Class 37s on the Wherry lines

[absolutelymilk]

According to Wikipedia, Class 37s are still used on the Wherry lines with Mk2 coaches. I assume these would be the first to be replaced by the bi-mode 755s?

The article say that there are four 37s in use, but only 3 Mk2 coaches - I presume this is incorrect?

 

[superalbs]

I was on the Wherry Lines last Monday.

They use top-and-tail formations, so presumably two are spare?

 

[ScottDarg]

According to Wikipedia, Class 37s are still used on the Wherry lines with Mk2 coaches. I assume these would be the first to be replaced by the bi-mode 755s?

The article say that there are four 37s in use, but only 3 Mk2 coaches - I presume this is incorrect?

Info on Wiki is right I believe.

I think the locos currently at Norwich are 37405, 37422, 37425 and 37606. They work Top-and-Tail and presumably swap around every so often.

 

[E_Reeves]

I thought they stopped that for winter, or was that the 68s?

 

[E_Reeves]

I went there a while back in September. 2 on top and tail, one spare in Crown Point yard and one in the station sidings.

 

[absolutelymilk]

Are the 37s so unreliable that they need 2 spare to cover 2 trains?

 

[E_Reeves]

Why don't they use a DBSO car so then they can get rid of 2 37s?

 

[dp21]

Are the 37s so unreliable that they need 2 spare to cover 2 trains?

Yup

Why don't they use a DBSO car so then they can get rid of 2 37s?

This is because the drivers wanted a few days each extra training which wasn't deemed worth it by GA so they kept the top and tail 37s.

 

[HLE]

Shouldn’t have needed too much training on the DBSO’s.....I daresay most of the men that are passed to drive 37’s would have driven the DBSO’s when they were used on the GEML with the 86’s. Bit of a refresher...

All depends on the course though I suppose. One/two days handling and a day to pass out must be surely enough as it’s not even a loco!

 

[cj_1985]

Shouldn’t have needed too much training on the DBSO’s.....I daresay most of the men that are passed to drive 37’s would have driven the DBSO’s when they were used on the GEML with the 86’s. Bit of a refresher...

All depends on the course though I suppose. One/two days handling and a day to pass out must be surely enough as it’s not even a loco!

I'm sure I read somewhere (God knows where) that the controls in the DBSO's modified for use with DRS, that the controls were more closely modified to resemble class 37 controls

 

[dp21]

It's just what I was informed; I will try and find out some more.

 

[TheEdge]

I thought they stopped that for winter, or was that the 68s?

No, the 37s, and short hauled set in general have been a permanent feature of the GA timetable for getting on 5 years now. 68s were a short term hire to cover the loss of 170204 then hung around a bit longer to cover the refurbishments of the first few 170s until 170204 and the refurb units had their issues ironed out.

Are the 37s so unreliable that they need 2 spare to cover 2 trains?

Not really, they are miles better than the 47s ever were and don't really fall down that often, given their age and the fact they are permanently out stationed. By having 4 sat about it means if one does go its just a matter of a quick loco swap, and with both mainline and depot drivers passed on them it isn't too much of an effort to get that done.

Why don't they use a DBSO car so then they can get rid of 2 37s?

Never really understood that one, I think it was just easier all round to just leave a 37 on both ends as the drivers were trained and from an operational and passenger point of view there is no real difference in having a T&T set or running with a DBSO.

 

[HLE]

Bit quicker off the mark I suppose.

 

[159220]

The hire of DRS class 37/4 and Mk2f (odd one or two e's) is to continue until July 2019 if the franchise agreement is to be believed.
Locos modified to work under GA Safety Certification are: 37401, 403, 407 (when delivered), 419, 422, 423, 424, 425 and 716. I believe 401 is the only 37 not to be used on the Short Set (well of course 407 too).

The DBSOs were recently used as the guard coach, due to unavailability of the usual Mk2f BSO's 9521 or 9525. The DBSOs are not part of GA safety case. Nor are drivers trained. They were originally intended, but before the Northern Cumbrian contract took all availability.

The 'Short Set' requires two 37s, two standard class Mk2e/f and one guard Mk2f. There is always an additional spare 37 and mk2f. Any additional 37s at Norwich are stabling for DRS and are not available to GA.

 

[dk1]

Why don't they use a DBSO car so then they can get rid of 2 37s?

Norwich was to get DBSOs but they went to Cumbria instead. This was why Northern paid for the additional costs of top & tailing the Anglia short hauled set.

 

[dk1]

I thought they stopped that for winter, or was that the 68s?

68s where purely to cover for collision damage to 170204 & the costs incurred will be met by the insurance claim.

 

[johnnychips]

Silly question perhaps, but do both locos run the train, or does just one pull the carriages and a ‘dead’ loco?

 

[hexagon789]

Silly question perhaps, but do both locos run the train, or does just one pull the carriages and a ‘dead’ loco?

Both locos provide power, the multiple working was actually tested with two Class 47s in multiple prior to the introduction of the 37s. Needless to say the 37s go like a rocket, Lord knows what the 47s in multi were like!

 

[chubs]

They were originally intended, but before the Northern Cumbrian contract took all availability.

According to Wikipedia DRS have 5, so where are the other 3 that Northern aren't using or do they need all 5 just to provide 2 serviceable ones each day?

Interesting to see one got scrapped after the Anglia withdrawal as well, wonder why only one got scrapped and the others survived? With that said they were in a very sorry state in their final Anglia days so I'm surprised they managed to bring them back to life at all!

 

[HLE]

What happened to 37405 then?

 

[E_Reeves]

Bit quicker off the mark I suppose.

Yes, indeed. When I went on them a few months ago the driver really opened up the throttle. Never experienced so much force on a train!

 

[38Cto15E]

Yes, indeed. When I went on them a few months ago the driver really opened up the throttle. Never experienced so much force on a train!

I am thinking of taking a trip down to Norwich for a couple of days behind the 37s, do they finish duties on the Wherry Line on September 8th as frequently requested diagrams indicates?
TIA

 

[HLE]

That’ll be the summer Saturday workings. The mon-fri timetable is still scheduled to operate for the foreseeable future as far as I know

 

[38Cto15E]

Thank you HLE, September 4/5th is looking OK, if I decide to leave it later the nights draw in and I plan to finish at Lingwood around 2055 hrs.

 

[HLE]

No worries, beautiful part of the country. Never stopped in Lingwood but driven through it plenty of times.

And the Wherry Lines are like being in a timewarp with the semaphore signals and loco hauled stock.

 

[dazzler]

Both locos provide power, the multiple working was actually tested with two Class 47s in multiple prior to the introduction of the 37s. Needless to say the 37s go like a rocket, Lord knows what the 47s in multi were like!

I was down there a couple of weeks ago when 37409 and 37419 were providing power on just 2 coaches (one BSO and one SO) - went like **** off a shiny shovel!

 

[mushroomchow]

I was going to take a trip out to ride them after Bank Holiday, but it's now up in the air whether I'll get to go or not. Is it worth the journey out to Norwich for a ride? I'm thinking of binning off the plans for an overnight in Yarmouth and just driving for a day trip, but I probably won't bother if reliability is an issue like it has been in Cumbria and there's a good chance of ending up with a DMU instead.

 

[duffield]

... but I probably won't bother if reliability is an issue like it has been in Cumbria and there's a good chance of ending up with a DMU instead.

I get the impression that this isn't a big issue on the Wherry lines, unlike Cumbria. I guess it's because it's only a short flat haul which doesn't make many demands on the locos, and also as a result it's a lot easier to bring in a spare if there's a failure.

 

[sem34090]

I am set to be visiting Norfolk soon and was wondering, as a matter of interest, how many (if any) of the '37+MK2 workings have ceased to be over these lines and where I may be able to find up to date diagramming information?

I'm hoping that using this will cause me to strike lucky -
http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/locohauled24.html

 

[tim_lingwood]

I just stumbled across this thread via Google and thought i'd post a reply - my first post here so hello to all. We own the station buildings at Lingwood (purchased from BR in 1989) which we have run as a bed and breakfast since 1990. Very used to loco hauled trains running though - they've been part of Wherry Lines life for years. The 37's are a noisy pair especially when the driver is in a hurry! They run multiple times daily (none usually on Sunday) so if you do travel to ride behind them you have a very good chance. Likewise if you want a real taste of the action (literally on some occasions with the diesel fumes they kick out!) we have one room which overlooks the platform which has very good views of the line. We will be quite glad when the new trains come in (we've been told mid summer onwards) due to the noise but it really will be the end of an era for loco hauled services around here.