Class 37 - DRS - 37716 (C)

Class 37 - DRS - 37716 (C)The unlikely story of the return to glory of 37716 and four of its compatriots from European exile and almost certain scrapping is still remarkable almost a decade a half since they were repatriated in August 2012. 14 Heavyweights were exported to Spain in mid 2001 for use with Continental Rail (GIF) for construction of the AVE (Alta Velocidad Espaa) high speed network, all gaining a light blue dark blue livery in the same style as the maroon gold

The unlikely story of the return to glory of 37716 and four of its compatriots from European exile and almost certain scrapping is still remarkable almost a decade a half since they were repatriated in August 2012. 14 ‘Heavyweights’ were exported to Spain in mid 2001 for use with Continental Rail (GIF) for construction of the AVE (Alta Velocidad España) high speed network, all gaining a light blue/dark blue livery in the same style as the maroon/gold English Welsh & Scottish Railway scheme applied to other Class 37s.

By 2011 there were just nine survivors, all out of use, and new owner DB Schenker returned six to the UK for sale while the remaining three were cut up on site. All six found buyers, Direct Rail Services taking 37703/714/716/718, while Europhoenix rescued 37800/884 from almost certain destruction at Kingsbury scrap yard.

While 37703/714 were quickly re-activated for what turned out to be short-lived shunt duties at Daventry, a little more effort was expended on 37716. After 15 months of work at RVEL Derby the Class 37/7 made its debut for DRS in the middle of the Railhead Treatment Train (RHTT) season, notably swapping its newly applied ‘Compass’ vinyls for the revised full body ‘fade’ graphics before it re-entered traffic.
37718, which had donated spares to its recovery, was scrapped the following July.

With 37703/714 loaned out to preservationists, the Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns-built former D6794 and 37094 became popular with enthusiasts as the sole DRS ‘Heavyweight’ in service and found itself employed on a wide range of the operator’s duties. These included nuclear flasks, Network Rail test trains, infrastructure trains, charters, and even the Cumbrian and East Anglian loco-hauled. In 2018 it was also hired to Victa Railfreight for Peak Forest shunting work.

37716 lasted right to the end of DRS Class 37 operation, being stored in February 2024. It was quickly sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company and lost its brandings. HNRC became Swietelsky UK in 2025 and while the locomotive is operational, it has not yet returned to the main line.