EWS's 37406 named "The Saltire Society" ticks over Motherwell TMD in the pouring rain.

Details on this loco provided with thanks on 2 online sites 🙏 👍:

-Mick Parker's class37.co.uk group for all things Class 37; and
-Ian Furness's WNXX End of the Line for the later years info as the loco finished its working life.

37406 was built as D6995 at English Electric's Vulcan Foundry and released to BR on 13 July 1965 (one of the last Class 37s built).

Works No.s VF3555/D984 it was originally allocated to Cardiff Canton.
In May 1974, it became 37295 under TOPS.

On 10 October 1985, after being fitted with ETH at BREL Crewe Works, it became Sub Class 37/4 number 37406.

Its Depots including sectorisation and privatisation were as follows:
-Cardiff Canton (86A) from built
-Swansea Landore from 2 October 1977
-Bristol Bath Road from June 1980
-Landore from 22 November 1981
-Canton from January 1984
-Eastfield from 18 November 1984
-Motherwell from 16 August 1992 (Pool: MDRM - Railfreight Distribution - Motherwell Class 37/4)
-Toton on 21 March 2000 (Pool: WKCN - EWS Toton Class 37/4 Systemwide)
-Crewe Diesel on 27 April 2000 (Pool: WKCD - EWS - Crewe Diesel Class 37/4 (FNW Hire))
-“Headquarters” (Toton) on 25 May 2000 (Pool: WNXX - EWS - Locomotives for Storage)
-Motherwell from 6 March 2003 (Pool: WKAM - EWS Class 37 Motherwell - Non RETB fitted)
-“Headquarters” (Toton) on 8 April 2003 (Pool: WNTR - EWS Tactical Reserve)
-Motherwell from 10 June 2003 (Pool: WKBM - EWS Class 37 Motherwell - Scotland RETB General)
-“Headquarters” (Toton) on 29 March 2006 (Pool: WNTS - EWS Stored)
-Motherwell from 9 May 2006 (Pool: WKBM again)
-Toton on 24 November 2006 (Pool: WKBN - EWS Class 37 RETB – Toton)
-Eastleigh on 19 December 2008 (still WKBN)
-Toton in May 2009 (Pool: WNXX - EWS - Locomotives for Storage)
-DRS’s Carlisle Kingmoor on 4 October 2011 (Pool: XHHP - DRS De-registered Locomotives)


By the early 2000s, the run down on Class 37s was in full swing and EWS owned pretty much all remaining locos.

The ETH fitted 37/4s were in the last batch to go as they had passenger work in Wales (the Cardiff – Rhymney service) as well as the sleepers in the Scottish Highlands (where RETB locos were needed).

The depot allocations under EWS were also just really an accountants pen mark as locos often worked off other depots.

EG: Allocated to Toton on 21 March 2000, 37406 moved to Wales 9 days later and allocated a B exam at Cardiff Canton (back working by 14 April).

On 27 April 2000, 37406 was allocated to the Crewe Diesel WKCD pool, while still officially a Toton loco.

10 days later it was assigned N/ONE and was stored WNXX at Cardiff on 26 May 2000 (even though “depot” allocation changed to “Headquarters” which should be Toton.

37406 had 8,204 engine hours logged, which at the time was the highest of the active Class 37/4s.

Of the 31 Class 37/4 locos, 16 were still active on 31 October 2010.
EWS now started their “in and out of store” juggling act - keeping a reducing number of the Class active and swapping them out if faults.
Some stored locos re-activated later, while many became parts donors to keep the last few working.

25/01/2001: 37406 moved into Canton shed to donate parts to repair 37419
12/07/2001: 37406 again moved into Canton shed to donate parts to repair 37401
27/07/2001: Moved from Canton to Barry WMD as Canton stored locos needed to move.
16/08/2002: Moved back to Canton and assigned for wheelset attention as flagged for the 2002 Sandite season. That flag soon cancelled, but still under assessment for return.
30/08/2002: Allocated for a light overhaul at Canton.
08/05/2003: After 3 ears stored and an overhaul that set its engine hours back to zero, 37406 was finally re-activated.
04/06/2003: Arrived at Crewe DMD for fitment of TPWS. Finished 3 days later and sent to Cardiff for fitting with snowploughs.
10/06/2003: Sent to Scotland for use on the Edinburgh – Fort William sleepers (1B01 & the 1Y11 return working).
13/04/2004: Arrived at Newport to help out on a loco shortage & returned to Scotland 17/08/2004.
13/12/2004: Of the 31 Class 37/4 locos, 10 were still active.
07/08/2005: Down to 10 37/4’s, 4 active plus 6 stopped for assessment or repairs.
01/12/2005: Engine hours for surviving Class 37/4’s:
-37401 WKBM 10,354
-37405 WKCK 9,440
-37406 WKBM 3,614
-37411 WKCK 10,902
-37416 WKBM 10,147
-37417 WKBM 2,983
-37419 WKCK 11,227
-37425 WKCK 10,044
-37427 WKBM 11,181
29/03/2006: 37406 stored WNTS (sidelined for attention at Motherwell have been stored).
07/05/2006: 37406 re-activated to WKBN pool (local workings only and test restrictions). Unrestricted activation again from 09/05/2006.
23/05/2006: Class 37/4’s officially ceased on the Fort William sleepers, with the haulage changed to RETB fitted Class 67s. 37406 did the honours on the last Class 37/4 services on 22/05/2006.
29/07/2006 to 07/08/2006: Covered for unavailable RETB fitted Class 67 on sleepers in July and August. Noted on:
-29/07/2006 (1Y11);
-30/07/2006 (1B01);
-04/08/2006 (1Y11 and 1B01);
-05/08/2006 (1Y11)
-06/08/2006 (1B01); and
-07/08/2006 (1Y11 and 1B01)
??/10/2006: Sent to Cardiff for use on the Cardiff – Rhymney services for a month. Then back to Scotland.
29/11/2006: Down to 4 active 37/4’s in total. All the rest are withdrawn or stored.
08/12/2006 to 18/01/2007: Again, covered for unavailable RETB fitted Class 67 on sleepers
-08/12/2006 (1Y11 & 1B01)
-09/12/2006 (1Y11)
-10/12/2006 (1B01)
-11/12/2006 (1Y11 & 1B01)
-10/01/2007 (1A25 and 1B16)
-17/01/2007 (1A25 0440 Edinburgh - Aberdeen and 1B16 2140 Aberdeen - Edinburgh)
-18/01/2007 (1A25)
12/02/2007: Failed at Oxwellmains on a freight. Hauled to Motherwell for repairs.
01/03/2007: Sent to Allerton to be fitted with GSM-R.
09/04/2007: 37406’s final known sleeper service when it hauled 1M16 on the Inverness – Edinburgh section. All other known passenger workings after this were tours.
08/11/2007 to 11/06/2007: Worked 1,190 miles of a 4 Scotland day tour. Then moved from Preston and stabled out of use at Toton.
08/11/2007: Stored WNTS at Toton
04/06/2008: Transferred to Eastleigh for assessment
08/12/2008: Re-activated to WFMU pool after repairs, but no work (still under repair awaiting spares).
09/04/2009: Finally released after repairs and in the active WKBN pool, 37406 was sent north to work on the 10/04/2009 Preston to Mossend section of a Sailsbury to Fort William tour charter (1Z23).
10/04/2009: While working the 1Z23 charter with 37670, 37406 failed at Grayrigg Loop with power unit problems. Dragged by 37670 to Mossend Yard, it was left behind.
18/04/2009: Back in WFMU pool and dragged to Wigan, 37406 is flagged to donate parts to 37419 on its way up from Old Oak Common.
06/06/2009: Officially stored to WNXX with “a serious engine malfunction”.
25/09/2009: Dragged to Crewe EMD to be a spares donor.
27/11/2009: Dragged around the corner from Crewe EMD to DMD.
21/12/2010: 37406 and 12 other stored 37/4’s put up for sale
03/02/2011: All 13 Class 37/4’s sold to DRS – Direct Rail Services.
27/09/2011: 37406 dragged to Carlisle Kingmoor for assessment by DRS with 2 other demic 37/4’s.
04/10/2011: Allocated to DRS’s XHHP storage pool.
20/12/2012: Not deemed worthwhile to repair, 37406 was stripped of useful parts and taken to Booths in Rotherham for scrapping
02/05/2013: 37406 – Scrapped at CF Booths, Rotherham

Tags:   EWS 37406 The Saltire Society Motherwell TMD 2006 D6995 English Electric Vulcan Foundry 1965 Works Number VF3555 D984 TOPS 37295 Class 37 37/4 ETH Sold WNSO XHHP 2011 Parts Donor DRS Direct Rail Services Scrapped 2012 CF Booth Rotherham

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66716 named "Willesden Traincare Centre" sits by the GBRF shed at Peterborough Yard.

After a few trips to the UK in 2005 and 2006, I cleared seeing all 20 GBRF Sheds earlier that June.

The advantage of passing Willesden Depot and Peterborough Yards quite often 😊👍

Ironically, 6 months after this photo, GBRF imported even more in December 2006 😂

66716 was delivered by EMD to the UK on 23 May 2003 (Works No. 20028454-4).

22 years later, it is still going strong and the only change is a new nameplate to "Locomotive and Carriage Institution Centenary 1911-2011".

Tags:   66716 named Willesden Traincare Centre GBRF shed Peterborough Yard. 2006 EMD 2003 Works No 20028454-4

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With single car DMU departed from the platform behind the Duff, I was able to phot 47826 from the other angle up against the platform buffers 😊👍

Details on the loco's history are on the earlier photo in the album:

www.flickr.com/photos/52932769@N05/51902831310/

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Another view of 08776 on its trip working through Donny Station.

Details on the loco are on the front on photo: www.flickr.com/photos/52932769@N05/51893890343/

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17.21: Something totally unexpected through Crewe Station was 92027 on the 6C73 16:35 Bescot Yard-Carlisle yard 'Enterprise' service.

Usually these went via the Horse Landing avoiding line.

92027 was built at Brush Works, Loughborough and delivered to BR on 18 December 1996.

Like the Class 67s, these locos were built for something that didn’t really happen.

Huge engine power, built for passage through the Chunnel PLUS fitted for 3rd rail. They were expected to be kept busy in the UK and France running European freights and even night sleepers from France up the main lines of the UK.

The Euro sleeper concept never happened and Chunnel freight levels quickly dropped from 40 a day to less than 5 now in 2025.

EWS inherited a number of the Class 92s when they bought all the non Freightliner freight sectors.

Many were stored from the early 2000s even though they were less than 10 years old.

In 2005, EWS sold 30 Class 92s to Halifax Bank of Scotland and leased them back. Their other Class 92s were mainly stored by then (some from the early 2000s).

92027 was still active until 28 January 2008 when it was stored WNTS at Crewe EMD.

3 years later on 9 July 2011, the storage pool moved to WNTR, then on 11 January 2012 to WNWX.

In 2012, EWS’s new owners Deutsche Bahn were looking for locos for their Bulgarian operations.

With so many spare Class 92s, they killed 2 birds with 1 stone, exporting 10 of the class including 92027 in May 2012.

92027 is now renumbered 88027 (UIC 91 52 1 688 027-7) and as of January 2025 is still active with DB Bulgaria.

So it has now worked longer overseas than it did in the UK !!

Tags:   92027 Crewe Station 6C73 Bescot Yard Carlisle Enterprise 2006 Built Brush Works Loughborough 1996 EWS English Scottish Welsh Railways Canada Rail Wisconsin Central Deutsche Bahn DB Bulgaria Exported 2012 Active 2025 88027 George Eliot

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