an identifiable location, with semaphore signals, and on a perfect sunny morning, I was surprised to be the only photographer present.

With a fanfare of horns, 37219 passes the site of Ashbury Crossing, near Shrivenham, on 5 October 2016 with the 1Z78 06:43 Tyseley to Bristol Temple Meads Network Rail test train. Classmate 37175 is on the rear of the train. If the driver thought the bridge full of photographers were there to see him, he might be slightly disappointed to learn that most of them were there to see LMS Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 6201 Princess Elizabeth, which had passed by a little earlier!

37219 makes a fantastic racket, as it pulls away from a signal check at Ascott-under-Wychwood on 6 October 2016, whilst working the 1Z78 06:21 Bristol Temple Meads to Tyseley Network Rail test train. 37175 is on the rear of the train.

37219 runs along the up relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 1 December 2016 with the 1Z78 08:41 Bristol Temple Meads to Tyseley Network Rail test train. 37421 is on the rear. As has happened on a previous occasion, this was amended at short notice, starting from Temple Meads, rather than its booked 06:07 departure from Bristol High Level Siding. This also involved omitting its booked run to Severn Tunnel Junction.

Running 37 minutes late (how appropriate!) due to being diverted via the Sutton Park line because of cows on the line in the Trent Valley, 37219 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 & 37116 pass Burbage Common with the Branch Line Society / 565 Charters 1Z56 05:44 Carnforth to Norwich '565 Special Take 2' railtour on 12 May 2018.

37219 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 brings up the rear of the 1Z22 08:14 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train at Cornbury Park (near Charlbury) on 5 December 2018. 37116 is the lead locomotive. Note the brackets on the front of the loco for attached a set of rail mapping cameras.

37219 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 brings up the rear of the 1Z22 07:29 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road Network Rail test train at Grintleyhill Bridge, Combe, on 7 September 2022. 37421 is at the front of the train. Although an excellent vantage point, due to the extreme height of the bridge, unfortunately the vegetation on the right does now restrict the view in this direction.

37219 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 brings up the rear of the 1Z23 06:09 Bristol Kingsland Road to Derby RTC Network Rail test train at Daylesford on 8 September 2022. 37421 at the front of the train is not quite obscured by the lineside bushes, but it won't be long before they will hide the track!

37219 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 passes Tumpy Green on 10 January 2024 with the 0Z22 09:01 Exeter Riverside to Bristol Kingsland Road (via Kings Norton) route learner. This was the second Class 37 route learner to pass here within a few hours.

At a time when various colourful liveries were beginning to appear on the national network, two very plain liveried locos pass the site of Knighton Crossing on 26 May 1989 with the late running 6B27 16:48 Theale to Robeston Murco oil tanks. 37220 (with extra large number on the front end) retains the classic BR blue colour scheme, whilst 37248 is in Railfreight grey, but devoid if any sector decals. The train is just passing over the underbridge that replaces the former level crossing.

An excellent train for modellers who are short of space or rolling stock! 37222 passes Baglan on 25 March 1987 with the 6C16 Pantyffynnon to Radyr Speedlink Coal. I only visited this location once, and in those days it was possible to nip across the road for a picture from the other direction. The dualling of the road, and the building of another bridge, plus the massive increase in traffic, now makes that impossible.

37222 tackles the gradient through Harbury cutting on 10 May 1989 with a loaded coal train, formed from both HAA and HEA wagons. This is obviously a Washwood Heath to Didcot working, but unusually running in the middle of the afternoon.

37222 passes Cropredy on 10 May 1989 with the 6M93 16:20 Morris Cowley to Bescot Speedlink. This view has now been ruined by a large radio mast and associated grey boxes. The bushes have also grown considerably!

37222 heads west past Lower Basildon on 15 March 1995 with a loaded ballast train. The EWCN (GW infrastructure) allocated loco was withdrawn two years later, and after over a decade in storage, was finally cut up by T.J. Thomson's at Stockton in August 2008.

The very last rays of the setting sun give a golden glow to 37223 as it growls along the Great Western Mainline at Compton Beauchamp with a well loaded 6A01 15:23 East Usk Junction to West Drayton domestic coal train on 30 August 1991. The coal had originated from Coedbach earlier in the day. This was one of the last flows of non industrial coal that managed to hang on after the demise of Speedlink, primarily due to its normally healthy loading, as can be seen here. Despite the fact that the sun had disappeared off the track, it was luckily just still high enough to light most of the train, although I was glad that it ran when it did as the sun was dropping very rapidly. The rather grainy image is the result of using Kodachrome 200 - very necessary so late in the evening!

37225 approaches Culham on 30 September 1991 with the 6M79 15:08 Eastleigh to Crewe MoD stores. Whilst picking up some packages for work from Didcot, I had seen this arrive in the yard, so as I could see they were going to attach a few wagons from Fenny Compton onto the back, I realised I had enough time to drive to this location. Naturally this was a cue for the sun to go in!

The rail worker on the right looks on, as 37225 & 37101 pass through Swindon on 28 October 1992 with the 4L65 06:25 Pengam to Felixstowe freightliner. Despite the annoyance of having to go to work, I made a concerted effort to photograph this train as often as possible, as rather like the 6M50 departmental working of a quarter of a century later, it ran at an ideal time for photography.

37225 & 37045 pass Llanddulas on 11 August 1991 with the 1T37 12:07 Llandudno to Crewe special, one of a number of trains operating along the North Wales Coast with Railfreight traction, during the Trainload Coal Motive Power Day.

37225 & 37075 approach Llandudno Junction on 11 September 1993 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z18 05:55 Cardiff Central to Amlwch 'Anglesey Odyssey' railtour. Although interesting enough, the highlight of the day was the use of 20118 & 20169 on the return from Amlwch, over the doomed Anglesey freight only branch line.

37225 & 37075 pass Rhosgoch on 11 September 1993 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z18 05:55 Cardiff Central to Amlwch 'Anglesey Odyssey' railtour. This is on the freight only branch line from Gaerwen Junction to Amlwch, on Anglesey, which was about to close, due to Associated Octel's decision to transfer the sole remaining freight traffic to road haulage.

37225 & 37075 bring up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z18 14:32 Amlwch to Cardiff Central 'Anglesey Odyssey' railtour at Llanfair PG on 11 September 1993. 20118 & 20169 can just be seen at the front of the train. Prominent on the hill in the background is the monument dedicated to Henry William Paget (the first Marquess of Anglesey).

The heatwave of July 2018 caused several heritage railways to substitute diesel for steam, because of the fire risk. Superbly restored Railfreight Metals liveried 37227 was called in to action on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway on 8 July 2018, and is seen here emerging from the trees at Bledlow with the 11:00 Chinnor to Thame Junction service.

37227 approaches the footpath crossing at Bledlow on 8 July 2018, as it returns to Chinnor from Thame Junction, whilst substituting for a steam locomotive during the prolonged heatwave. The Railfreight Metals liveried loco arrived at the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway in early 2018, after spending many years at the Battlefield Line.

Not quite what I was expecting, but very nearly as good. The first train of the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway's Diesel Gala on 1 April 2022 should have been hauled by visiting Hanson & Hall 50008 Thunderer, but the line's resident 37227 turned up instead. It is pictured here passing Bledlow with the 2P01 08:50 Chinnor to Princes Risborough service.

37227 passes Bledlow on 1 April 2022 with the 1C00 09:35 Princes Risborough to Chinnor service during the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway's Diesel Gala. A day of sunny spells, lots of clouds, and a few snow flurries!

37227 rounds the curve on the approach to Horsenden Lane level crossing, as it works the 1C00 08:45 Princes Risborough to Chinnor service, the first train of the day on the second day of the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway's Diesel Gala.

37227 passes Wainhill in crisp early morning light (which was not to last!) with the 1P01 08:45 Chinnor to Princes Risborough service on 3 April 2022, during the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway's Diesel Gala.

37227 passes Wainhill on 3 April 2022 with the 1C00 09:20 Princes Risborough to Chinnor service. The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway runs along the western edge of the Chiltern Hills, which allows some panoramic views such as this, from the hillside. I hadn't noticed at the time the large flock of birds flying over the field in the background, but I had noticed the large bank of cloud in the distance, which was coming this way!

37229 The Cardiff Rod Mill is appropriate traction for the 6M12 12:40 Cardiff Tidal to Wednesbury steel service, seen here passing Fiddington on a slightly misty 1 September 1987. The loco had been named in May 1984 to mark the one millionth tonne of steel shipped by rail from the mill. The small plate visible above the nameplate is the Allied Steel & Wire logo. 37229 lost its name in 1988, with the plates being transferred to 37712. This was not the end of the matter, as the name was then transferred to 56060, and then 56052!

37229 & 37407 Blackpool Tower pass Coedkernew on 1 May 1998 with the 13:10 Westbury to Cwmbargoed stone empties. The train would be loaded with gritstone at Cwmbargoed, and would then be worked, via Westbury, to Hates & Harlington. I'm not convinced that the sudden appearance of the sun was welcome here, as it was still very head on, but unfortunately I have very few pictures of this sporadic working, so it will have to serve as a record.

The Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:37 Crewe to Whitby 'Esk Invader' railtour of 3 June 2006 utilised 40145 as the main tour loco. However, once on the Whitby line, the reversal at Battersby Junction necessitated a top'n'tail loco. 37229 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 which had up to this point been on the rear, now saw some action. It is pictured here passing Kildale.

37229 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 rounds the sharp curve on the approach to Sleights with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 06:37 Crewe to Whitby 'Esk Invader' railtour on 3 June 2006. The main tour loco (hidden around the bend) was 40145.

37229 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 is pictured passing Welbury (between Middlesbrough and Northallerton) with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z45 16:33 Whitby to Crewe 'Esk Invader' railtour on 3 June 2006. 40145 can just be seen on the rear of the train.

37230 approaches Cholsey on 4 September 1987 with the 6A05 10:39 Westbury to Didcot MGR empties. This was returning from Westbury Cement Works, and would later be worked back to a Midlands colliery. Looking back I should have made much more of an effort to photograph this train on the Berks & Hants line, where it wouldn't have been so backlit!

37230 approaches Cowley Bridge Junction on 7 November 1990 with the 6C55 14:37 Bristol East Depot to Exeter Riverside Yard ballast. I was very lucky that this was running nearly an hour early. As there is only a big enough sunlit gap for the loco and a couple of wagons, it is clear that there would no chance of a picture anywhere near the correct time. The yellow Volvo 240 estate on the right was obviously a very reliable car, with the owner seeing no reason to change it, as it features in pictures taken at this location for over a decade!

Running 50 minutes early, 37230 passes Severn Tunnel Junction on 15 April 1991 with the 7A46 13:05 East Usk Yard to Westbury ballast. The ballast would have originated from Machen Quarry. The sad remains of the former Severn Tunnel Junction loco depot can be seen behind the train.

37230 passes South Moreton on 28 August 1991 with the 7A02 13:06 Princes Risborough to Didcot departmental working, conveying spent ballast from engineering work on the Chiltern Line. These departmental trains didn't always run to their booked time, but this one was running exactly to time (15:35 at Didcot East Junction on the relief line, according to the working timetable).

After traversing the East Usk branch, 37230 arrives back at East Usk Junction on 19 April 1997 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z63 'Welsh Wizard' railtour. 37254 is out of sight around the corner on the rear of the train. 59102 Village of Chantry waits in the background with the 6B40 11:50 Llanwern to Port Talbot iron ore empties.

With Queenborough dominating the background, 37230 crosses the flat expanse of Neatscourt Marshes, on the western edge of the Isle of Sheppey, with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z91 14:00 Sheerness-on-Sea to Finsbury Park 'Sandwich Dealer' railtour on 28 August 1999. 37040 can just be seen on the rear of the train.

37232 passes Bourton on 1 August 1987 with the 1Z33 09:10 Swansea to Paddington relief. With just five coaches in tow, this certainly wasn't hanging about, and was presumably being enjoyed by the Class 37s bashers who were in the know. Surprisingly however, there was nobody hanging out of the windows. And no, I haven't cloned anybody out in Photoshop!

37234 weaves across from the down relief to the down main line at Magor on 4 September 1986 with an empty rake of HAA coal hoppers. This is the only picture I have of this locomotive before it was converted to a Class 37/5 (37685) a few months after this picture was taken. The period feel to this picture is enhanced by the vintage coaches parked in the station yard, which dating from 1968 and 1969 were already classics when the photo was taken!

37235 The Coal Merchants Association of Scotland & 37131 pass the site of Coaley Junction (where Cam & Dursley station now stands) on 1 July 1990 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z04 15:40 Gloucester to Sharpness 'Double Gloucester' railtour. This was a mini tour, run in connection with the Gloucester Rail Day. Despite the dull weather it was worth going for this, as just 15 minutes later there was another double headed Class 37 railtour!

After the demise of the Speedlink network in early July 1991, MoD traffic from the south of England made its way north on the 6M79 15:08 Eastleigh to Crewe Basford Hall working. This train would often have multiple locos on the front, as a means of moving them north. On 29 July 1991 the train was powered by 37235, with 47280 Pedigree & 47851 in tow. It is pictured passing Bletchingdon, with the disused Shipton-on-Cherwell Cement Works in the background.

37238 & 37212 emerge from the fog at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 26 September 1998 with the Mercia Charters 1Z30 09:02 Paddington to Salisbury 'Shapeshifter' railtour. A few miles further on, at Swindon, the 37s would be replaced by 56072. The return trip saw 47276 work as far as Basingstoke, where 58045 took over for the run into London.

37239 passes Ryecroft Junction on 15 August 1988 with the 6J43 08:25 Washwood Heath to Gobowen Speedlink Coal. With just five loaded wagons, it is easy to see why this domestic coal traffic was unprofitable. The Speedlink Coal network had been created a couple of years earlier. The gradually diminishing network was renamed Network Coal in 1991, and struggled on until 1993.

37240 & 37211 accelerate away from Milford Junction on 27 April 1996 with the 6M90 16:48 Gascoigne Wood to Carlisle British Fuels containerised coal. Unfortunately I only managed to get a few pictures of this interesting working, so this rather poor picture in terrible light will have to serve as a record.

37242 passes Whitemoor Junction on 21 November 1998 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z63 06:55 Crewe to Ely 'Crompton Pedigree' railtour. 33103 is on the rear of the train. It is seen here incorrectly taking the west curve. The train then came to a stand on the curve, before reversing, and then proceeding along the correct route, using the line on the right! The train is returning from Wisbech, and is passing (on the left) the site of the vast Whitemoor marshalling yard, and March motive power depot, all of which was just wasteland by this date. Happily there has been something of a renaissance since, although not for the Wisbech line, which is now disused.

37242 passes Mintlyn on 21 November 1998 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z73 14:10 Ely to Crewe 'Crompton Pedigree' railtour. The train is heading for Middleton Towers, and would return shortly with 33103 leading. The urban sprawl of King's Lynn has now covered the field on the right.

37244 & 37214 head north past Hinksey Yard on 17 August 1988 with a rake of MGR empties. This is a bit of a mystery, as it is clearly not one of the booked MGRs from Didcot Power Station, as they passed by hauled by Class 58s, as usual. I have seen a couple of other pictures of a similar working around this date, so it is presumably not a one off. My guess is the train has either come from Didcot Power Station, or Westbury Cement Works. As both locos were allocated to Cardiff Canton at the time, it implies that it is heading back to South Wales, obviously by a very devious route. Any information on this unusual working would be gratefully received.

Not something I expected to see on the Great Western Mainline at Purley-on-Thames on Saturday 11 February 1989! 37244 heads westwards with 12 empty HDA MGR wagons, destination unknown. No Realtime Trains or mobile phones in those days!

37248 & 37797 wait at a signal at Briton Ferry on 15 April 1991. This is the view from the A48 road bridge. Not as good as a conventional picture, but who couldn't resist a picture of a couple of 'Tractors' parked conveniently in front of your camera in the sunshine!

37248 Midland Railway Centre & 37332 The Coal Merchants Association of Scotland pass Old Denaby on 31 March 1997 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 06:29 Reading to Scarborough 'Scarborough Maid' railtour.

37248 Midland Railway Centre & 37057 Viking pass Sleaford North Junction on 17 January 1998 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z46 08:00 Kings Cross to Newcastle 'East Coast Diversion' railtour. The train is just rejoining the Spalding to Lincoln line, which it had left only a mile south of this point, in order to pass through Sleaford station. The 37s would leave the train at York, with 56109 taking the tour on to Newcastle.

37248 Midland Railway Centre passes Pooley Green (between Staines and Egham) on a very dull 31 January 1999 with the 11:03 Victoria to Victoria (via Aldershot) VSOE luxury Sunday lunch special. 37417 Rail Magazine is bringing up the rear, and would return just over an hour later, taking the train back to Victoria. The outward route was via Woking, with the return being via Ascot. The journey was repeated in the late afternoon.

37248 Loch Arkaig  is pictured in the pouring rain at Oban on 6 October 2007 shunting the stock for the SRPS railtour which had arrived as the 1Z55 06:28 Dundee to Oban and would leave later in the day as the 1Z74 16:45 Oban to Dundee. The tour was hauled in both directions by 55022 Royal Scots Grey, with 37248 on the rear in case of failure. This required a quite complicated shunting procedure at Oban to change the locos round. Luckily due to a driver's dispute one of the normal service trains from Glasgow was cancelled, so they were uninterrupted by other traffic.

Running exactly to time, 37248 Loch Arkaig & 37676 Loch Rannoch pass a very foggy Yarnton (near Oxford) with the Spitfire Railtours 1Z48 05:45 Poole to Blackpool 'Christmas Cracker' railtour on 29 November 2008. Unfortunately the maroon livery of both the stock and the West Coast Railway Company's locos looks very drab in these conditions. I had been unable to go out for the previous day's empty stock working taking the train south and with the rather cleaner 37676 leading, so despite the awful weather an effort was made to get a record shot of this unusual motive power in the Cherwell Valley.

Just a few days after arriving at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, former West Coast Railways 37248 made a loaded test run on 18 October 2009, courtesy of the 15:15 Toddington to Cheltenham Race Course train. With 37215 tucked inside for insurance (not required) it is pictured emerging from Greet Tunnel in miserable light. Unfortunately this dark maroon livery does not look very impressive in anything other than full sun!

Finally, after a miserably dull day, the sun decides to come out very weakly, as 37248 passes Hailes with the 16:35 Toddington to Cheltenham Race Course service on 18 October 2009. The loco had only arrived at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway a few days previously, and after working one train double headed with 37215 in case of problems, this was its first outing on its own. The former West Coast Railways maroon livery seems to be an almost exact match for the 1950s BR maroon livery of the coaches.

37248 passes Winchcombe's down fixed distant signal as it nears Hailes with the 11:50 Winchcombe to Toddington service on 9 July 2010, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 'Shunterfest' Diesel Gala. This should have had visiting Potter Group 08202 on the front providing power, but that had failed on the outward run, and had been unceremoniously dumped at Winchcombe. Although it didn't help much in the long term, 37248's higher speed was able to recover just a little of the lost time!

With trains from Gotherington getting very backlit in the afternoon of 11 July 2010, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala, a slight variation of viewpoint was required, especially when the subject was 37248 in its dark and drab maroon livery. So, a picture from the top of the cutting at Dixton, through a convenient gap in the trees provides an excellent viewpoint as the loco heads east with the 14:05 Gotherington to Toddington service. This view shows off the former West Coast Railways livery, Westie logo, and the position of the former Loch Arkaig nameplate.

Superb autumnal morning light at Stanway Viaduct on 2 October 2010, as 37248 crosses the newly reopened structure with the 11:10 Toddington Distant Signal to Gotherington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The only thing that really spoils this picture is having the awful West Coast Railways liveried loco on the front, rather than the much more photogenic Rail Blue 37324 Clydebridge, which is hiding on the back of the train!

The highlight of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 2016 Diesel Gala was the return to traffic of D6948, after an extensive renovation. 37248 had arrived on the railway in 2009, and after a period of use in its West Coast Rail 'sludge brown' livery, was transformed into its original 1964 condition by the hard work of a team of volunteers. It is pictured here on its first passenger outing during the gala - the 2C55 10:10 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service on Friday 29 July 2016, passing Dixton just after the rain had stopped.

Looking absolutely superb in a brief patch of unexpected but very welcome sunshine, D6948 passes Dixton on 29 July 2016 with the 2L56 11:00 Cheltenham Racecourse to Laverton service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The return to traffic of the former 37248 was the highlight of the gala, and marks the culmination of five years hard work by a dedicated band of volunteers, who have backdated the loco to its as built 1964 condition.

The highlight of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 2016 Diesel Gala was the return to traffic of D6948 (37248), after a five year restoration. The superbly restored machine is pictured passing Southam on 31 July 2016 with the 2L56 11:00 Cheltenham Racecourse to Laverton service, with an almost correct headcode! Cheltenham Racecourse station is just out of sight behind the trees. Part of the world famous racecourse can just be seen in the distance, on the extreme left.

D6948 passes the partially completed reconstruction of Hailes Abbey Halt on 8 October 2016 with the 2C53 09:30 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service. This was the first train of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Autumn Diesel Gala. The original Hailes (or Hayles) Abbey Halt was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1928.

With the Cotswold Hills in the background, D6948 passes Hailes on 8 October 2016 with the 2T54 10:25 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala.

D6948 passes Dixton on 27 July 2018 with the 2B54 10:25 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Apart from the headcode, and a different rake of coaches, this looks very similar to the picture I took here two years earlier, even down to the weather being sunshine on a largely cloudy day.

D6948 brings up the rear of the 10:30 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service at Hayles Abbey Halt on 7 October 2018, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. 37215 is at the front of the train.

D6948 passes Stanton on 28 July 2019 with the 2C67 14:15 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala., The train has just passed underneath the recently reconstructed combined footbridge and aqueduct.

Looking superb in the spring sunshine, D6948 passes Bishop's Cleeve on 4 April 2023 with the 15:35 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service. Several Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway locations had recently benefited from vegetation clearance, and as can be seen from the piles of freshly cut branches lying by the trackside, this is one of them.

D6948 passes Stanton on 30 May 2023 with the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's 15:35 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service. Hidden by the bushes on the rear of the train is GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 4079 Pendennis Castle.

D6948 passes the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Hayles Abbey Halt, as it works the 15:35 Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse service on 30 May 2023. Stanway House Fountain can be seen in the background. It is the tallest gravity fountain in the world.

D6948 passes Hayles Abbey Halt on 12 July 2024 with the 2C09 09:30 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. This rebuilt halt opened in 2017, on the site of the original Great Western halt, which opened in 1928.

D6948 passes Dixton on 12 July 2024 with the 2B10 10:25 Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Gotherington station is just around the corner in the background, as indicated by the home signal.

37250 & 73138 pull out of Yeovil Pen Mill station on 2 May 1999 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z93 09:43 Yeovil Junction to Weymouth Quay 'Wey-Farer' railtour. The tour had arrived a few minutes earlier hauled by 73106, which can just be seen on the far end of the train, underneath the semaphore signal.

37250 & 73138 round the curve at Maiden Newton on 2 May 1999 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z95 14:20 Yeovil Junction to Weymouth Quay 'Wey-Farer' railtour. This would be the final train to traverse the streets of Weymouth, although regular passenger services on the line finished over a decade earlier.

37250 & 73106 climb Upwey Bank at Bincombe on 2 May 1999 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z96 16:13 Weymouth Quay to Yeovil Junction 'Wey-Farer' railtour, after having become the very last train to run over the Weymouth Tramway. 73138 can just be seen on the rear of the train.

37251 gets some unexpected passenger work on 28 April 1984, as it pushes the 10:16 Cardiff to Paddington relief past Marshfield after the train loco, 47462 had failed. Obviously this rear end assistance was only going to be a temporary line clearing exercise, and the train was terminated at Newport. This was of course in the days when the railways were adaptable, and could cope with situations like this. The delay of about an hour while the 37 was found and brought to the site is nothing compared to the delays that would result in similar circumstances today.

37254 ambles along the Great Western Mainline at Bourton on 1 August 1987 with a short westbound engineer's train. Lineside vegetation increased enormously at this location in the following quarter of a century (that makes me feel old!), but at least a photo is still just about possible.

37254 & 37073 Tornado power past Bredon's Norton on 14 April 1990 with the Growler Group's 1Z17 07:00 Wolverhampton to Onllwyn 'Gwent Growler' railtour. The train also visited the Ebbw Vale line. Oddly, this is only a short distance away from the location where I saw the previous year's tour. I can't remember now why I didn't follow the tour to the Welsh Valleys!

37254 passes through Dinas Powys station on 2 June 1996 with the 2Z01 10:29 Barry Island to Cardiff Central service. This was loco hauled, instead of the usual DMU, in connection with the Barry Island Road Transport Festival.

37254 passes the impressive Walnut Tree Signal Box at Taffs Well on 2 June 1996 with the 2E05 11:29 Barry Island to Merthyr Tydfil service. This was loco-hauled in connection with the Road Transport Festival at Barry Island. Note the unusual chamfered corner in the signal box's brickwork. The box was dismantled the following year, after the Radyr area was resignalled.

37254 brings up the rear of the 2A10 13:00 Merthyr Tydfil to Barry Island service at Taffs Well on 2 June 1996. This was loco-hauled instead of the usual DMU in connection with the Road Transport Festival at Barry Island. 47712 Dick Whittington is at the front of the train.

37254 & 37197 make a noisy ascent of the incline heading out of the Severn Tunnel, as they approach Pilning on 2 October 1996 with the 7C40 12:06 Newport Alexandra Dock Junction to Exeter departmental working. Despite the lack of a pavement on this side of the bridge, and the heavy road traffic, this was an excellent photographic spot, now alas lost under a sea of 25kV wires.

37254 brings up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z63 'Welsh Wizard' railtour at East Usk Junction on 19 April 1997. 37230 is at the front of the train. It has been a long time since the double slip in the foreground has seen any traffic!

It's not very often that you can photograph a train on two different branch lines at the same time! 37254 takes the short Courtybella Siding branch at Alexandra Dock Junction on 19 April 1997 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z63 'Welsh Wizard' railtour. 37230, on the rear of the train, is still on the Newport Docks branch, while a couple of coaches are actually on the approach line to Alexandra Dock Junction Yard, which can be seen in the background. It is also not very often that you can see the rear train locomotive directly above the leading one!

37254 passes Shorthampton at high speed on 10 August 2016 with the 1Q05 08:14 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding (via just about everywhere!) Network Rail test train. 37219 is on the rear of the train. This was running exactly to time, but due to signalling issues the train had to proceed further south than its scheduled Finstock reversal point, and returned over half an hour late.

37254 emerges from Sapperton Tunnel on 10 August 2016 with the 1Q05 08:14 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train. I had chosen this spot, as I guessed that the available gap would be just right for this short train, and so it proved to be, with 37219 just clear of the entrance on the rear of the train. The sun was an unexpected and very welcome bonus here.

37254 brings up the rear of the 1Z78 06:05 Tyseley to Bristol High Level Siding Network Rail test train at Chilson on 22 February 2017. 37421 is the lead locomotive. This was running a few minutes earlier, and would soon get even earlier, by cutting short its booked stop at Charlbury.

37254 runs along the up relief line at Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 23 February 2017 with the 1Z23 07:14 Bristol High Level Siding to Tyseley Network Rail test train. 37421 is on the rear. This is just a split second away from being a completely dull picture. In this case the shadows were moving much faster than the loco, possibly ten times faster! The train was travelling very slowly, as it was right up behind 43174, which had only just moved off from the next signal. However, the shadows were zipping along, as the gale force winds were moving the clouds at very high speed. As an example, there was no sign of this approaching cloud, even when 37254 was in the position that 37421 is at in this picture!

37254 Cardiff Canton & 37175 storm through Leominster on 2 September 2017 with the Branch Line Society / 565 Charters 1Z56 05:35 Carnforth to Carmarthen '565 Special' railtour. This was the first tour to be worked by a pair of Colas Class 37s. Given that this is an identifiable location, with the perfect sun angle, and the very large plus point of a semaphore signal in the immediate foreground, I was surprised to be the only photographer present.

37254 Cardiff Canton passes Grove on 30 November 2017 with the late running 1Z23 08:16 Bristol High Level Siding to Tyseley Network Rail test train. 37057 is bringing up the rear. This is obviously exactly the right length train to photograph at this particular location!

37254 Cardiff Canton brings up the rear of the 1Z23 08:16 Bristol High Level Siding to Tyseley Network Rail test train at Lyneham on 30 November 2017. 37057 is the lead locomotive. The sheep don't seem very impressed!

37254 Cardiff Canton passes the oil depot at the site of Bremell (or Bremhill as it now seems to be spelt) Sidings on 22 April 2018, as it accelerates away from Swindon, and heads towards Kemble with the 3Z01 13:12 Reading Triangle Sidings to Derby RTC Network Rail test train.

37254 Cardiff Canton passes Churchill Heath on 2 November 2022 with the 1Z22 06:44 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road Network Rail test train. 37421 is bringing up the rear. Very noticeable in the gloom as it approached was the bright light on the roof of the third coach, used to aid visual inspection of 25kV overhead electric wires. Clearly there is not much need for that on the Cotswold Line!

37254 Cardiff Canton passes Adlestrop on 3 November 2022 with the 1Z23 07:04 Bristol Kingsland Road to Derby RTC Network Rail test train. 37421 is bringing up the rear. Not only does tree growth now prevent a wider view than previously, but trees in the background now hide Daylesford church, which in the 1980s was easily visible.

37254 Cardiff Canton passes through Shipton station on 22 March 2023 with the 1Z22 08:23 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road Network Rail test train. 37116 is hiding on the rear of the train. The new palisade fence has slightly compromised the view from the flour mill car park, but thankfully this view from the road bridge is still possible, despite some encroaching vegetation.

On its monthly visit to the Cotswold Line, the 1Q18 07:59 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road Network Rail test train passes Chilson on 14 June 2023, with 37254 Cardiff Canton leading, and 37612 bringing up the rear.

37254 Cardiff Canton passes Thingley on 15 June 2023 with the late running 1Q18 07:52 Bristol Kingsland Road to Tyseley Network Rail test train, which on this occasion was cancelled at Landor Street Junction. 37612 is bringing up the rear.

37254 Cardiff Canton just manages to catch a small patch of sunshine, as it brings up the rear of the 1Q18 07:52 Bristol Kingsland Road to Tyseley Network Rail test train at Chilson on 15 June 2023. Classmate 37612 is leading.

37254 Cardiff Canton passes through Ascott-under-Wychwood station on 4 October 2023 with the 1Z22 07:49 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road Network Rail test train. 37175 is bringing up the rear. Apart from the RHTT running in darkness in the early hours, this was the only train to traverse the Cotswold Line on this day, due to ASLEF strike action. Consequently, with nothing to get in its way, this was running 42 minutes early. With no other trains, the signalman in the box in the background had an easy day!

37256 passes Marshfield on 28 April 1984 with an ECS working to Cardiff Canton. Apologies for the very poor framing of this picture, but I must have been overawed by the sight of a normally freight only Class 37 working passenger stock!

37257 passes Llandevenny on 21 October 1985 with HEA domestic coal empties, presumably from Filton. As often happens, this was the time for a quick decision, as GW150 green 47484 was approaching from the opposite direction! Luckily on this occasion there was just enough time to get both pictures.

Running exactly on time, 37257 passes through Oxford station on 25 September 1987 with the 6M17 13:14 Didcot to Washwood Heath Speedlink coal empties. Didcot operated as a hub for the diminishing domestic coal market, with trip workings to places such as West Drayton and Chessington.

37258 passes Cheltenham on 17 March 1988 with the 6V05 09:32 Round Oak to Margam, comprising just a single covered steel carrier. This light load was by no means unusual at the time. The train still runs today, with the same headcode, but not unfortunately with the same traction.

37258 heads towards the Severn Tunnel with a short engineer's train on 29 April 1993. It is pictured here passing the bus depot at Patchway. This location was a bit restricted for westbound trains, but the gap is just big enough for this short train!

37258 arrives at Lydney on 23 April 1994 with the Monmouthshire Railway Society 08:08 Newport to Gwaun-cae-Gurwen 'Gwaun-cae-Gurwen Growler II' railtour. It is just about to pass over Harbour Road level crossing, which at the time was controlled by the Lydney Crossing Ground Frame (formerly Lydney West Signal Box). The box (which has subsequently been removed) was unusual in that it was built on girders over a steam. Note the bridge lintel and handrail in front of the box.

After visiting the Dean Forest Railway's headquarters at Norchard, 37258 slowly passes through Lydney Lakeside station (later renamed St Mary's halt), as it heads back towards BR metals with the Monmouthshire Railway Society 'Gwaun-cae-Gurwen Growler II' railtour on 23 April 1994. Hidden by the trees on the rear is 37402 Bont-y-Bermo.

It wasn't all Class 37/4s on the Weymouth loco hauled trains in the 1990s. On 8 June 1996, 37258 worked the 2O87 09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth service, seen here approaching Bradford-on-Avon. In fact this particular locomotive was no stranger to this working, in addition to being used for a week in 1996, it also saw service on the train during the previous year.

37259 & 37218 pass under the M5 motorway at Lower Wick on 26 June 2010 with the Spitfire Railtours 1Z82 06:45 Gloucester to Penzance 'Kernow Explorer' railtour. This was one of a number of railtours heading to Cornwall for the Mazey Day celebrations. The prospect of a pair of railtours running just twenty minutes apart at this location and both with heritage traction meant this was too good an opportunity to miss, despite the early start. 56311 & 56312 followed along with the Pathfinder Tours 'Cornishman'.

The grubbiness of 37261 Caithness matches the awfulness of the weather, as it arrives at Blyth on 30 March 1998 with the 6N16 09:27 Lynemouth to North Blyth empty alumina hoppers. The muddy shore of the North Sea is on the right.

37261 Caithness passes Morpeth on 30 March 1998 with the 6S54 11:36 North Blyth to Fort William alumina hoppers. This is one of those locations that I only visited once, for just this one train, and which it is highly unlikely that I will ever return to!

37261 Caithness passes Greenhill Lower Junction on 27 April 1998 with the 6D10 10:09 Cameron Bridge to Mossend Enterprise service. The short load was to be expected, but I was hoping the loco was going to be a bit cleaner! In extremely faded Railfreight Distribution livery, and obviously not having had a wash for a very long time, it doesn't make for a very good picture. On the other hand, at least the sun is shining, in contrast to the looming black clouds over the hills in the background. Sunshine and Scotland are not normally words that I associate!

37261 & 37405 pass Little Langford on 30 November 2013 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z42 06:01 Whitchurch to Portsmouth Harbour 'Festive Festival Express' railtour. The diminutive gothic revival St Nicholas church (largely rebuilt in the nineteenth century) makes an ideal background, as does the prominent beech tree, still with most of its leaves. Naturally, a large crowd of photographers had gathered at this prime spot, and there was a huge collective of sigh of relief when the sun finally reappeared from behind a cloud shortly before the train arrived!

37263 & 37275 Oor Wullie slog up Upton Scudmore bank on 15 April 1997 with the 6O41 13:59 Meldon Quarry to Eastleigh ballast. Not only a great sight, but a fantastic sound as well. The train could easily be heard leaving Westbury, over two miles away! Happily both of these locomotives survive in preservation.

During 1997 the Tuesdays only 6L20 05:00 Cardiff Tidal to Purfleet steel train brought the welcome sight of a pair of Class 37s to the Great Western Mainline. Although early enough in the morning to be photographed before going to work, unfortunately because of the time of day it was virtually impossible to get a decent angle for the light. The sun is still (just!) on the north side of the line here as 37263 & 37254 growl their way past Bourton on 8 July 1997 with Swindon just visible in the haze in the background.

Departmental grey liveried 37263 leaves Kidderminster station on 20 May 2023, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. It is heading for Bewdley, ready to work the 09:45 Bewdley to Kidderminster shuttle service.

37263 approaches Foley Park Tunnel on 20 May 2023 withthe 09:45 Bewdley to Kidderminster service, during the Severn Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. The loco is wearing the all over grey engineer's livery, which was introduced in the late 1980s. A yellow band was later added, creating the well known 'Dutch' livery.

37264 heads east past Baulking on 18 September 1991 with a loaded ballast train. This was instantly reconisable from a distance at the time, as it was the only DCWA allocated Class 37 in large logo livery with a high level headlight.

Having just arrived with the 18:00 service from Whitby, 37264 stands underneath the impressive roof at Pickering station on 16 August 2021. The train had started out from Whitby behind BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 76079, but once onto North Yorkshire Moors metals, it was swapped for the 37. Note how the repainting of the loco's yellow front end hasn't extended past the side grilles!

37264 basks in the golden light of the setting sun at Pickering on 16 August 2021. It had just been parked up, after arriving with the final train of the day from Whitby, which it had worked from Grosmont. Although autumn is not far off, the random patches of red leaves on the trees in the background look suspiciously like some kind of disease.

37266 has a ridiculously easy load of just two wagons of recovered sleepers, as it passes Wormbridge on 14 May 1984 with the 9C06 08:15 Severn Tunnel Junction to Hereford departmental service. Just over a year after this picture was taken, the loco would enter Crewe Works for conversion to 37422, in which guise I have many more pictures.

37268 passes Stormy on 15 June 1983 with the 6C01 10:50 Fishguard Harbour to Severn Tunnel Junction Speedlink. The VEA vans at the front of train contain munitions from MoD Trecwn, marshalled between former ferry vans, acting as barriers. I never did managed to photograph a train on the Trecwn branch, so this is the next best thing. The steel coils at the rear were presumably added at Margam.

On an exceedingly gloomy 24 September 1983, 37271 & 37304 stand at Kemble station with the 3B42 09:15 Gloucester to Swindon parcels train. They are waiting for Class 117 DMU B439 to arrive with the 2B20 09:42 Swindon to Cheltenham service, the line to the south of Kemble of course being single track. These two locomotives have had wildly differing careers since this photo was taken. 37271 became 37418 and after working passenger trains in Scotland and Wales, has found a new lease of life in preservation. In contrast, 37304, although being renumbered 37272 and then 37334, was withdrawn in 2005 and cut up at Booth's at Rotherham.

37272 & 37032 pass through Moreton-in-Marsh with the Growler Group's 1Z17 05:20 Manchester to Southampton 'Solent Growler' railtour on 13 April 1991. This tour did not go according to plan, as there was a mix up as to which section of the Southampton dock lines the tour was going to traverse. In addition a planned photo stop at Southampton was missed out. All was still going well at Moreton-in-Marsh however, and even the sun was weakly trying to break through the clouds. The lead loco here was the second machine to carry the number 37272. Its original TOPS number was 37304, but between 1987 and 1994 it was numbered 37272, before then becoming 37334. The original 37272 was converted into a Class 37/4 and numbered 37431 in 1986. Note the Parker Knoll van parked in the old station goods yard, presumably from the nearby furniture factory at Chipping Norton, which closed in 2004.

37272 passes Black Bank (between Ely and March) with the 6H96 King's Lynn to Whitemoor Speedlink on 20 May 1991, conveying the usual load of pallet vans from the Campbell's soup factory, and a couple of grain hoppers. Black Bank goods shed can be seen in the background, all that remains of the isolated Black Bank station, which closed to passengers in 1963, and to freight a couple of years later.

37272 & 37238 pass South Moreton on 18 May 1992 with the 4M99 17:14 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner. This was a regular Class 37 working at the time, but on this occasion was noticeably shorter than normal, with just two five vehicle flat sets in use.

37274 runs along the down main line at Iver on 22 February 1990 with the 6V04 10:05 Hove to Didcot Network Coal working. Taken from a farm occupation bridge (Now sadly demolished), which provided excellent views in both directions.

With its extra large number on the front, there was no mistaking 37274, seen here passing Llangewydd on 15 April 1991 with the 6B02 13:13 East Usk Junction to Coedbach Washery Network Coal service. As late as the 1990s the domestic coal market was sufficient to support a dedicated network of coal trains serving strategically placed depots and mostly using the distinctive red topped HEA wagons, as seen here. However, this is a trunk service returning to be reloaded, and unfortunately most of the other trains weren't this long!

37274 heads west past Bourton on 17 October 1998 with a train of long welded rails. Bringing up the rear is Plasser & Theurer USP5000C Ballast Regulator 77324. Apart from the road traffic crossing the narrow bridge without any footpaths, this used to be an excellent location. Now of course there is no view either way, due to the electfrication of the route.

37275 Stainless Pioneer & 37698 climb Llanvihangel Bank on 5 May 1991 with the 1Z32 16:15 Hereford to Abergavenny special, one of a number of trains using exotic motive power run in connection with the Hereford Rail Day. Unfortunately it was a mostly cloudy day, although I was lucky enough to get the lead locomotives in the sun here, it's just a pity that the rest of the train, including 20007 & 20032 on the rear, are left in the shade.

37275 Oor Wullie leaves Penmaenmawr with the 6F11 11:03 ballast train to Warrington on 9 August 1995. The inappropriate Scottish name can be explained by the fact that the locomotive had been transferred from Motherwell to Bescot just a few months previously. Note the extensive quarry workings on the hillside in the background.

The Cotswold Line has seen a dramatic increase in freight activity in recent years, but only on the northern section of the route. The use of Long Marston depot as a storage site for various types of passenger and freight stock, has seen plenty of loco hauled activity on the Worcester to Honeybourne section of the Cotswold route. In complete contrast, the southern section has been effectively banned to freight trains for many years. However, during the early 1980s sporadic freights did traverse the Honeybourne to Oxford section. Such was the case on 21 June 1984, when 37276 worked a Long Marston to Acton Yard MoD special, seen here passing Lyneham. The following year the loco entered works for electric train heat conversion, emerging as 37413.

Hardly ideal photographic conditions, with the sun very nearly directly behind the loco and the countryside an all over green, but after seeing 37276 at Lyneham on 21 June 1984, and realising that it would have to wait at Ascott-under-Wychwood for a passenger train to clear the single line, a quick drive to this bridge secured a second picture. It is working a Long Marston to Acton Yard MoD special. The diminutive station at Ascott-under-Wychwood can just be seen in the background.

The signalman at Park Junction shelters from the rain, as he watches the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 Crewe to Ebbw Vale 'Gwent Valley Explorer' railtour pass his box, en-route to Ebbw Vale on 23 May 1987. 37280 is bringing up the rear, but the much more unusual 40122 (D200) is out of sight at the front of the train, heading for unfamiliar territory in the Welsh Valleys.

An extremely rare event took place on the Cotswold Line on 26 March 1989 resulting in the unprecedented sight of a Class 37 working a passenger train over the route. 50033 Glorious was booked to work the 1A65 16:15 Hereford to Paddington service but was unavailable due to overnight vandalism at Hereford. The only available loco was 37280, which duly worked the train as far as Oxford. It is pictured here arriving at Kingham exactly on time in the last rays of the setting sun. Of course nowadays this train would just be cancelled, but in the 1980s there were still resources to cope with the unexpected, something which the railways of today are totally incapable of doing.

37280 passes through Swindon station on 15 July 1989 with the 6B33 09:57 Theale to Robeston oil empties. This was a standard working at the time, but just two days later, this loco, along with 37239, did something completely out of the ordinary, when the pair dragged the failed 17:34 Swindon to Warminster DMU between Chippenham and Westbury. If only I had got a picture of that!

A dull and misty morning at Uffington on 8 July 1992 sees 37280 & 37072 heading eastwards with the late running 6A15 23:55 Waterston to Colnbrook aviation fuel tanks. It looks like the concrete signal troughing is about to get replaced. I'm not sure why, as this wasn't one of the locations where they used plastic topped troughs, which naturally became brittle and disintegrated when rail workers walked on them!

I often find it amusing that so many photographers get so excited about the Class 60s that work the 6B33 Theale to Robeston oil tanks in 2012. Of course, I also photograph these trains as Class 60s are obviously infinitely preferable to 66s, but I wonder what some of today's younger photographers would make of this! Two decades earlier, pairs of 37s were the standard motive power for the train, which ran in the same path, and with the same headcode. On 21 December 1992, 37280 & 37668 pass Circourt Bridge, Denchworth with the 6B33 12:35 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties, past a line of sleepers that will soon become the down relief line.

37284 passes Crosskeys on 15 August 1987, whilst returning from Ebbw Vale with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 07:27 Watford Junction to Oakdale 'Valley Basher Three' railtour. 15 minutes later the train would return, with 33039 & 33052 Ashford taking the train up the Oakdale branch.

A scruffy unbranded 37285 leads an only slightly cleaner Railfreight Distribution 37238 past Radley on 15 May 1992 with the 4M99 17:14 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner. This train was rostered for a pair of 37s during 1992, and was always worth a picture on a summer's evening. There was no need to keep a look out, as there was plenty of audible warning of its approach!

37293 passes Northwich South Junction in the rain on 1 August 1998 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 05:45 Swindon to Burn Naze 'Ribble Nibble' railtour. This is the northern end of the freight only line from Middlewich and Sandbach.

37293 brings up the rear of the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 05:45 Swindon to Burn Naze 'Ribble Nibble' railtour, as it slowly rounds the curve between Hartford C.L.C. and Hartford L.N.W. Junctions on 1 August 1998. 37040 can be seen leading the train towards the West Coast Mainline in the background. Its seems a little odd that the sign on the left is warning that there is no access to Northwich line for electric locos. Fair enough, as this is clearly the start of the electrified section, but isn't the sign pointing the wrong way!

37293 leads the Pathfinder Tours 1Z27 'Ribble Nibble' railtour off the Burn Naze branch at Poulton-le-Fylde on 1 August 1998. The tour had originated from Swindon, with 37293 working in multiple with 37040, which was then used for working top'n'tail over the North Western branches.

Never mind is it going to be a Class 59, 60 or 66 on the Theale Murco tanks, in the late 1980s this was the regular traction, virtually guaranteed! The last of the weak summer evening sun catches 37294 & 37280 (a regular pair at the time) as they growl past South Marston with the late running 6B27 16:48 Theale to Robeston empties on 4 August 1989.

37294 & now preserved 37215 approach Circourt Bridge, Denchworth, on 24 October 1989 with the late running 6A08 00:50 Robeston to Langley oil tanks. Both locos are in Trainload Petroleum livery, which s of course is appropriate for this train. It didn't always work out like that!

During 1992, the 4M99 17:14 Southampton to Trafford Park freightliner was booked for a pair of Class 37s, and naturally with a whole host of suitable photographic locations in the Didcot and Oxford area, I made use of every available sunny evening. Running exactly to time, 37298 & 37278 are seen here passing South Moreton on 22 May 1992. 4M99 seems to have been a virtual permanent fixture in the working timetable, but subsequent years saw much more mundane traction on this service!

37298 runs alongside Cliff Road, on the approach to Southampton station, with the 6Y27 10:28 Quidhampton to Eastleigh calcium carbonate tanks on 2 December 1998. These are the famous ICA 'Silver Bullet' wagons, which were kept spotlessly clean for a number of years after their introduction in 1989. However, by this date they were more brown than silver, although on this occasion the fourth wagon gives a hint as to what they used to look like.

Due to various problems with the rostered Class 37/4s, 1999 saw various members of the Class 37/0 subclass in use on the North Wales coast. Such was the case on 29 May 1999, when 37298 worked the 1D69 12:20 Crewe to Holyhead service, seen here passing the old water tower as it approaches journey's end at Holyhead.

37298 passes Badgeworth on 21 July 1999 with the 6E21 08:20 Baglan Bay to Humber polypropylene empties. A much missed train, which naturally disappeared from the network when the BP Works at Baglan Bay closed in 2004. Oddly, I don't seem to have that many pictures of it, so this one taken in rather poor light will have to suffice.

Work stained 37300 & 37278 growl past Circourt Bridge, Denchworth on 27 October 1982 with the 6V11 09:30 Wolverton to Stoke Gifford ARC stone empties. This train would loose its booked Class 37 haulage in favour of a single Class 56 shortly after this picture was taken. The two locos pictured would go on to have remarkably different lives in the future. Whilst 37278 would soldier on until 1992 as a standard loco, 37300 would be fitted with ETS, and have a second life as a (mainly) passenger loco as 37429.

On a very gloomy 29 October 1982, 37300 & 37278 slowly weave onto the relief line at Oxford with the 6V11 09:30 Wolverton to Stoke Gifford ARC stone empties. Not only the traction has changed in the intervening years, as the scrapyard behind the locos is now Oxford station's car park. In 1982 it was still possible to while away the time between trains by watching the local scarp merchant load assorted metallic junk (latterly mostly crushed cars) into the few 16 ton wagons that had been shunted into the yard by Oxford's resident Class 08 Shunter.

37304 passes Horsemoor on 16 August 1988 with the 6E16 13:40 Duxford to Tees Speedlink. Most pictures I have seen of this working give the headcode as 6N84, but the May 1988 East Anglia working timetable definitely has it as 6E16. The four tank wagons contain glue from Ciba-Geigy's factory at Duxford.

37308 passes Melksham in superb late evening light with the Daylight Railtours 1Z30 Minehead to Alton railtour on 27 July 2002. The tour had worked down to the West Country from Didcot behind GWR 4-6-0 6024 King Edward I. Improving weather in the evening and the prospect of a picture of a loco hauled train on the little used line through Melksham was too good an opportunity to miss. The problem was finding a spot that wouldn't be totally in shade so late in the day. Luckily this spot was clear, but the sun is so low that even the bank of tall grass in the foreground would be starting to shade the track if the train had been running any later!

37308 & 37057 Viking round the curve at Tackley on 17 November 2002 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z40 08:35 Crewe to Bicester Army Depot 'Bicester Baseline' railtour. Definitely not the best light angle, but at midday the light is virtually head on all the way from Banbury to Oxford.

After having just traversed the Knowsley Freight Terminal branch, 37308 runs alongside Headbolt Lane, as it approaches Dale Lane, Kirkby, on 12 April 2003 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z38 14:04 Preston to Reading 'Wizard Express' railtour. 37047 is bringing up the rear.

37308 passes through Goostrey station on 12 April 2003 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z38 14:04 Preston to Reading 'Wizard Express' railtour. A prominent landmark in this part of Cheshire is the 250ft diameter dish of the Lovell Telescope, at the Jodrell Bank Observatory. It can just be seen above the first and second coaches.

37308 & 37114 City of Worcester arrive at Newtown with the Saltley Welfare Fund 1Z37 08:32 Birmingham International to Aberystwyth railtour on 19 June 2004. As can be seen Newtown station occupies a rather cramped location, approached via a reverse curve. The train stopped here for a token change, but no for long enough to get a second picture!

Under a cloudless sky, 37314 Dalzell passes Woodthorpe with the 2A36 15:40 Loughborough to Leicester North service on 12 September 2009, during the Great Central Railway's Diesel Gala. Originally entering service in 1964 as D6890, this loco became 37190 with the advent of TOPS numbering. For a couple of years in the late 1980s it was carried the number 37314 and was dedicated to Scottish steel traffic in the Motherwell area. It subsequently reverted back to 37190.

On 12 September 2009, at the end of a perfect early autumn day with unbroken sunshine, there is still a little light left as 37314 Dalzell passes Woodthorpe with the 2A44 17:40 Loughborough to Leicester North service during the Great Central Railway's Diesel Gala. As sometimes happens at these events the timetable had started to go slightly awry later in the day, with some late running and substitutions. This in fact should have been a double header with 50007.

Looking superb in the autumn sunshine, 37324 Clydebridge & 37215 pass Hailes on 26 October 2003 with the 10:20 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The clear blue sky is deceptive, as a lot of the day's pictures were ruined by clouds. Looking at the shadow behind the train, I only just got away with here!

37324 Clydebridge & 37215 pass Hailes on 26 October 2003 with the 15:00 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. Didbrook church can be seen on the extreme right, with the Cotswold Hills in the background.

37324 Clydebridge is pictured on the long straight between Hailes and Winchcombe with the 11:52 Toddington to Winchcombe on 24 September 2005, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Autumn Diesel Gala. 37324 was originally numbered 37099, becoming 324 in 1986 when it became part of a small fleet dedicated to Ravenscraig steel traffic. It reverted to 37099 three years later, and was preserved in that guise, initially going to the North Norfolk Railway. At the GWR it was restored to its Scottish condition, complete with Clydebridge nameplates.

With the chicken farm that gives this stretch of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway the colloquial name 'Chicken Curve', 37324 Clydebridge leaves Winchcombe on 4 November 2006 with the 10:00 Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington service, during the line's Diesel Gala. This picture is taken from with a long lens, from the side of Salter's Hill.

37324 trundles through the Gloucestershire countryside with the 10:52 Toddington to Winchcombe freight during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railways Diesel Gala on 4 November 2006. This view from halfway up Salter's Hill is looking across the Vale of Evesham.

37324 Clydebridge passes Hailes with the 11:52 Toddington to Winchcombe service on 4 November 2006, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala. The low autumn sun results in shadows from the hedge at this location in the morning, but by around midday the shadows have just cleared the track.

Superb lighting at Southam on 4 November 2006, as 37324 Clydebridge rounds the curve with the 13:50 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Autumn Diesel Gala.

37324 Clydebridge passes Hailes on 5 November 2006 with the 11:30 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Autumn Diesel Gala. The Clydebridge name isn't really that appropriate for the Cotswolds!

The highlight of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala over the weekend of 30 March to 1 April 2007, was the use of all three of the line's Class 37s on a triple header. Here, on 31 March, 37324 Clydebridge, 37219 & 37215 pass through Dixton Cutting with the late running 13:50 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service. Note the careful positioning of the newly erected Gotherington distant signal between the branches!

37324 Clydebridge passes Winchcombe's fixed distant signal, near Hailes, on 6 April 2008, as it works the 11:20 Winchcombe to Toddington service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire's Diesel Gala. Unfortunately both the snow and the sun were disappearing by this time of day!

37324 Clydebridge is pictured on the long straight between Hailes and Winchcombe with the 12:15 Toddington to Winchcombe service on 6 April 2008, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire's Spring Diesel Gala. It certainly didn't feel like spring, with a biting wind, and snow lying on the ground. By midday the snow was vanishing rapidly, with only patches on the hills and some on the cutting side which was only just now receiving some sunshine.

37324 Clydebridge slowly rounds 'Chicken Curve' and passes Winchcombe's home signal with the 11:40 Winchcombe to Toddington service during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Diesel Gala on 5 April 2009.

37324 Clydebridge finds a little bit of backlit sun amidst the gathering clouds as it accelerates towards Hailes on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway with the 12:56 Winchcombe to Toddington service on 5 April 2009, during the line's Diesel Gala.

The car boot sale is in full swing as 37324 Clydebridge rounds the curve near Southam on 5 April 2009 with the 14:10 Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse service, during the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Spring Diesel Gala. Only a limited number of trains were working the full length of the line to Cheltenham, with a more intensive service operating between Toddington and Winchcombe. So during the hour's wait for the next train at this location I made use of the convenient refreshment van in the field with the car boot sale!

A multi-coloured train, 1990s style! 37332 The Coal Merchants Association of Scotland & 37248 Midland Railway Centre pass Eastrington on 31 March 1997 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 06:29 Reading to Scarborough 'Scarborough Maid' railtour.

37332 The Coal Merchants Association of Scotland & 37248 Midland Railway Centre round the sharp curve on the approach to Seamer West Junction on 31 March 1997 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 06:29 Reading to Scarborough 'Scarborough Maid' railtour. The Burton Riggs Nature Reserve, a former gravel pit, can be seen in the background.

37344 & 37131 pass Duffield on 8 June 1996 with the 4O31 15:16 Leeds to Southampton freightliner. Definitely not the best location, with the shadows rapidly advancing across the track, but there wasn't time to move anywhere else!

In early 1988 the former 37119 was renumbered into the 37/3 series as 37350, and was outshopped in original green livery (albeit with full yellow ends). This was in recognition of the fact that it was the pioneer loco of the class. It therefore also carried its pre TOPS number D6700. Its first public outing was the Hertfordshire Railtours 'Coalville Cobbler' railtour on 5 June 1988. It seen here passing Burbage Common with the tour - the 1Z26 08:55 Euston to Coalville.

37350 & 37371 pass Baulking on 8 April 1989 with the early running 6B08 12:15 Langley to Robeston empty oil tanks. The unusual framing, with the horizon seemingly far too low in the picture, is deliberate in order to show off the impressive cloud formation. At the time the area was so free of lineside vegetation that Didcot Power Station, 12 miles away, can clearly be seen in the distance.

37350 & 37012 pass Hullavington on 3 July 1990 with the 6A18 Robeston to Theale oil tanks. A couple of years earlier to celebrate the fact that as D6700 it was the first of the class, the then 37119 was repainted into an approximation of the original green livery (if you discount the full yellow ends!) at the same time as it was renumbered 37350. For the next few years it carried both the numbers 37350 and D6700, and being allocated to Cardiff's FPEK petroleum pool, was a regular sight on oil trains such as this.

37350 (D6700) & 37280 growl their way past Narroways Hill Junction, Bristol on 16 April 1991 with the Tuesdays only 6B20 13:00 Heathfield to Briton Ferry oil empties. 37350 had acquired its heritage repaint a few years earlier in recognition of it being the pioneer member of the class. Its celebrity status did not prevent it from spending most of its time on mundane duties such as this. The dog in the recreation ground in the extreme lower right of the picture doesn't seem at all bothered by the racket going on behind him!

37350 & 37215 pass Cholsey on 16 August 1991 with the late running 6B27 16:00 Theale to Robeston Murco oil empties. Although it is not immediately obvious what colour it is, due to the loco's filthy condition, 37350 is wearing original 1960s BR green livery, applied three years earlier.

37350 passes Baulking on 18 September 1991 with the 6V11 12:57 Micheldever to Waterston oil empties. Although it looks nearly black here due to a severe aversion to the washing plant, 37350 is in fact in original green livery, repainted three years earlier in recognition of it being the class pioneer.

37350 & 33109 pass Worting Junction in a surprising and very brief patch of sunshine on 16 February 1992 with the DC Tours 1Z24 10:12 Waterloo to Weymouth 'Solent & Wessex Wanderer' railtour. In view of the fact that the lighting has emphasised the dark clouds in the background, I decided to include lots of sky instead of lots of empty (and out of focus!) field.

37350 passes Compton Beauchamp on 14 August 1992 with what is presumably the late running Didcot Power Station to Cardiff Tidal empty oil tanks. At this time the working timetable showed a long gap between the 6V99 Hamworthy to Cardiff steel at around 18:20 and the 6V29 Furzebrook to Hallen Marsh LPG at around 23:00, so this was something of a surprise.

D6700 NRM National Railway Museum approaches Banbury on 14 March 1999 with the Chiltern Railways 1Z37 09:08 Solihull to Marylebone special, run to mark the centenary of the opening of Marylebone station. D6700 had just been repainted into green livery. It had also worn this colour scheme for a short while at the end of the 1980s.

D6700 arrives at Quorn & Woodhouse on 3 September 2022 with the 2A05 10:00 Loughborough Central to Leicester North service, during the Great Central Railway's Autumn Diesel Running Weekend. It's good to see the pioneer Class 37 at work on a heritage railway, rather than in the 'care' of the National Railway Museum.

D6700 stands at Loughborough Central station on 3 September 2022, after having just detached from the 2B05 10:45 service from Leicester North, during the Great Central Railway's Autumn Diesel Running Weekend.

D6700 & 37714 Cardiff Canton approach Rothley station on 3 September 2022 with the 2A29 14:30 Loughborough Central to Leicester North service, during the Great Central Railway's Autumn Diesel Running Weekend. D6700 is in virtually as built condition, whereas 37714 is one of the 1980s 'heavyweight' conversions, with an alternator in place of the original DC generator, and ballast weights added to give a total weight of 120 tons, in order to work heavy freight trains.

Emitting its characteristic smokey exhaust, 37351 passes Badgeworth under a threatening sky on 21 July 1999 with the 6V70 08:57 Cliffe Vale to St Blazey china clay empties. It wouldn't be long before Class 60s ousted the 37s on this working.

37355 passes Ashchurch on 6 May 1989 with the Growler Group's 1Z17 07:14 Wolverhampton to Cwmbargoed 'Glamorgan Growler' railtour. Obviously a success, as the tour was repeated the following year, with a slightly revised itinerary and the provision of two locos up front. 37355 is wearing the Railfreight grey livery, but devoid of any sector logos, although the remnants of part of one can just be seen next to the rear cab door.

A numerical coincidence at Gloucester Horton Road depot on 27 January 1990. 37355 & 47355 not only have similar numbers, but at this time they were also wearing identical liveries - the Trainload Freight Distribution colour scheme. 37355 would revert to original TOPS number of 37045 a few months after this picture was taken, while in 1994, 47355 would briefly change its identity to 47391, before reverting back to 47355!

37371 & 37248 approach Circourt  Bridge, Denchworth, on 3 November 1990 with the 6B08 12:25 Langley to Waterston aviation fuel empties. In the early 1990s, this location, which up till that point had been relatively clear, bacame compromised by lineside bushes. Thankfully the quadrupling of the line a few years later got rid of them, and as yet they haven't returned.

With over 1000 tonnes in tow there was no mistaking a Class 37 was approaching at Llangewydd on 15 April 1991. After plenty of audible warning, 37371 appeared around the corner with the 6B66 Llandarcy to Llanwern oil train. The farm buildings (which seem to get progressively more derelict with each visit) make an excellent background at this location.

37371 leaves Ludgershall army camp on 24 June 1995 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 08:56 Bristol Temple Meads to Marchwood 'Logistician' railtour. Class 421 4-CIG 1744 looks very out of place parked on the left, well away from the third rail!

37371 & 37154 have just passed the site of Shrivenham station and are approaching the location of the former Ashbury Crossing with the 6Z40 Avonmouth to Toton imported coal on 26 February 1997. Both these locomotives are no longer with us, having both been withdrawn in 2000 and cut up at CRDC Wigan. In the case of 37154 this was very shortly after it was withdrawn in July 2000, however 37371 lingered on until the following year.

37372 passes Grange Court in abysmal light on 18 November 1988, heading for Cardiff with Class 121 sandite unit TDB477486. I saw 37372 quite a few times, but this is the only occasion that I saw either of the Class 121 driving trailer sandite conversions. The former 56285 (TDB977486) & 56286 (TDB977466) were converted for sandite use in 1986. They looked very odd, as two of the three windows in the driving end were plated over (as can be seen here), and a single small window was inserted into the other end.

37372 passes Badgeworth on 28 September 1989 with the 9B20 Thursdays only 10:40 Gloucester New Yard to Worcester departmental working. At this time 37372 was the only Class 37/3 allocated to the engineer's DCWA pool, and I was a little disappointed at the time that this was not a Class 50 working, as there were then a number of that class allocated to such workings. However, time has changed this view slightly, and the sight of a red stripe liveried Class 37 on anything now (if such a thing existed) would be cause for every photographer in the area to converge on this bridge!

An extremely rare working at Steventon on 21 May 1991. 37372 hauls failed 60051 Mary Somerville (then only two months old) with the late running 6B23 13:12 Colnbrook to Waterston oil empties. I had been photographing at South Moreton during the evening, and after it clouded up was just about to go home when this train appeared. I hastily grabbed a shot (in B&W) and then raced around Didcot and was in time to get another shot (again in B&W) at Milton. As it was now on the relief line, I realised it might be possible to get a third shot at Steventon. Although the light level was still very low, requiring a 1/125sec exposure, a trace of the setting sun can just be seen highlighting the driver as the ensemble pulls out of the loop.

Superb crisp evening light at Compton Beauchamp on 30 June 1991, as 37372 heads westwards with a lengthy rake of ballast empties. The wide area of ballast on the left clearly shows where the former up relief line once ran. This was a casualty of the 1960s track rationalisation and resignalling of the Didcot to Swindon line.

37372 passes Great Heck on 6 February 1999 with the 6D51 08:47 Doncaster Belmont to Hull (via Selby) Enterprise service. The loco would return later in the day with the 6D54 13:56 Hull to Doncaster. The following year the train would be diagrammed for Class 56 haulage, and take the more direct route via Goole.

37372 is pictured running wrong line with a train of recovered track panels at Gilberdyke on 7 February 1999, during a Sunday engineering possession. The Humber Bridge can just be seen in the background, directly above the station's footbridge.

37372 heads north though Appleford station on 13 April 2002 with a lengthy ballast train. This loco suffered a very unusual fate after being withdrawn in 2004. It was selected to be used as the bodyshell for the Class 23 'Baby Deltic' recreation project, which would entail a reduction in the length of the loco's nose, amongst other modifications.

37375 passes Narroways Hill Junction on 3 March 1994 with the Thursdays only 7V05 09:28  Bournemouth to Margam, conveying Southern Region EMUs for scrapping at the imaginatively named Gwent Demolition scrapyard. On this occasion the train is made up of Network SouthEast liveried Class 415 4-EPB 5460, and blue and grey Class 416 2-EPBs 6261 & 6255.

37375 has a different form of transportation for company, as it stands in Southampton Eastern Docks with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z36 04:26 Manchester Piccadilly to Southampton Eastern Docks 'Hampshire Hog' railtour on 5 March 1994. 47297 is at the other end of the train. Having arrived by car, I was in position before the railtour participants swarmed around for their pictures. They can be seen arriving en-masse on the right.

37375 approaches the ungated level crossing at Chapel Road, Southampton on 5 March 1994, as it heads back from Eastern Docks with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z36 12:31 Southampton Eastern Docks to Manchester Piccadilly 'Hampshire Hog' railtour. 47297 is out of sight on the rear of the train. I had no alternative but to take the picture from the wrong side for the light, but I particularly like the result, as the railman runs forward with his red flag. A bit of railway staff animation in the picture for a change.

The Pathfinder Tours 1Z62 09:45 Wolverhampton to Weymouth Quay 'Dorset Docker' railtour of 9 October 1994 did not go according to plan, not getting to the docks and in fact not even entering Dorset! 20187 Sir Charles Wheatstone & 20075 Sir William Cooke worked the tour from Newport, but 20187 failed in the Bath area. 20075 managed to stagger on to Yeovil, but the decision was taken to terminate the train there due to the late running and difficulty of getting a fresh loco in time. 37375 was borrowed from the Yeovil Open Day to work the train back north and is seen here with 20075 & 20187 waiting to depart from Yeovil Pen Mill. This glint shot was only possible by standing on the back of a lorry trailer in an industrial estate!

Unbranded Mainline Freight blue liveried 37375 passes Banbury stone terminal on 20 July 2000 with the 6M19 07:17 Didcot to Fenny Compton MoD stores. The Lafarge self-discharge wagons behind the train had just arrived from Mountsorrel.

37375 & 37707 pass the totally abandoned Gloucester New Yard on 18 October 2003 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 07:15 Newport to Doncaster 'Metallic Maiden' railtour. With the end of the Speedlink wagonload freight service in 1991, this formerly busy yard ceased to have any practical use.

37376 passes the sad remains of Whitemoor Yard, at March, on 15 January 1995 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z36 08:32 Kings Cross to Orton Mere 'Brown Cow' railtour. The train is returning from Wisbech. 47820 had been the lead locomotive going up the branch.

Whilst driving back from Wales on 24 July 1996 I was amazed to see a pair of 37s at Westerleigh on the Avon Binliner in place of the usual Class 58. As I was on the M4 at the time, and Westerleigh was quite a few miles away by road, plus it seemed as if the locos were ready to leave, I thought my chance of getting a photo was pretty slim. However, not only did I manage to get there in time, but even had time for a chat with the driver prior to the train's departure. 37376 & 37037 catch the last of the evening light as they prepare to leave Westerleigh with the 4C06 20:00 Westerleigh to Stoke Gifford loaded containers. Some of these containers were loaded at the depot here (just out of sight to the right), and some came from Oldfield Park, Bath. The 37s will leave the train at Stoke Gifford, before going to Barrow Road to collect the final portion, before running as 4B07 22:32 Barrow Road to Calvert, picking up these containers again at Stoke Gifford.

37376 passes Broughton Gifford on 9 November 1997 with the 5Z27 10:35 Cranmore to Melksham Royal Scotsman ECS, which will shortly form the 1Z27 12:20 Melksham to Paddington charter. Strangely enough the Royal Scotsman was used on a number of trips in the south of England during the late 1990s, although of course it normally operates north of the border.

37376 approaches Thingley Junction on 9 November 1997 with the 1Z27 12:20 Melksham to Paddington Royal Scotsman charter. I had already photographed this a little earlier, as it approached Melksham with the 5Z27 10:35 ECS from Cranmore. The six day tour had started at Edinburgh, and visited York, Harrogate, Salisbury, Yeovil, Exeter and Westbury, before finishing in London.

37377 & 37098 pass Maentwrog Road station (closed in 1960) on 18 April 1998 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T54 14:57 Trawsfyndd to Euston 'Roman Nose' railtour. Out of sight behind the bushes on the rear of the train is 59205. Trawsfyndd Power Station can be seen in the background. It's two Magnox reactors were producing electricity between 1965 and 1991.

37377 & 37098 head away from Llan Ffestiniog on 18 April 1998 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T54 14:57 Trawsfyndd to Euston 'Roman Nose' railtour. I particularly like the way the curve of the road in the foreground mirrors the opposite curve of the line in the background.

37377 & 37098 meander down the Trawsfyndd to Blaenau Ffestiniog branch near Teiliau on 18 April 1998 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T54 14:57 Trawsfyndd to Euston 'Roman Nose' railtour. A very slow journey, enabling quite a few pictures to be taken!

37377 & 37098 weave round the reverse curves at Bethania (near Blaenau Ffestiniog) on 18 April 1998 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T54 14:57 Trawsfyndd to Euston 'Roman Nose' railtour. The main traction event of the tour, 59205 is just out of sight on the rear of the train. For once I was glad that the sun had gone in, as otherwise this view would have been impossibly backlit. Apart from the risk of the sun coming out at the wrong moment, this was the obvious choice of location, with the train snaking across the low viaduct, against a typical Welsh background.

37377 & 37098 round the sharp curve at Roman Bridge on 18 April 1998 with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1T54 14:57 Trawsfyndd to Euston 'Roman Nose' railtour. So sharp is the curve, that 59205 L Keith McNair can clearly be seen on the rear of the train, just passing the diminutive Roman Bridge station. 59205 had earlier led the train down the Trawsfyndd branch.

Just moments before the sun disappeared into thick cloud (look in the background), 37377 approaches Ashchurch on 29 August 1998 with the 7V71 07:06 Bescot to Berkeley nuclear flasks. This was shortly before DRS took over this working.

37378 passes Brockhampton on 18 July 1988 with the 6E64 18:00 East Usk Yard to Tees Speedlink, which is mainly made up of empty acetic acid tanks returning from Baglan Bay to Hull Saltend. This was running 45 minutes early, which was definitely an advantage, as even in mid July the light would be rapidly fading at its booked time.

37380 crosses the River Avon at Eckington on 28 February 1998 with the 6Z61 07:30 Bescot to Swansea Burrows Sidings MGR empties. As this was completely unexpected, and I had only just arrived at the location, this is a scan from a 35mm Fujichrome transparency, rather than a 6x7 slide. The procedure in those days was to use a 35mm Canon A1 and Pentax 6x7 on a homemade bracket. As this combination was so unwieldy, it had to be taken apart and reassembled at each location. On the plus side, I suppose it was lucky that this train didn't pass while I was still on the long walk from the car!

37384 is pictured here during one of its many movements by road between being stored unserviceable in June 2000 and eventually being scrapped at European Metal Recyclers at Kingsbury in November 2005. The location is Junction 16 on the M6 near Crewe and 37384 sits unattended on the back of a low-loader on 9 February 2002 after an overnight break in its journey between Wigan and Brush Traction at Loughborough. As can be seen by the hastily applied number, 37384 only received this final classification at the very end of its life, spending the previous two decades as 37258. The loco may look in bad condition from this side but the other side was even worse with several sizeable rusty holes in the bodywork.