37501 Teesside Steelmaker passes Wychnor on a very dull 23 October 1989 with the 6M01 Lackenby to Wolverhampton steel train. Spending just short of a decade as 37501, this loco entered service in 1961 as D6705. With the introduction of TOPS it acquired the number 37005 and finally finished up as 37601. The very poor lighting here required the use of the long defunct Kodachrome 200 film, which despite being very grainy and prone to odd colour shifts was virtually as sharp as its slower stalemates, and the only fast 35mm film that I found to be of any practical use.

37509 & 37413 Loch Eil Outward Bound pass Ashley on a slightly hazy 20 July 1996 with the 7F48 07:30 Tunstead to Oakleigh stone train. Close inspection of the original 6x7 slide reveals that the numerous local rabbits in the recently mown hay field on the right are taking absolutely no notice of all the noise going on just behind them!

A working that saw hundreds of railway photographers descend on the Midland Mainline on 21 April 2010 was the 6Z90 08:37 Tyne Dock to Sheerness scrap train. A good percentage of them seemed to be at this location! The prospect of a pair of 37s on a real freight train in the sun was too good to miss. Although the lineside clutter is hardly photogenic, this is one of the few locations on the southern end of the route where the sun would still be on the nose at the required time. 37510 & 37667 prepare to weave across onto the bi-directional freight line. At this point they were running a few minutes early, however, this was not to last, as signaling problems further south brought the train to a stand at Bedford.

37516 passes Tackley in dramatic lighting on 21 May 2009 with the 5Z37 10:00 Carnforth to Eastleigh 'Queen of Scots' ECS, running a staggering 90 minutes early. This superb lighting didn't last long, with the sun disappearing into that huge encroaching mass of black cloud less than a minute after the train had passed. The 'Queen of Scots' coaching stock easily represents the most interesting and varied rake of passenger stock on the national network, with the leading three vehicles here being the most interesting. Directly behind the locomotive is the LNWR 1892 built observation saloon, followed by the superb teak finished GNR family saloon (1912), behind which is LNWR 1891 built dining car.

37516 & 37676 Loch Rannoch pass Damery on 23 June 2012 with the Spitfire Railtours 1Z37 05:00 Birmingham International to Penzance 'Kernow Explorer' railtour. Unfortunately the early sunshine had been replaced by dense cloud. However, if you think this looks bad, the following railtour hauled by 55022 passed in unbelievably grim conditions. Both specials were heading for Cornwall for the Mazey Day celebrations.

The obvious place to get a picture of the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z37 'Cattal Grid' railtour on 1 August 1995 was passing through Cattal station. So here are 37517 & 37095 slowing for the token exchange at the eponymous station with what is obviously the 'Cattal' part of the tour. The 'Grid' part was the York to Newcastle section behind 56006. The 37s worked round the Harrogate loop, and 90020 was provided for the Kings Cross to York and return sections.

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.

37518 makes a good old racket as it climbs the bank at Heap Bridge on 3 July 2011 with the 2J64 10:06 Rawtenstall to Heywood service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala. It certainly looks good in the classic Railfreight red stripe livery, and certainly a lot better than when I last saw it on the Nene Valley Railway!

37518 crosses the M66 motorway at Heap Bridge on 3 July 2011 as it works the 2J71 11:15 Heywood to Rawtenstall service, during the East Lancashire Railway's Diesel Gala. Although this was only a last minute decision to take this picture, I think the composition works really well. The unexpected sight of a Class 37 above the road traffic makes for an interesting picture, although a few less lamp posts in the foreground would have improved things!

37521 approaches Llanwrda station, on the Central Wales Line with the very lightly loaded diverted 06:00 Llanwern to Margam (via Craven Arms) steel coils on 27 May 1996. Despite the miniscule load, it was obviously felt worthwhile to run this train via such a massive detour. The short direct route was closed for Bank Holiday engineering works. Llanwrda had a passing loop until 1965, but since then all trains use the former northbound platform. This picture is taken from the disused former southbound platform.

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.

Definitely not the picture I had in mind! 37601 Class 37-'Fifty' leads the 1Q13 10:02 Didcot to Didcot via Bristol Network Rail radio survey train past Knighton on 29 September 2011. 37611 is on the rear. I had carefully chosen this viewpoint to show the autumnal teasels and brambles in the foreground. What I had not planned for was the 1L50 10:31 Cheltenham to Paddington HST putting in an appearance as the background!

Running thirty minutes late after a lengthy sojourn in Ufton loop, 37601 Class 37-'Fifty' runs alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal at Crofton on 30 September 2011 with the 1Q13 10:15 Didcot to Derby RTC (via Taunton and Reading) Network Rail radio survey train. 37611 is bringing up the rear. Although an amazingly hot day for late September, there is still enough of a breeze to spoil the chance of a perfect reflection!

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.

37602 & 37069 approach Oxford with the Spitfire Railtours 1Z44 06:49 Crewe to Weymouth 'Wessexman' railtour on 23 May 2009. Even though the tour was running a couple of minutes late, the 11 minute booked stop at Oxford was not taken. Although a gloriously sunny morning, the first signs of clouds can be seen in the background, which would cause problems later in the day.

37602 heads along the down relief line at Denchworth on 17 August 2009 with the 1Z12 08:57 Derby to Bristol Temple Meads (via Oxford and Newport) Network Rail radio survey test train. 37218 is on the rear of the train, partly hidden by the signal gantry. Running twenty minutes early at this point, it was presumably going to combine the two short layovers in the loops at Steventon and Challow into one long wait at Challow!

37602 passes Baulking in a lucky patch of sun on 17 August 2009 with the 1Z12 08:57 Derby to Bristol Temple Meads (via Oxford and Newport) Network Rail radio survey test train. 37218 can be seen on the rear of the train. Having already seen the train at Denchworth, there was plenty of time for this second shot, as it waited in Challow loop for 45 minutes.

37603 & 37601 make easy (but noisy!) work of the 1 in 37 Lickey Incline on 13 July 1996 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 07:24 Bristol Temple Meads to Doncaster 'Yorkshire Doodle Dandy' railtour. The perfect combination of a clean pair of 37s and excellent lighting complete with dark clouds in the background. As was fairly common in those days this was a multi traction tour with Classes 31, 56, 58 & 60 being employed at some stage during the day.

37603 & 37604 pass Aynho Junction 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

On a typically dull Scottish day, with the mountains in the background disappearing into the cloud, 37604 sweeps round the reverse curves on Rannoch Moor as it approaches the remote Rannoch station with the 7D54 11:58 Fort William Alcan Works to Coatbridge aluminum ingots on 4 September 2000. There aren't many places on the rail network where you can take a picture like this with the track snaking in both directions directly above the locomotive!

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.

37607 speeds past Banbury Stone Terminal with the 1Z12 08:30 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road Network Rail test train on 21 September 2009. As is often the case with these workings, this was running 15 minutes early. In view of this I had taken the precaution of arriving in plenty of time! 37608 can just be seen on the rear of the train. There was very little sign of activity in the stone depot, presumably due to the recession suppressing the demand for building aggregates.

37607 & 37611 make light work of the 1Q12 08:55 Derby RTC to Bristol Temple Meads radio test train on 12 September 2010, seen here passing Langley Burrell. I had seen it a little earlier at Sapperton, and due to the train having to negotiate the single track section between Kemble and Swindon and then reverse at Swindon, there was easily enough time to get to this second location. This was despite having to crawl at walking pace through the village of Langley Burrell as there was a marathon race taking place!

37607 leads the 1Q13 10:02 Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Temple Meads (via Newport, Gloucester and Newport again!) Network Rail Radio Survey Train past Minsterworth on 6 April 2011, with 37611 on the rear. What I presume is a wild pear tree provides a convenient foreground frame to the picture. Note the typical wispy high cloud associated with settled high pressure.

37607 speeds past the site of Wootton Bassett station on 8 April 2011 with the 1Q13 09:08 Bristol Temple Meads to Derby RTC Network Rail Radio Survey Train. 37611 is on the rear of the train. This was supposed to be the first of a series of pictures I would take of this train during the day, but in the event severe technical problems with 37611 saw its itinerary effectively curtailed a few miles up the line at Swindon. The junction in the background is where the Badminton 'cut off' route swings in from the right to join the original Great Western Mainline.

How's this for an unusual headboard! The 'Dead Pigeon Express' passes Wolvercote on 2 September 2011, led by 37607 & 37608, with 47841 out of sight on the rear. This is actually of course the Cruise Saver Express 1Z59 05:45 Glasgow to Southampton Eastern Docks private charter, which has picked up its unautorised passenger en-route. It is obviously a northern pigeon, as it was already hitching a ride near Preston! As I had photographed this train at this location exactly one month before, I thought I would re-use the location, in view of the different traction. I rightly guessed that although the shadows would be lengthening after a month, the fact that it was booked to pass thirty minutes earlier would compensate. In the event it was running ten minutes late.

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.

A location which I have meaning to use for some time, but unfortunately in slightly mistier conditions than I would have liked. 37608 & 37069 have just passed Standish Junction on 6 April 2012 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z26 05:16 Exeter St Davids to Penrith 'Easter Chieftain' railtour, part of a four day land cruise to Oban and Stranraer. The sun had only just risen sufficiently to light the fields in the foreground, as Haresfield Beacon on which I am standing was casting a huge shadow! At least St Nicholas's church at Standish stands out well in the early morning light.

Making a fantastic racket that could be heard for several minutes before they came into view, 37608 & 37601 Class 37-'Fifty' storm past Steeple Aston on 2 May 2012 with the Cruise Saver Express 1Z75 05:51 Edinburgh to Southampton Docks boat train. After the previous week's fiasco, when the failure of both 47841 & 47818 resulted in the train being over four hours late, DRS obviously thought that a pair of 37s would be a better bet to actually get the train to the ship on time! 47810 is out of sight on the rear of the train, to act as a draw back loco at the docks, and to provide ETS. I usually walk to this remote location from the village of Lower Heyford, but on this occasion, purely on a whim, I decided to park the car in Steeple Aston and take the footpath from there. This turned out to be an excellent move, as the fields between Lower Heyford and the railway were flooded, after several days of heavy rain. The local farmer told me that it was over two feet deep in places!

For a short period in 2000, pairs of DRS Class 37s were used on coal trains in south west Scotland. Unfortunately I only managed to get one picture of these workings, and in typically gloomy Scottish weather. However, due to the novelty value of a pair of DRS blue 37s on HAA hoppers, this poor result will have to suffice. The one consolation is that the weather was even worse further north by the look of the dark clouds over the Lowther Hills in the background. 37609 & 37607 pass Cample on 6 September 2000 with the 6M04 14:30 Ayr to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station MGR.

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.

37609 & 37606 speed past Stanley Downton on 9 June 2012 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z20 05:37 Crewe to Parkandillack '3-2-C' railtour. Running exactly to time, it unfortunately did not pass me in one of the infrequent sunny spells. However, at least it was brightish, and that Class 150 unit more or less got out of the way!

With silver buffers added by 'Special Arrangement', 37610 & 37612 pass Barton-under-Needwood on 16 August 1997 with the 4O31 15:16 Leeds to Southampton freightliner. This was the first occasion that a pair of DRS 37/6s were used on this train, which was intended as a four week trial of DRS traction. The test was obviously successful, as DRS 37s continued on this train for a while, although sometimes with only a single locomotive.

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.

37611 & 37607 pass Sapperton with a single Network Rail radio test coach on 12 September 2010, whilst working the 1Q12 08:55 Derby RTC to Bristol Temple Meads. Even with this featherweight load the distinctive English Electric racket could be heard long before it came into sight, proving just how steep the gradient is at this point. As the train was running 15 minutes early, and would have to be held at Kemble until a down passenger train cleared the single line section to Swindon, there was easily enough time to get a second shot at Langley Burrell. This was despite the fact that it was a fair walk back to the car from this spot up a very steep and heavily overgrown footpath.

After already having visited Newport once earlier in the day, the Network Rail Radio Survey Train heads back to Wales on 6 April 2011 with the 1Q13 10:02 Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Temple Meads (via everywhere), seen here passing Churcham. An exceedingly grubby 37611 is leading, with 37607 on the rear. Just visible in the distance on the left is the spire of Highnam church.

Definitely worth stopping, looking and listening! 37611 & 37069 sandwich track inspection coach 999508 as they pass Culham with the 2Q88 08:20 Didcot to Banbury test train on 27 April 2011. Routed via Severn Tunnel Junction and then back to Didcot, the train had passed this spot a little earlier en-route to Oxford. This is the Oxford to Didcot return, shortly to be followed by another run in the opposite direction, through Oxford to Banbury, where it would stable in readiness for the following day's trip to Derby RTC.

37611 passes the abundant hawthorn blossom at Bourton on 26 May 2012, as it speeds eastwards with the 1Q13 09:30 Exeter Riverside to Didcot Network Rail radio survey train, running exactly to time. Classmate 37601 Class 37-'Fifty' brings up the rear.

With a bizarre mixed rake of stock, 37612 & 37259 approach Radley on 31 August 2012 with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 06:02 Tame Bridge Parkway to Kingswear 'Dartmouth Flyer' railtour. The re-skinned nose of 37612 has certainly not improved the look of the front end, and is definitely not very smooth, with the early morning light showing up numerous ripples and dents. However, this was obviously not helped by what happened later on. Somewhere between here and Swindon, 37612 managed to hit a large bird (my money is on one of the notoriously stupid Wood Pigeons!), resulting in some more colour being added to the front end.

37667 Meldon Quarry Centenary hardly has the most appropriate name for this Scottish working. It is paired with 37520 on 8 August 2000, working the 7D60 15:00 Fort William to Mossend Enterprise, seen here accelerating away from Tulloch. With two locomotives on such a featherweight load the acceleration ought to be quite rapid!

37667 Meldon Quarry Centenary passes Yarnton (near Oxford) on 2 June 2004 with the 18:28 Didcot to Bescot departmental working, following right behind 37174 on the 6M65 18:16 Didcot to Carlisle Enterprise service. Both these trains were booked for Class 66 haulage but would often turn up whatever Didcot wanted to be rid of! To get both Class 37 hauled as late as 2004 was definitely unusual and all the more impressive to get both in sunshine!

Watched by a gallery of well over thirty photographers, 37667 & 37510 round the curve on the approach to Wellingborough at Kangaroo Spinney with the 6Z70 10:14 Sheerness to Stockton scrap empties on 23 April 2010. Perfect lighting was helped by a little late running, which made sure the sun was fully on the nose.

37667 passes Frisby-on-the-Wreake on 2 April 2013 with the 1Z23 10:50 Derby RTC to Cambridge T&RSMD. Track recording coach 977974 and 97304 John Tiley make up the diminutive train. The bridge in the background carries the line over the River Wreake, which of course explains the latter part of the nearby village's name. The first part has nothing to do with flying discs!

37668 pulls away from Parkandillack with the morning china clay trip working to Carne Point on 21 April 1998. The train was visible across the fields for some distance as I approached and I was a little concerned that it would depart before I got to the bridge, which after a long drive from Oxfordshire would not have been very amusing! However, all was well and I had a while to wait while the loco did a spot of shunting. And before anyone asks, I had nothing to do with the recently felled tree on the left!

After seeing 37668 leave Parkandillack with the china clay trip working to Carne Point on 21 April 1998, a quick dash was made round the corner to the bridge at Treviscoe, where this picture of the train passing the English China Clay Kernick Dries was taken. Classic traction, interesting train, but unfortunately miserable weather!

A sight to gladden the heart of any classic diesel enthusiast, but it can only be guessed what the highly conservative steam enthusiasts thought! GWR Hall class 4-6-0 4936 Kinlet Hall's inaugural main line run did not go at all well on 17 June 2000 and diesel assistance was required for the return working from Didcot. The Vintage Trains Birmingham Snow Hill to Didcot special had traveled outward via Cheltenham and was due to return via Banbury. However, leaking tubes and injector troubles to say nothing of a hot axlebox on the tender resulted in 37668 being added at Didcot. This unusual combination is pictured approaching Wolvercote Junction.

37669 is just about to pass underneath the Tamar Bridge on 26 September 1993 as it passes the Royal Naval Armaments Depot at Ernesettle with the British Rail InterCity 1Z37 11:45 Bere Alston to Plymouth 'Royal Duchy' railtour. Just visible on the rear of the train near the roadway leading to the landing stage is 37413, which had led the outward leg of the tour.

22 July 1995 marked the final booked use of a pair of Class 37s on the famous Burngullow to Irvine 'Silver Bullet' china clay tanks (although they are obviously not quite so silver by this date!). With appropriate headboard, which reads: 'Last Silver Bullet Syphons', 37670 St Blazey T&RS Depot & 37669 pass Pilning with the 6B68 09:40 Burngullow to Alexandra Dock Junction. The train would work forward to Scotland the following day with 60037 as the 6S55 17:00 Alexandra Dock to Irvine.

37671 Tre Pol and Pen is pictured in its home county on 30 March 1996 as it crosses Tregoss Moor with the Pathfinder Tours 1Z37 08:15 Cardiff Central to Newquay 'Cornish Raider' railtour. Classmate 37412 can just be seen on the rear of the train. A passing local recommended this viewpoint and as it was only a short distance from the road I thought there would be no problem. Unfortunately it was the most difficult few hundred yards of walking I have ever undertaken! The gorse bushes were growing on a mix of springy heather and very deep water filled gullies.

Visiting Railfreight Distribution 37673 passes Waterside Caravan Park at Goodrington on the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway with the 11:00 Paignton to Kingswear service on 20 June 1993, during the line's Diesel Gala. A slightly odd combination of traction and rolling stock!

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!

On 7 December 1988 I travelled down to the West Country specifically to photograph 50149 on the 10:45 Heathfield to St Blazey trip freight. As it had been a very reliable performer on the working for several weeks, I was not very impressed when 37674 turned up instead (pictured here rounding the curve at Aller). Of course the intervening years have changed my mind slightly!

37674 Saint Blaise Church 1445-1995 & 37375 approach Wolvercote Junction on 13 August 2003 with the 6M28 18:23 Didcot to Bescot departmental working. This train was already booked for Class 66 haulage, so to get a 37 on it was by this time getting less likely. To get a pair was definitely a bonus, although unfortunately the weather wasn't playing ball. Luckily the train is moving so slowly at this point that 1/250sec shutter speed was all that was needed.

37675 William Cookworthy & 37673 pass the boarded up signal box at Exminster on 22 April 1988 with the 6B43 15:35 St Blazey to Gloucester Speedlink service. Although only a short train, this true mixed traffic working contains an amazing seven different types of wagon. Both locos were allocated to Laira at the time and were regularly paired on this working. Nowadays in the health and safety obsessed age the lead locomotive would probably be failed for having a non working headlight!

37676 approaches the site of Coalpit Heath station with the 6V14 07:30 Hull Saltend to Baglan Bay acetic acid on 23 April 1998. Unfortunately not a technically very brilliant picture as it was taken on a very dull day. However, this view is only possible on such a dull day as it is taken from the north side of the line.

6 November 2011 saw the rare appearance of a pair of Class 37s on the Cotswold Line. 37676 Loch Rannoch & 37685 Loch Arkaig worked the Spitfire Railtours 1Z27 10:30 Exeter to Preston 'Jorvic Explorer III' railtour, seen here passing Shorthampton. Unfortunately they passed me in the worst of all possible lighting conditions - a dense patch of cloud on a partially sunny day. The awful sludge brown livery that these locos are painted in looks bad enough in good light, but in these conditions it looks terrible. Considerable work in Photoshop has been required even to achieve this barely adequate record shot.

Superb late afternoon lighting at Cambois 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!

Much building work is in evidence at Southall on 22 June 1991 as 37682 & 37685 pass through the station with the Class 37 Group 1Z21 07:58 Manchester Piccadilly to Brentford Goods 'Brentford Bard' railtour. Luckily the station canopy hides much of the train which is composed of the awful Pilkington liveried Mk1 set which disfigured so many railtours in the early 1990s.

37682 & 37194 are hardly overstretched as they pass Coaley with the 6M67 14:05 Bridgwater to Crewe nuclear flask on 2 August 2010. Notorious for running early, this passed me just a few minutes after the booked departure time! Unfortunately the earlier sunny start to the day had not lasted, and by the time this train appeared the lighting was really grim.

37682 & 37409 Lord Hinton make a fine sight (and sound!) as they pass South Moreton on 8 March 2011 with the 5Z47 07:45 Crewe to Eastleigh ECS. I had originally intended to photograph this just around the corner at Didcot North Junction, but as the train was nearly two hours late leaving Crewe, the lighting would not have been ideal. In the event the 37s managed to claw back some time, being only approximately 90 minutes late at Didcot. Note the variety of liveries in the train!

37685 passes Uffington on 18 September 2010 with the Vintage Trains 1Z57 09:20 Solihull to Plymouth 'Down Devonian' railtour. Although basically a positioning move to get the stock down to the West Country, Vintage Trains commendably sold tickets for the journey, with participants being able to return via First Great Western services. I had deliberately chosen this location, as it is just about the only spot on the Didcot to Swindon line where the sun would be on the nose at the booked time. The train was incidentally running exactly to time at 11:36.

37685 passes Yarnton in the rain on 27 September 2010 with the Vintage Trains 1Z58 09:30 Plymouth to Solihull 'Up Devonian' railtour. Unfortunately the weather was the complete opposite to when the loco took the coaches south just over a week before. However, as I was virtually passing this spot en-route to Oxford anyway, it was well worth standing in the rain for a few minutes. This location is rather restricted with foliage, but a head on shot helps to disguise the West Coast Rail 'sludge brown' livery. It also seems that I only use this spot in terrible weather, as the last time I was here was on an equally wet day for a picture of 66567. Note that the milepost has been replaced since 2008!

37685 & 37676 Loch Rannoch storm past Fiddington on 26 March 2011 with the Spitfire Railtours 1Z41 06:42 Weston-super-Mare to Holyhead 'Holy Oakes' railtour. A miserably dull morning, with mist in the background is definitely not the best conditions in which to photograph a pair of West Coast maroon liveried locos! 57601 in similarly drab livery is on the rear of the train. In the still early morning air the train could easily be heard leaving Cheltenham, over five miles away!

37685 Loch Arkaig brings up the rear of the Royal Scotsman 1Z30 14:59 Bath to Oxford 'Grand Tour of Britain' luxury charter on 12 July 2011. 57001 is at the head of the train. The train is just approaching the site of Wantage Road station (just in front of the bridge), where it is booked to stop for twenty minutes to allow service trains to overtake. Note the tall telecoms tower which now ruins pictures taken from the bridge in the background.

Spot the track! 37688 slowly negotiates the undergrowth as it approaches one of the many level crossings on the Dungeness Branch with the Hertfordshire Railtours 1Z92 10:14 Finsbury Park to Dungeness 'Dungeness Pebbledasher' railtour. Although the track on the line is a little lacking in maintenance, this location at Brenzett is definitely in need of a visit from the weedkilling train!

In superb lighting, which was only to last another five minutes, 37688 Kingmoor TMD & 37510 pass Wistow Road near Kibworth Harcourt on 3 February 2011 with the 6Z50 09:25 Stockton to Sheerness scrap train. Clouds were already rolling in from the west and I was glad that the train was only running a few minutes late. Note how black it is looking over the Leicester area in the background. Given that this is one of the better locations on the Midland Mainline, I was amazed that I was the only photographer present to witness this spectacle!

37694 runs along the down relief line at Marshfield on 27 August 1998 with a short ballast train. Just short enough to fit in the gap in the bushes! Even this formerly wide open vista is now affected by uncontrolled lineside vegetation.

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!

37696 & 37695 pass Stoke Orchard on 22 July 1995 with the 6V70 08:50 Bescot to St Blazey china clay empties. A sadly missed and much photographed train, not least because it ran on a Saturday morning at a perfect time for the best possible lighting.