August main line debut possible for ‘Slug’ 37901
WORK BY Europhoenix to reactivate Class 37/9 ‘Slug’ 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer is reaching an advanced stage, with managing director Glenn Edwards telling Railways Illustrated it should undertake a test run and be recertified at some stage during August, following completion of a bogie overhaul. During a visit to UK Rail’s Leicester Depot in late June, Railways Illustrated was shown the strippeddown bogie frames which are being completely refurbished for fitting beneath the ‘37/9’.
New wheelsets are due to be delivered from the South Devon Railway during July and these will be fitted to the refurbished bogie frames, before 37901 is lifted to exchange its existing bogies with the refurbished sets.
37901 was withdrawn from service by EWS in November 1998 and has spent much of the past two decades in the preservation sector. It has now been overhauled by Europhoenix in preparation for it becoming part of its active main line hire fleet.
The company has gained something of a niche for being able to provide Type 3 locomotives, which have a wide route availability and can be used for a variety of workings. Fitted with a Mirrlees MB275T engine, similar to – but slightly smaller than – those eventually fitted inside the Brush-built Class 60s, along with a Brush alternator, the locomotive was one of four Class 37s, 37901-904, to be so treated by BR. Two further examples, 37905 and 37906, were fitted with a Ruston RK270T engine. While both of the Ruston-fitted locomotives have survived, 37901 is the only survivor of the four Mirrlees-fitted examples.
The now-unique nature of the locomotive is not an issue to its owner, with all components common to either the Class 37 or Class 60 design. The active Europhoenix Class 37 fleet currently consists of 37510/601/608/611/800 and 37884 – all of which are on long-term hire to Rail Operations Group. However, 37901 is expected to be made available directly by Europhoenix for either short or long-term hire. 37901 was purchased with the intention of returning it to main line use by Europhoenix, whereas other Class 37s acquired at the same time – 37146/188/207 – were bought for the spares they could yield for the operational fleet. 37146 and 37188 have since been scrapped, while 37207 is also being used as a spares donor, but may be reactivated.
➔ A feature on Europhoenix will be contained in the next issue of Railways Illustrated.