I remember picking up a "Please Explain" two days on the bounce for being late into New st under clear signals with a parcel train from Leicester. I spoke to one of our LDC who asked what the traction was and I told it was a 31. His reply was to not leave Leicester overloaded, which I had been on both the previous days by one GUV. So on the third day I refuse to take the train overloaded for the traction, and the station supervisor blew his top, so I received another Please Explain.. It wasn't long after that they started putting a 47 on the job. Apparently, the PE dried up after that .....Happy Days
Always loved the 31's from my train spotting days at Chadwell Heath. Also had a couple of trips over the Settle Carlisle line with one at the head of the train
Not that I knew it at the time, but my first model loco was a class 31, which was in a Hornby Freightmaster train set, bought for me by my parents in about 1971 when I was 6 or 7. It was in a blue with white lined livery with a SYP. I still have it. Now I live on the Suffolk/Norfolk border, the erstwhile Waveney Valley Line that used to run through the town where I live was a regular stomping ground for them, trundling over the line during its final years prior to closure. As I was born & bred in South Wales, class 37s were a common sight. They seemed to be lurking around every corner, coupled to a coal train! Apparently, at one time, over a third of all 37s were allocated to Cardiff Canton depot. I just love the lazy roar of their 4 stroke engines. 37s & 20s are my favourite first generation locos.
37s always have been my favourite locos. Real "do anything, go anywhere" workhorses Regarding both Laira and Inverness having an allocation of 37s at the same time, 37175 was fitted with experimental "self steering " bogies during the 1980s, initially to be trialled on the Far North lines in an attempt to reduce wear and tear on the track. This loco was later transferred directly from Inverness to Laira so that similar trials could be carried out on the Cornish branches
Would be great to know all the locations on these BR Blues videos. At 4.40 on this one is definitely Clay Cross South Junction, a few miles south of Chesterfield, it's changed beyond recognition now, as I imagine have many other of the places filmed.
What isn't mentioned on either of these two excellent videos is one of the main reasons everything was painted dark blue...it was a great colour for hiding how absolutely filthy everything usually was. Look at those newspaper vans right at the end of the video, they are so dirty they are almost black. Virtually nothing was clean inside or outside, stations semi-derelict and full of litter, clouds of diesel smoke everywhere....brings it all back.
They worked birmingham to Norwich services in the 80s as the dmus became too worn out. 31/1s on 4 or 5 mark 1s initially. By about 1984 it was all 31/4s on early mk2s as they converted a load more.. I don't recall them being hated, they have a 37 engine for one thing. Inevitably replaced with sprinters by about 1989. In the summer you could get a 31 to Leicester then jump on a pair of 20s on the Skegness summer specials, which ran every day in the summer holidays
I don't remember seeing many of the Class 31 locos. Suppose being raised on the Western Region in the London area might have something to do with it.....
it was only the power unit that had problems the locos were a good design unlike some other types which had problems everywhere,so hence the reason to stick another power unit in them,but the horsepower should have been set to 1600 hp like some of the mirlees power units were, so clearly the electrical equipment could take the extra power,so why were the ee engines downrated? because the 37s are charge airccooled,31s arent.
The Class 30 was a disaster. The Mirrlees engines were very unreliable so the entire class had the engines replaced with EE power units at great expence to the taxpayer becoming the Class 31. Hardly succesful. Overweight and underpowered with only 4 powered axles. Class 37, diesel version of a 'Black 5'. Go anywhere, do anything. Great locos.
31’s were one of the first loco’s I learned as a young driver. I always enjoyed driving them. Some nice memories there.
Good for dossing on. Comfy and warm...
@@milepost326 spent plenty of time inspecting my eyelids in the secondmans seat! 😆
I remember picking up a "Please Explain" two days on the bounce for being late into New st under clear signals with a parcel train from Leicester. I spoke to one of our LDC who asked what the traction was and I told it was a 31. His reply was to not leave Leicester overloaded, which I had been on both the previous days by one GUV. So on the third day I refuse to take the train overloaded for the traction, and the station supervisor blew his top, so I received another Please Explain.. It wasn't long after that they started putting a 47 on the job. Apparently, the PE dried up after that .....Happy Days
Always loved the 31's from my train spotting days at Chadwell Heath. Also had a couple of trips over the Settle Carlisle line with one at the head of the train
one of the best br diesels ever built more reliable than many other types.
The locomotives back then had more character than those off today's locomotives
BR Blue always will be my favourite livery
I remember the triple header 37 3s coming from south wales - quite a sight!
Brilliant set of videos with relevant commentary
Thanks
Not that I knew it at the time, but my first model loco was a class 31, which was in a Hornby Freightmaster train set, bought for me by my parents in about 1971 when I was 6 or 7. It was in a blue with white lined livery with a SYP. I still have it.
Now I live on the Suffolk/Norfolk border, the erstwhile Waveney Valley Line that used to run through the town where I live was a regular stomping ground for them, trundling over the line during its final years prior to closure.
As I was born & bred in South Wales, class 37s were a common sight. They seemed to be lurking around every corner, coupled to a coal train! Apparently, at one time, over a third of all 37s were allocated to Cardiff Canton depot. I just love the lazy roar of their 4 stroke engines.
37s & 20s are my favourite first generation locos.
37s always have been my favourite locos. Real "do anything, go anywhere" workhorses
Regarding both Laira and Inverness having an allocation of 37s at the same time, 37175 was fitted with experimental "self steering " bogies during the 1980s, initially to be trialled on the Far North lines in an attempt to reduce wear and tear on the track. This loco was later transferred directly from Inverness to Laira so that similar trials could be carried out on the Cornish branches
Class 37s still working on the mainline to this day 👍
It was also common to see Class 37's working Kyle of Lochalsh services as well for a time.
What a fantastic video! Very informative commentary throughout. Thank you for taking the time to put this together.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Would be great to know all the locations on these BR Blues videos. At 4.40 on this one is definitely Clay Cross South Junction, a few miles south of Chesterfield, it's changed beyond recognition now, as I imagine have many other of the places filmed.
I wish I'd seen 31s in action back in the day. I'm plenty old enough to have, but I grew up in Surrey and we were all about 33s, 37s and 47s 🤷♂️
What isn't mentioned on either of these two excellent videos is one of the main reasons everything was painted dark blue...it was a great colour for hiding how absolutely filthy everything usually was. Look at those newspaper vans right at the end of the video, they are so dirty they are almost black. Virtually nothing was clean inside or outside, stations semi-derelict and full of litter, clouds of diesel smoke everywhere....brings it all back.
31's with disc headcodes were awesome. Especially the toffeeapples....never saw one 😠
They worked birmingham to Norwich services in the 80s as the dmus became too worn out. 31/1s on 4 or 5 mark 1s initially. By about 1984 it was all 31/4s on early mk2s as they converted a load more.. I don't recall them being hated, they have a 37 engine for one thing. Inevitably replaced with sprinters by about 1989. In the summer you could get a 31 to Leicester then jump on a pair of 20s on the Skegness summer specials, which ran every day in the summer holidays
The 31s do have a 37 engine - but derated down to 1420hp. Therein lies the issue! Underpowered for all but a short 4 or 5 carriage consist.
@@DavidR_192 1470hp
I don't remember seeing many of the Class 31 locos. Suppose being raised on the Western Region in the London area might have something to do with it.....
Great 😊
I just hope when you get to Hoovers it's none of this '50/50 chance' comments etc,
'Pull a house down' on 37s was a good quote, though.
Some great film there mate
Thanks
Brush 2, NOT class 31. I loved the look of them the 26’s as well.
All missed now its gone for sure!
Even though I'm a fan of 31s the guy describing them as 'a success' clearly doesn't know his history - the entire class had to be re-engined!
it was only the power unit that had problems the locos were a good design unlike some other types which had problems everywhere,so hence the reason to stick another power unit in them,but the horsepower should have been set to 1600 hp like some of the mirlees power units were, so clearly the electrical equipment could take the extra power,so why were the ee engines downrated? because the 37s are charge airccooled,31s arent.
The Class 30 was a disaster. The Mirrlees engines were very unreliable so the entire class had the engines replaced with EE power units at great expence to the taxpayer becoming the Class 31. Hardly succesful. Overweight and underpowered with only 4 powered axles. Class 37, diesel version of a 'Black 5'. Go anywhere, do anything. Great locos.
How come class 31s lasted 60 years on the mainline (1957 to 2017), and 30-odd are in preservation if they were hardly successful?
@@mattapacca exactly,