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Class 37 D6732 (37032)
History
English Electric Class 37 - D6732/37032-by Steve Marshall
This successful class of Co-Co diesel-electric was
introduced in late 1960 on the GE section of BR's Eastern
Region. Looking like a smaller version of the earlier
type-4 (Class 40), the design is powered by an English
Electric 12-cylinder 1,750 h.p. engine and an EE822
generator, which drives the six EE538 traction motors.
There were two separate batches; the first 119 had
nose-corridor doors, split route-indicator boxes and
nose-mounted horns, while the rest had four-character
route-indicator boxes, different electrics and
roof-mounted horns. The class could work in multiple with
other ‘blue star' locos, and they were initially fitted
with Clayton steam-heating boilers. The original number
series were D6700-6999 and D6600-6608.
Under the TOPS scheme, the design became class 37 (37
001-308), but by the late 1980s, there were six sub-types:
- 37/0 - basic loco; 37/3 - basic loco with refurbished
bogies; 37/4 - The -fitted locos; 37/5 - refurbished
locos; 37/7 - refurbished locos with extra ballast on the
bogies; and 37/9 - locos with replacement 1,800 h.p.
engines. With the reduction in freight carried by rail,
and the smaller number of loco-hauled passenger services
in the 1990s, some surplus class 37s were put into store,
and then the withdrawals started in 1992.
D6732 was ordered in January 1959 as part of contract
number CCL 1031. It was built by the Vulcan Foundry,
Newton-le-Willows, as works number 2895/D61 1, and
delivered in March 1962 to Hull Dairycoates depot (SOB).
From there the type-3 worked on the Hull-Doncaster line
(including turns on the Yorkshire Pullman), freights to
Goole and services to Bridlington. D6732 was seen hauling
a football special to Widnes, via Leeds and Stalybridge,
on 6th April, 1963. D6732 moved to Leeds Farnley Junction
(5 SC) in October 1969, and then for the next 20 years,
spent a nomadic existence around north-eastern England.
During the l960s, the nose-doors were sealed and the
valancing over the buffer beams was removed. In October
1970, it was transferred to Tinsley (41A), followed by a
move to Thornaby (5 IL) in May 1971. The loco was then
re-allocated to Gateshead in November 1972. In February
1974, it was renumbered 37 032, and during the following
month, moved back to Thornaby for another three years.
Around this tune air train-brake equipment was fitted.
Later there were transfers to Gateshead (October 1977),
Thornaby (January 1981), Tinsley (September 1985),
Thornaby (March 1986), and Tinsley (January 1987). This
last re-allocation saw the arrival of the freight sectors
- in 37 032's case, the Railfreight-General sub-sector.
In June 1987, the loco was sent for an intermediate
overhaul at Crewe, where it was fitted with refurbished
CP7 bogies, which gave a higher tractive effort at low
speeds. The modified traction motors reduced the maximum
speed to 80mph. The unused steam-heating boiler water tank
was converted to carry extra fuel, almost doubling the
loco's range. After the overhaul it was reclassified as
class 37/3, and given the new number 37 353. In June 1988
the loco was sent back to Tinsley as part of the Speedlink
Distribution sub-sector. However, a year later the CP7
bogies were removed at Doncaster to give extra spares for
the fully refurbished 37/5 and 37/7 subclasses. After
reverting to its former number, the loco returned to
Tinsley, still carrying a red-striped Railfreight livery.
By this time, the route indicator boxes had been plated
over to just show two marker lights, high intensity
headlights fitted and “cab-to-shore” radio installed.
On 13th April 1991, 37032 was teamed with 37272 on the
“Solent Growler” railtour to Southampton. The loco was
then re-allocated to Immingham to haul aggregates for
RailfreightConstruction. There was another change in May
1992, this time back to Tinsley again for Railfreight-Distribution.
On 14th June 1992, 37 032 was spotted with 37 154 at the
head of a Spiller's petfood train on the East Coast
Main-Line. Two weeks later, the loco worked the
BlackpoolLiverpool service for Regional Railways; it
should have worked the same service two days later, but
was failed due to a defective horn!
The loco visited Doncaster works for repairs in August
1992, but during the following November, 37 032 was stored
as unserviceable just outside the shed at Tinsley, where
it was later joined by other surplus class 37s. By then it
had acquired the unofficial name ‘Mirage', which had been
painted above Tinsley's white-rose depot symbol. 37 032
was officially withdrawn on 4th March 1994, and moved to
Doncaster Carr depot. When the loco was purchased for
preservation in the summer of 1994, it was missing window
glass, batteries and other small fittings, but was
otherwise essentially complete. 37 032 arrived at
Sheringham in early September 1994. After two years work
by the owners 37 032 re-entered traffic in 1996 still in
Railfreight red strip livery. In 1997 it was repainted
into original BR Green livery as D6732. Since then the
loco has been a firm favourite with diesel fans. Work has
been taking place to slowly modify the loco back to
original condition, including full restoration of the
cabs, re-instatement of the end doors and associated
equipment, and re-instatement of the round buffers and
buffer valances.
This article first appeared in Joint Line, the Midland and
Great Northern Joint Railway Society's award winning
quarterly journal, which all members of the Society
receive.
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