Special Scottish Themed Issue
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Issue 135 Oct - Dec 2008 www.c37lg.co.uk The official magazine of the Class 37 Locomotive Group Special Scottish themed issue IN THIS ISSUE: Clearing the Earwax Out! Review of the Bo’ness Diesel Gala Kyle Line pictorial in 3 decades Memories of Eastfield Depot in ’80s 37s on the Royal Scotsman trains Price: £3.00 The Class 37 Locomotive Group Correspondence address: 60 Babylon Lane Anderton Issue 135 Nr Chorley Lancs, PR6 9NW Volume 2 Elected Committee and contact details: 04/08-MG Mick Parker Chairman, Treasurer and Website Manager Email: [email protected] Mick Sasse Vice-chair and BYOT lottery co-ordinator Oct to Dec Email: [email protected] 2008 Mick Chester Technical Officer (37003 work parties co-ordinator) Email: [email protected] Stuart Watson Technical Officer Email: [email protected] Mike Millward Membership Secretary Email: [email protected] Ian Simpson Sales & Fundraising Officer and Archivist Email: [email protected] If you supplied us with your email address when you joined the group, you will have been invited to join the Members’ Forum. Feel free to contact the Committee via the forum. If you are not a member of the forum IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU JOIN as forum members receive group news before anyone else. Email Mick Parker directly, giving him your name, address and membership number and he will add you to the forum. General enquiries and any ‘gen’ for inclusion on our website www.c37lg.co.uk can also be sent to the Editor or to Mick Parker. Mick also deals with any enquiries regarding the website. FRONT COVER: The first-ever Royal Scotsman luxury land cruise train was run during May 1985, with a mix of stock including the ‘Queen of Scots’ rake, Large Logo livered 37183 did the honours (and was the dedicated loco for a while) the first outing was decorated with large Royal Scotsman headboard, stands at Taynuilt with Oban-Fort William portion on 30th May, 1985. Peter Robinson Syphon! logo created by Owen Hodgson of the AC Loco Group - thanks! Magazine editor: Mark Grimes - [email protected] Copyright: Class 37 Locomotive Group Page 3 ‘SYPHON!’ no. 135 - CONTENTS Pages 4 - 6: EDITORIAL & NEWS and LOCO FLEET UPDATE Introduction from the ‘Syphon!’ Editor, first results of the new BYOT, Committee news and general update of Group’s locos 37003 and 37175 (3 pages of them!). Pages 7 - 8: CLEARING THE EARWAX OUT! Mike Millward provides an insight into what it was really like when 37s blasted out of Glasgow Queen Street and into that tunnel… Pages 9 - 10: REVIEW OF THE BO’NESS & KINNEIL AUTUMN DIESEL GALA Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway Autumn Diesel Gala which took place on Sept 27/28 with 37025 and 37175, plus the appeal to help put 37025 back on the mainline. Page 11: ‘SYPHON!’ PICTORIAL - FEATURE ON THE KYLE OF LOCHALSH LINE The scenic Kyle line, popular with many, with a pictorial of three decades of 37s on the line, showing evolution from steam-heat to ETH examples. Pages 12 - 13: ‘SYPHON!’ PICTORIAL (CENTRE PAGES) - 37s ON THE ROYAL TRAIN Superb shot of immaculate InterCity livered pair 37251 ‘The Northern Lights’ and 37152 working the Royal Train at Achallander, on the West Highland Line. Pages 14 - 15: ‘SYPHON!’ PICTORIAL - MEMORIES OF THE EASTFIELD DEPOT One to stir up memories: the legendary Eastfield depot, where once upon a time you could visit and wander around the place to your liking! Pages 16 - 20: ROYAL SCOTSMAN THROUGH THE YEARS Probably the best known luxury land cruise train in Scotland, the Royal Scotsman, started operations in 1985 and still going strong, had Class 37s as main traction for many years and is reviewed here. Page 21: ‘SYPHON!’ PICTORIAL - THE FAR NORTH LINE IN 1986 Freight, engineer and passenger trains north of Inverness featured here. Pages 22 - 23: VARIOUS BITS Usual bits: Caption Contest, Publicity Exchange, Sales & preview of next issue! Page 24: BACK COVER PHOTOGRAPH Once upon a time when ScotRail sleeper trains were in the hands of pair of 37s, this fine study shows 37175 and 37685 working ‘The Royal Highlander’ with pair of 12CVSTs shattering the peace and solitude of Cairngorms at Avielochan. CONTRIBUTORS TO ISSUE 135 (articles and photographs): Bob Avery, Scott Borthwick, Stephen Brown, David Burrell, Gerard Fletcher, Mark Grimes, Anthony Hicks, Nigel Holden, Peter Holden, Alan Lea, Mike Millward, Peter Robinson, Mick Sasse, Matt Stoddon, Stu Watson & Steve Wells. DO YOU HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH OR STORY TO TELL? The ‘Syphon!’ magazine relies on contributions from fellow enthusiasts, if you have photos that you would like to see printed, and/or have an interesting story to share with us, then please get in touch with Editor! The Editor can’t do everything possible to fill the pages in, so please keep them coming in! (We are particularly interested in BR-era stories). Thanks. So if you have any submissions for ‘Syphon!’, please send them by email (contact detail on page 2). Articles sent via email should be sent in MS Word format and pictures as JPEG attachments in MB size (more pixels the better for picture quality). Page 4 EDITORIAL & NEWS 29th September 2008 Dear members and supporters, Scottish-themed Syphon When you turn over and (we hope!) enjoy the read, you’ll see this issue is a first for ‘Syphon!’: it is fully themed on 37s in Scotland. The editor would welcome suggestions for future themes. Revamped Group website now live! After literally well over several minutes of work by your esteemed committee, we can now bring you the refurbished, re-bogied, ETH-fitted, large-logo Group website (but still of course with a trusty EE12CSVT at its heart…). What’s new? Well, we haven’t messed it about for the sake of it – the site’s still, we’re pretty confi- dent, the number one class 37 resource on the tinterweb. You’ll still find up-to-the minute workings for the active class members, gen on the railtours and pres events where you can still enjoy live Syphonage, photos of every class member, and the most detailed fleet history around – but we’ve enhanced this with more back- ground information about the history and technology that made the English Electric Type 3. 1) The very latest updates on 37003 and 37175 – the work we’ve done on them, and the work they’ve done for us (every train they’ve worked is there!) 2) The brand-new on-line version of our sales stand: with all our range of DVDs, books, enamel badges, and exclusive LG merchandise – check back regularly as lots of new items are coming! 3) Pages allowing to join the Group, renew your membership, donate all of your dosh (even when doing your ordinary on-line shopping!), and sign up for the Buy Your Own Tractor Lottery. So why not wander over to www.c37lg.co.uk and have a look around next time you’re on-line? Spitfire Railtours We’ve negotiated a discount with Spitfire Railtours for our Group members to book seats on their ‘Christmas Cracker’ trip, bringing a pair of Class 37s to Newcastle on Saturday 29th November, contact Mick Parker [email protected] for details. Our sales team will also be onboard (see ‘Committee News’ on next page). Previous issue - corrections Despite checking and proof reading, ‘gremlins’ crept into the last issue... the Arriva article referred to 37405’s first duty on the Harrogate commuter run as 5C72; it should read 2C72. The photograph of 37408 and 37411 at York was noted as on 19th July 2004; in fact it should have been 19th June 2004. On the back cover, the Arten Gill viaduct photograph was shown as being Page 5 of the 15.32 (SO) Carlisle to Leeds; the service actually continued to York. Finally, in the caption corner answers, Peter Holden was credited; it should have been Nigel Holden (there are two members with same surname! - Ed.). Apologies for these slight errors. Thank you for your support, Mark Grimes ‘Syphon!’ Editor, Class 37 Locomotive Group Email: [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________ The new ‘Buy Your Own Tractor Lottery’ - first results in! We’ve been really pleased with the response to the BYOT lottery, with well over 50 locos having found loving homes with C37LG members! The first draw took place in September, and the lucky winners were… First prize: Ian Simpson, winning £14.40 Runner-up prize: Barry Wetherell, winning £7.20 Both have assured us that their new-found riches will not change them as people, notwithstand- ing that the exceptionally classy official winners’ certificates will undoubtedly make them the envy of their neighbourhoods. If you’d like to join the rush, we’ve got loads of locos (including some real beasts!) still available at only a pound a throw - a quick e-mail to [email protected] with your desired numbers will bring you the full gen. Finally, our sincere thanks to all those who are taking part - it’s a valuable source of regular income for us, and we really appreciate it. ___________________________________________________________________________ Committee news A new arrival - and a new title! First of all, we’d like to announce that Ian Simpson has been welcomed onto the Committee. His role is to be twofold: as Sales & Fundraising Officer he’ll be using his considerable skills and experience in marketing and in raising funds for rail preservation to raise our profile and develop our financial position to help us achieve greater long-term goals. Ian’s also agreed to take on the role of “Archivist” - this is to help us consolidate the “educational” side of our mission, as the main information resource on the Class 37 locomotive and its place in railway history.