Monday 1 January 2018

37025 McPet on New Year's Day 2018


The Scottish Thirty-Seven Group's 37025 Inverness TMD, "McPet" based at Bo'ness, and leased to Colas Rail, spent Christmas and New Year stabled at Eastleigh Works. For New Year's Day, it worked to Woking as 3Z39 10:06 Eastleigh Arlington (Zg) - Woking Up Yard Recp, but in practice running one hour later. My first encounter with this Scottish locomotive in the South, and very appropriate for New Year.

Also with Scottish connections is coach 9702, from the Edinburgh - Glasgow push-pull period, starting in 1979, and 'Royal Scotsman' liveried 66743 was noted in the sidings at Eastleigh.

The Ultrasonic Test Train consist was 37025 + 6262 + 96609 + 6264 + 999606 + 9702. It is not known why there were two generator vans - both now more than 60 years old in their original brake van guise.

37025, new from Vulcan Foundry as D6725 on 31st August 1961, leads the train between the works and the station at Eastleigh.

Earlier the locomotive is seen in preparation at Eastleigh Works, where it was stabled through the Christmas holiday period.

A closer view of the locomotive, complete with Highland Rail stag symbols.

999606 is Ultrasonic Test Coach UTU4, once MBSO 62356 from 4-CIG 1850, stored in June 2003.

9702 was originally Mk2f BSO 9517 the first coach to Lot 30861 completed at Derby in 1974, then converted to DBSO at Glasgow in 1979.