37518 & D306 cross the River Nene on the approach to Ferry Meadows with the 1E50 13:39 Wansford to Peterborough service on 1 March 2008, during the Nene Valley Railway's Diesel Gala. This head on view, necessary to show the train crossing the bridge does at least not draw attention to the patchwork of primer on the side of 37518! The bridge in the distance is Mill Lane, Castor.

37601 gets to grips with the 1 in 30 gradient as it climbs away from Folkestone Harbour with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z88 14:00 Folkestone Harbour to Dungeness 'Atomic Harbour Master' railtour on 20 October 2007, by this time running an hour late. The noise was awesome as the train slowly ascended the steepest gradient on the Railtrack system. Even more noise was generated after the train stopped a little further up the bank and then obviously had to restart on the gradient. 37603 was also providing full power at the rear. Note the odd layout of the tracks, as they pass between Dyke Road and the Tram Road. The sea can just be glimpsed in the distance.

37602 passes the site of Challow station with the 1Z14 10:00 Westbury to Derby Serco test train on 12 October 2006. This train was originally booked to do 05:35 Westbury to Weymouth, but a last minute change of plan saw it heading home via Swindon and Oxford instead. 37611 was on the rear of the train. This is the start of the four track section to Wantage Road, the loops being reinstated in the mid 1990s, to add capacity for the Avonmouth to Didcot Power Station coal trains.

The earlier sunshine had disappeared by the time the 1Z14 09:45 Derby Railway Technical Centre to Worcester Shrub Hill (via Oxford) Ultrasonic Test Train returned from its reversal at Oxford on 11 September 2006. 37602 is pictured here approaching Whitehill Bridge on the Cotswold Line, between Combe and Finstock. 37605 can just be seen on the rear of the train. This is yet another location on this line that has become very overgrown in the last few years. Although this short train neatly fits in the gap, previously there was an uninterrupted view to the lofty Grintleyhill Bridge, a mile distant.

37603 & 37604 pass Aynho in the rain with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 05:26 Southampton to York 'Ouse-Humberman' railtour on 7 May 2007. 47805, which had headed the tour as far as Didcot, can just be seen on the rear of the train. The signal on the left controls Aynho Junction, where the line to Marylebone via Bicester diverges from the Oxford line.

37603 & 37604 pass the site of Ackworth station (between Moorthorpe and Pontefract) with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 05:26 Southampton to York 'Ouse-Humberman' railtour on 7 May 2007. 47805 can just be seen on the rear of the train. The former goods shed is in the process of being converted into a house. Note the steep incline that the train has just descended which can be glimpsed through the bushes between the goods shed and the bungalow.

37603 & 37604 speed through Church Fenton with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z39 17:04 York to Southampton 'Ouse-Humberman' railtour on 7 May 2007. Typically, a few minutes later, as I was driving away the sun came out!

On their final day in traffic before being sold to DRS, 37603 & 37601 worked the Pathfinder Tours 'Atomic Harbour Master' railtour from Crewe to Folkestone Harbour on 20 October 2007. They are pictured here passing Great Chart (near Ashford) with the 1Z87 09:45 Euston to Folkestone Harbour section of the tour. Although the day started sunny, and was clear again in the afternoon, around midday there was a lot of cloud in Kent, which meant that many photographers didn't get the pair of 37s in the sun, so I was very lucky with this one. The locos were split at Ashford to work the two branches in top'n'tail mode, and there was no chance of a picture later in the day when they paired up again, as due to late running it was dark!

37603 leads the Pathfinder Tours 1Z87 09:45 Euston to Folkestone Harbour 'Atomic Harbour Master' railtour down the steeply graded Folkestone Harbour branch on 20 October 2007. It is just about to pass over the well used footpath crossing between the Tram Road and Dudley Road. As can be seen from the rusty rails, only one line is used, and the third rail supply was turned off years ago. A cautious descent of this 1 in 30 gradient is required, as the branch ends at the Harbour Station, after a sharp bend, so brake failure is not to be contemplated!

37603 catches the last rays of the setting sun as it passes Snarsgate, on the Dungeness Branch with the Pathfinder Tours 'Atomic Harbour Master' railtour on 20 October 2007, at this point running as the 1Z89 15:42 Dungeness to Crewe, although running an hour late. This late running meant there was no chance of the hoped for picture of both locos back in multiple after the Ashford run round. 37601 was on the rear at this point

37604, 37603 & 47805 power through Goole with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z38 13:14 York to York (via Hull) 'Ouse-Humberman' railtour on 7 May 2007. This was a mini-tour in connection with the main Southampton to York railtour.

There was a lucky patch of sun at Goole as 37604, 37603 & 47805 returned from Hull with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z38 13:14 York to York 'Ouse-Humberman' railtour on 7 May 2007. The tour is pictured weaving across onto the Knottingley line at Potters Grange Junction, with Goole's landmark water towers in the background. Unfortunately the lighting was virtually head on, but at least it wasn't raining as it had been earlier on! This was a mini-tour in connection with the main Southampton to York railtour.

DRS 37605 approaches Charlbury at some considerable speed with the 1Z14 09:45 Derby Railway Technical Centre to Worcester Shrub Hill (via Oxford) Ultrasonic Test Train on 11 September 2006, with classmate 37602 on the rear. The Cotswold Line possesses several long sections of single track, this 14 mile section from Ascott-under-Wychwood to Wolvercote Junction is particularly inconvenient when there is any late running. From a photographic point of view however, it can be a bonus, as I was able to easily get this picture, after seeing the train earlier at Shipton, as it was held at Ascott-under-Wychwood for the 13:25 Oxford to Worcester Shrub Hill to clear the section.

DRS 37605 races through Shipton station, on the Cotswold Line with the 1Z14 09:45 Derby Railway Technical Centre to  Worcester Shrub Hill (via Oxford) Ultrasonic Test Train on 11 September 2006. Very few loco hauled trains use this route, as there is no regular freight traffic. Only a few trains serve this station, and prospective passengers should make sure they park on the correct side, as the boarded foot crossing that was situated at this end of the platforms has been removed, necessitating a lengthy walk via the road bridge to change platforms.

Under leaden skies, 37606 & 37423 race through Ashchurch station with the Spitfire Railtours 1Z37 06:44 Crewe to Paignton 'Paignton Pudden' railtour on 21 June 2008. The weather forecast had predicted heavy rain, which would normally have deterred me from venturing out for this tour, even with Class 37 haulage. However, as DRS tractors were involved rather than the ubiquitous EWS locos, I decided to go for what I expected to be picture taken in torrential rain. In the event there was just a very slight drizzle when the train came, although as can be seen from the track it had been raining earlier. It was however very dark! Note the line curving away to the right into the MoD depot.

37608 passes Normanton in superb autumnal evening light with the late running 4O31 15:16 Leeds to Southampton freightliner on 18 October 1997. At the time this working was booked for a pair of the ex European Passenger Services (EPS) Class 37s that had recently been acquired by Direct Rail Services (DRS), but on this day a single locomotive had been rostered. Pending a full repaint the loco carries the former EPS livery with DRS branding. I was extremely glad that the train wasn't any later, as the shadows would very soon have become a nuisance. In fact I had already moved from my previous location at Wakefield because that spot had been become useless for photography because of the lengthening shadows.

Trying to find a location around the Didcot area to photograph the 1Z06 11:54 Derby to Didcot test train on 12 November 2007 was not easy, as with less than an hour's daylight left, virtually every location was shaded to some degree. Surprisingly at Didcot North Junction the footbridge between the industrial and housing estates turned out to be better than the road bridge (seen here in the background), and I was able to get this shot of 37609 (leading) & 37259 with their single coach load as they arrived at their destination.

In abysmal light, 37611 leads the 4Z10 Gloucester to Derby Network Rail measurement train past the site of Bredon station on 7 January 2006. 37605 can be seen on the rear of the train. Bredon station (between Cheltenham and Worcester), along with neighbouring Defford and Eckington closed in January 1965.

37673 & 37412 thrash past Claydon (near Ashchurch) with the 6V70 08:20 Bescot to St Blazey china clay empties on 7 August 1993, running early as usual. Claydon is a good photographic location with clear views in both directions, except for these high voltage electricity poles which slightly spoil the southbound shot. The choice is either a long lens to get underneath them, or when you know the train is going to be double headed and a more side view is required (as here), use a standard lens and include them in the picture!

Superb late afternoon lighting at Blyth on 30 March 1998, as 37677 growls past Freemans signal box with the 6N58 17:20 North Blyth to Lynemouth alumina train. It had been a completely dull day up until this point and I was surprised to see the sun start to come out just as the train was coming into view. As it was so late in the day it was lucky that nothing was casting a shadow across the picture, as I had no chance to get to an alternative location! This amazing lighting didn't last long, and as can be seen from the dark background was only just sufficient to cover the entire train. The dark brooding clouds over the North Sea in the distance are an indication as to what the rest of the day was like!

With the M40 motorway in the background, 37694 & 37521 English China Clays pass the site of Ardley Quarry, on the Chiltern Line with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z71 12:22 Kettering to Crewe 'Metropolis Meanderer' railtour on 9 August 2003. The 37s had taken over from 66703 at Acton Canal Wharf Junction, and earlier in the day 92039 (Crewe to Nuneaton) and 60029 (Nuneaton to Kettering) had worked the 1Z70 outward leg of the tour. This location is not the most pleasant spot to spend time waiting for a train, as a vast area behind where I'm standing is a rubbish filled former quarry. Although it has now been covered with earth and returned to fields, there is the ever present smell of escaping methane!

In a very lucky patch of sun, 37705 growls its way past Corsham with the 4C13 11:21 Calvert to Bristol binliner empties on 20 April 1995. Even after ten years of operation most of the containers seem to look remarkably clean considering what it is they carry! The original blue livery as seen here with Avon County Council branding was subsequently replaced with a much less striking green colour scheme. 37705 is no more, having been cut up at T. J. Thomson's yard in Stockton during 2007.

37708 passes Eastrington (between Selby and Hull) with the 6E39 09:49 Mostyn to Hull empty acetic acid tanks on 31 March 1997. The Class 37 hauled acetic acid trains from Hull to Mostyn, Spondon & Baglan Bay are sadly missed by photographers. At least I managed to get a fair number of pictures of these distinctive trains.

37714 passes Llandevenny with the 6E21 08:20 Baglan Bay to Humber polypropylene empties on 3 September 1999. At this point the relief lines are on either side of the main lines, but note how the up relief can be seen curving in from the right under the bridge in the background. This has just crossed over the main lines via the Bishton Flyover, which can just be seen in the background. Prior to this both relief lines were on the south side of the main lines.

37891 growls up Ashley Down Bank and passes Narroways Hill Junction with the Tuesdays only 6B20 13:00 Heathfield to Briton Ferry oil empties on 16 April 1991. A welcome change from the Class 47s on 6M29, 6B97 & 4B74, but of course nowadays you wouldn't get all this traffic and certainly no heritage traction! Most Class 37s on oil trains in the Bristol and South Wales area in the early 1990s were allocated to the Cardiff Canton FPEK pool, however 37891 is a bit of an interloper as at the time it was allocated to Immingham's FPFR pool, which meant in nominally worked off Ripple Lane.

37899 Sir Gorllewin Morgannwg / County of West Glamorgan approaches Circourt Bridge, Denchworth with the 6Z86 15:07 Didcot Power Station to Cardiff Tidal Yard oil empties on 27 October 1994. Superb late afternoon lighting with the sun just spotlighting the train, while the background is in shadow and with a threatening dark sky to the east. At this time the up and down relief lines had only just come into use.

A busy few minutes at Newport on 11 September 1997. 37902 emerges from Hillfield Tunnel with the 6B96 10:05 Llanwern to Cardiff Tidal oil empties, while 37670 & 37696 wait at the signal to gain entry to the nearby Alexandra Dock Yard with the 6B99 04:56 Enterprise service from St Blazey. For once a dull day was preferable, as this location is in a cutting surrounded by large bushes and would therefore have been mostly in shadow at this time of year.