DRS scraps Class 37/4 as part of disposal strategy

Former Direct Rail Service 37413 was scrapped at CF Booth’s scrapyard in Rotherham in April.

The Class 37/4 was stripped of re-usable components at LORAM UK’s Derby facility, before being moved by road to Barrow Hill for further parts recovery, ahead of its final trip.

The locomotive was never used by DRS, despite being bought with the intention of returning it to traffic. It had been preserved in late 2007, and moved initially to Bo’ness. It was moved to Burton in 2011 and then on to Bury in 2014. DRS bought it in 2015, and moved it to Derby in October of that year, having also bought 37407/424 from preservation. Like those locomotives, 37413 was withdrawn by EWS in 2000, preserved and never used in preservation but, unlike those two, it is not used by DRS.

The locomotive was delivered to Cardiff Canton as D6976 on April 15 1965, and was renumbered 37276 in March 1974.

Following conversion to 37413, it was released from Crewe Works in October 1985. It was named Loch Eil Outward Bound at Eastfield on March 1 1987. It lost this name in June 1997, but was renamed The Scottish Railway Preservation Society at Bo’ness on September 30 of the same year.

DRS has been slowly disposing of its Class 37s in recent months, with 37194, 37682 and 37718 having been scrapped, and 37503/510/521, 37601/607/608/610612/667/670/688 sold. It retains 37038/059/069, 37218/259, 37401/402/405/407/409/419/422425, 37602-606/609 and 37716, although 37407 is yet to return to traffic following restoration by LORAM, and 37603 has been withdrawn and its engine removed for use with the repairs to 37407. DRS also hires 37403 Isle of Mull from The Scottish Railway Preservation Society.

RAIL understands that more Class 37s will be disposed of in the future, but these are unlikely to be from the ‘37/4’ fleet.