37676 Loch Rannoch + 37668 (+ 6310 + 3356 + 3364 + 80042 + 3325 + 3314 + 3340 + 3345 + 3333 + 1212 + 6054 + 5985)
"The Heart of Wales Explorer" - 1Z37 07:00 Eastleigh - Shrewsbury
37676 + 37668 working the train at Test Lane. Image by Ian Knight.
The train approaching Romsey led by 37676, originally delivered as D6826 from Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns on 14thMay 1963. Later 37126, until Heavy General Overhaul and conversion to 37676 in May 1987. Sold to West Coast in November 2007, and returned to traffic in 2008.
Running into the platforms at Romsey.
37668 was completed as D6957 from English Electric Vulcan Foundry in January 1965, allocated to Cardiff Canton. Later 37257, it was refurbished to 37668 at Crewe in May 1988, and allocated to Thornaby. After some seasons on Sandite duties, it was stored by EWS in December 2004 at Healey Mills, until purchase by West Coast in December 2007. Returned to traffic in July 2014.
The morning sunshine illuminates the pair of locomotives.
Generator car 6310, delivered as BG 81448 from Pressed Steel to Lot 30400 in 1958, and renumbered 975325 in 1973 when converted to a generator van for HST support.
Mk2f FO 3314 built by BREL Derby to Lot 30845 in 1973.
The Mk2f TSOs at the rear of the train were both modified with sliding window ventilation. 6054 was completed at BREL Derby to Lot 30860 in 1973-74.
5985 was built in the same lot, at a time when many new coaches were built for the West Coast electrification completed in 1974.
