East Anglian Regiment class 37s

[Ashley Hill]

In 1963 three class 37s were allocated the names 1st,2nd and 3rd East Anglian Regiments. They were D6703/04/07. There is little evidence these plates were carried as those regiments were disbanded shortly after. I remember an article in RE showing the appropriate bolt holes on one of the locos. Is there any new evidence that these plates existed? Given that D226s Media plates turned up decades later could there be a lost 37 plate in some retired fitters attic?

 

[xotGD]

The gen on Class37.co.uk reckons that they all carried the names for a few months. The site has this photo of D6703 with nameplate fitted:

Class37.co.uk

 

[Ashley Hill]

Thanks for that,I was unaware of that site,neither did I realise 37003 was preserved . I wonder if they'll restore the name. Likewise I wonder if any of the 6 original nameplates still exist?

 

[Merle Haggard]

The 2nd East Anglian Regiment was formed from the Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire Regiments so it's a bit odd that the GE chose to apply the name.
I am far from interested in the military, but I'm not sure that there was a '1st'; there was a Royal Anglian Regiment, maybe this was the '1st'.

Possibly the names were removed when the errors were realised?

 

[High Dyke]

Yes, there was a 1st East Anglian Regiment.

1st East Anglian Regiment - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

As a result of the Defence Review, the 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment and the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment amalgamated on 29 August 1959 to form the 1st Battalion, 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk).

 

[David Goddard]

Further discussion here.

BR Green Class 37

Hi all I’m looking to do a BR Green respray on my 2 Hornby split headcode 37’s I’m looking for examples of loco’s to model ideally something named as I would like to add a nameplate to the side. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated even better if anyone has any reference pics feel free to ...

www.rmweb.co.uk

 

[Ashley Hill]

Further discussion here.

BR Green Class 37

Hi all I’m looking to do a BR Green respray on my 2 Hornby split headcode 37’s I’m looking for examples of loco’s to model ideally something named as I would like to add a nameplate to the side. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated even better if anyone has any reference pics feel free to ...

www.rmweb.co.uk

Thanks for this.

 

[Helvellyn]

Yes, there was a 1st East Anglian Regiment.

1st East Anglian Regiment - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

As a result of the Defence Review, the 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment and the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment amalgamated on 29 August 1959 to form the 1st Battalion, 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk).

Essentially the 1957 Defence Review saw regiments grouped together into regional brigades, with a common HQ Depot and a common cap badge. Most regiments retained their county name, even where two merged and adopted a co-joined name. But I believe the East Anglian Brigade (HQ at Bury St Edmunds) was unique in adopting 1st, 2nd and 3rd East Anglian Regiment names for the six regiments that merged into three pairs. (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Regiments, Royal Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire Regiments, and Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire and Essex Regiments). In 1964 the three Regiments merged with the Royal Leicestershire Regiment to form the first of the "Big" Regiments - The Royal Anglian Regiment, which became the County regiment for no less than ten counties (the eight named above plus Cambridgeshire and Huntingsonshire).

The Royal Anglian Regiment wouldn't be honoured until 86246 was named by BR in 1985 to mark the inauguration of electric hauled services between Liverpool St and Ipswich.

 

[GarethW]

86246 was named by the Queen Mum who famously mispronounced it as the Royal Anglican Regiment to general merriment - God bless ‘er.