The Class 37s in Spain...

Rather than just concentrate on the 58s working in España, we should complete the story with the Class 37 information as well.

Originally fourteen 'heavyweight' Class 37s were hired to GIF in Spain for duties on construction work (see previous issues of 'Red Diamond' for full details), but there are currently only nine of these locos remaining in active service, in 2006/7 they could be found working on the construction of the new AVE high speed line between Lleida and Tarragona / Barcelona.

From the original fourteen 37/7s, we read in RD (Vol 5, Issue 2/2005) that 37802, 37885 and 37899 were reportedly cut-up following accident damage in 2002 and 2003, leaving eleven of the fleet to continue work.

Of these eleven locomotives, a further two, namely 37702 (L30) and 37888 (L31), are more recently permanently out of service with an alternator failure and a collision with a rail machine respectively (the latter resulting in 37888 suffering from a bent nose at the Number 1 end). These two locomotives are dumped in the compound of Puigverd de Lleida depot awaiting their fate.

So, over the last few years, using the remaining nine active locos, construction of the line continued. At the time of our visit in 2006, it appeared that approximately three-quarters of the Lleida-Barcelona line has been completed. 37714 (L26), 37716 (L23), 37718 (L22), 37801 (L29) and 37884 (L34) were recently reported as putting the finishing touches to the line in and around the Perafort and L'Arboc areas. It is believed that any Class 37s requiring routine maintenance will be sent north to Puigverd de Lleida depot and returned south when maintenance is complete.

The remaining four locos, 37703 (L25), 37799 (L27), 37800 (L33) and 37883 (L28) could be found on the recently-constructed 'Vilafranca del Penedes' depot waiting to start work at the southern end of the new line. (The civil engineering works are still ongoing before tracks can be laid on the trace). This depot was in the final stages of commissioning before work started later that year.

Liveries: All the 37s are painted in the two-tone blue livery of GIF. The machines currently out working were looking a little work-stained, whereas those awaiting work, at Vilafranca, looked immaculate. As the GIF company is now part of Adif, the ‘GIF’ lettering has been peeled off the bodysides but can still be seen on some examples. Photography of the locomotives is best either first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon as the sun overhead obscures the black bogies!

 

Class 37 Summary (pool WZKS):

BR No. ‘L’ No.   BR No. ‘L’ No.   BR No. ‘L’ No. 37702 L30   37718 L22   37883 L28 37703 L25   37799 L27   37884 L34 37714 L26   37800 L33   37888 L31 37716 L23   37801 L29

 

The locations (between Lleida and Tarragona / Barcelona)…
Note: This line is now pretty much complete so be careful to plan your trip carefully

Puigverd de Lleida depot is located south-east of Lleida itself, just off the N240 and is about 90km from Tarragona / 170km from Barcelona, so is quite a hike – about 2 and a half hours’ drive. This depot, which looks like it was once a full base, appears to be largely abandoned. The site, when open (not very often), is heavily guarded with armed guards. 37702 and 37888 can be seen from the depot entrance fence if the gates are shut (but you will need a strong telephoto lens to zoom in). Alternatively you can walk round the wire-mesh perimeter fence to get a slightly better view.

Perafort is north of Tarragona, again just off the N240. Here 37801 was ballasting around the new station area which was being constructed. With a load of just four ballast hoppers, the loco was almost always on the move (and was the only Class 37 that we saw working on our entire trip!), albeit the distance it covered was only a few hundred yards at a time! As this is a building site it is advisable to stay out of the complex, but the loco could be seen from the track-side fences and easily photographed.

At L’Arboc, approximately 70km from Barcelona, the AVE lines run parallel to the classic line from Barcelona to Tarragona. Like Perafort, this location was pretty much complete at the time of our visit with what looks like the foundations of a station being built here.

Vilafranca del Penedes depot is a new construction base, still in the process of being commissioned. The base is in the town after which it is named, which is off the AP-7/E-15 and N340 roads, approximately half way between Barcelona and Tarragona. The base takes a bit of finding, but is easily spotted from the road with its big blue shed and huge ballast stockpile!

 

Additional information

It helps if one of your party members can speak a bit of Spanish! These trips take you into ‘proper’ Spain where very few people speak or understand English. You should also be prepared to be stopped by the Spanish Civil Guard, or the local police, and questioned about your activities!

Following on from the dreadful train bombing in Madrid a few years ago, as well as the recent Metro crash in Valencia, security on the Spanish railways is a top priority at the moment. All train stations in Spain have at least one armed guard on patrol, so if you want to do station photography, please ask for permission first.

Any photos around the depot areas must only be taken with permission from the Chief at the depot, otherwise the police may be onto you quickly and confiscate your camera equipment, so please make sure you ask for permission first. The depot supervisor may take your passport numbers down for security reference and please make sure you abide by what he says.

You used to have to apply to RENFE for a photographic permit, however more recently this has been withdrawn and no permits are required, but please remain vigilant. 

Photography on the lineside shouldn’t cause too much fuss with the locals, but again, be aware that a passing police car may stop and ask what you’re up to, but upon production of the photo permit they should go away happy! Above all, despite all these warnings, remember, it’s good fun and you can get some cracking results if you play it right!

 

 

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