37207

This is an English Electric class 37 Diesel. It was built in 1963 at the Vulcan Foundry works in Newton - Le - Willows and was numbered D6907, and originally allocated to Landore Swansea depot. In 1974 it was renumbered 37207, after the introduction of the TOPS numbering system.

In 1979 it was reallocated to Bristol Bath road depot, and in the October of 1981 the locomotive moved again, this time to Plymouth Laira depot.

In May 1982 the locomotive was named William Cookworthy at St. Austell station. This was done to celebrate the loco's connection with the china clay industry, and to commemorate the man who founded the Cornish china clay movement, which is now over two hundred and fifty years old.

William Cookworthy was transferred back to Bristol Bath Road in October 1987, and then onto Cardiff Canton in May 1988. On the first of January 1989 the engine found itself on the move again, this time to the civil engineers pool, where it was re-painted in "Dutch" yellow and grey livery, that the locomotive carried when she arrived on the Plym Valley Railway. 37207 had previously spent a weekend on a preserved line, when she was loaned to our neighbouring railway, the Paignton and Dartmouth, during an open weekend.

Around the middle of 1996, 37207 was reallocated to its last shed at Bescot. On the twenty first of November 1998 the engine in 37207 was switched off for the last time in mainline service. On Saturday the eleventh of March 2000, it touched down in its new home at the Plym Valley Railway. The engine is privately owned, and not owned by Plym Valley Railway.

So far the restoration process has seen the original diesel engine and generator lifted out by a 100 ton capacity road crane, this has enabled the engine room to be cleaned and it will be repainted before the engine is replaced. Welding up and patching of corroded parts of the body work and the replacement of cracked windows is also taking place. Whilst at Bescot the air compressors were removed, along with all the associated pipe work from the nose compartment, and these along with other missing components, have now been replaced in the nose.

A second engine and generator has now been purchased, and work is in progress to build one good engine from the two. Most of the other missing parts have now been sourced, and await to be re-fitted back into the locomotive.

The locomotive was moved into the shed at the P.V.R. in the spring of 2006 to enable work to be carried out in the dry on refurbishing the bodywork and to start painting. The diesel engines and generators have now been sent away to enable a good diesel and generator set to be made up. On their return they were craned directly back into 37207 in July. Work is still ongoing to repair the bodywork and to paint the locomotive. Corroded sections have been cut out and new plate welded back in, also some of the guttering and door frames have also been replaced. In July 2008 the engine was again lifted to enable the cooling ducting to be re-fritted between the diesel engine and generator. Work has progressed with the repairs to the bodywork and repainting. The main area of work now is to connect up the engine and generator and start testing the electrical circuits.

37207 & 37 185 in Plymouth North Road station, ready to work a rail tour to Friary and Carne Point. 08/07/84	37181 leading 37207 on failed 43027 departing Exeter St David's, past the old signal box. 05/08/84	37207 soon after arrival at the P.V.R.
Work progresses on the body work	In under coat after some body work attention	The repaired diesel engine is carefully craned back into the loco. Repairs to the bodywork are ongoing, July 2006.
37207 waits for the roof section to be craned back on.	The turbo's and inter-cooler have been re-fitted on top of the generator.	Temporarily fitted with her name plate William Cookworthy.