‘Striking’ guest is announced for the Severn Valley Railway’s Diesel Festival in May
The Severn Valley Railway has named the first visiting locomotive for its Spring Diesel Festival, taking place 16-19 May. Class 37 37409 ‘Loch Awe’ will be joining the home fleet and additional, still-to-be-announced guests, as the SVR looks to build on the outstanding success of its diesel events in 2023. The May event will run across four days, and promises an intensive timetable of diesel traction.
‘Loch Awe’ is a universally popular and successful locomotive, with a long and continuing history in service on the main line. Recently overhauled and painted into a 1980s ScotRail livery, it will be appearing courtesy of its owner, Locomotive Services Group (LSG), with whom it works in front line service hauling premium charter trains.
“This locomotive is newly restored, and recently returned to traffic in a very striking new livery,” said Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, the SVR’s managing director. “It will be an honour to welcome 37409 to the Valley. Our event will be one of the first occasions on which it appears in this guise, and we’re very grateful to our friends at LSG, and delighted that, once again, they are giving such great support to our events.”
More than 300 Class 37s were built, the first entering service at the end of 1960, with the final locomotive delivered in November 1965. Outshopped in 1965, 37409 has run under several different numbers and was allocated largely to Wales and Scotland.
Following its recent overhaul, 37409 now carries a livery it has never previously run in. The 1980s ScotRail livery allows it to represent the second generation of the class, when they were extensively refurbished by British Rail in the 1980s.
Interestingly, a Class 37 appeared at the SVR’s first ever diesel gala, in May 1987, and class mate 37263 is already in residence at the SVR, on an extended visit from Telford Steam Railway. It will also appear at the Spring Diesel Festival.
“Our first diesel event of 2024 is shaping up to be another very attractive event,” added Gus. “We’ll be making further guest announcements in due course, and very much look forward to welcoming diesel enthusiasts to the SVR.”
