Bo'ness Spring diesel gala 2008

At 4pm on friday afternoon (the day before Bo'ness diesel gala) a start was made on giving 37175 a clean-up.

The yellow banding was cleaned first but the grey bodysides looked crap so were undercoated dark grey. This showed how much the yellow noses had faded, so these were painted along with the cab surrounds, bonnets, ploughs, buffers & bufferbeams. The roof then looked crap and so that was given a lick of grey and the filters & louvres were all painted to match the bonnets.

4.30am on Saturday and all volunteers had finally gone to bed.
Cheers chaps & chapess!

Like 37025, which looked & sounded superb, 37175 performed to the crowds throughout the weekend, with thanks to the drivers, Stuart, Baz & Al. Top thrash fellas!

Over the next few months the remaining bodywork to be renewed will be completed then the whole loco will be rubbed down before being filled, smoothed etc and given a full repaint.

Photos by Matt Stoddon unless otherwise credited

Davey Horne grinds down one of the welds to the no.1 secondman's new cabside panel	New bodywork in dark grey undercoat	Dave Shell makes a start at cleaning up no.2 end cab surrounds	Seonaid Anderson gives the bodysides a spot of dark grey undercoat
Seonaid Anderson gives the bodysides a spot of dark grey undercoat	Davey Horne cleans and repaints the buffers	Lee Sutherland cleans the yellow banding and Neil McDonald multitasks - eating pizza whilst painting the bodysides	Martin Taylor paints the nose at no.1 end whilst Dave Shell paints the ploughs & Davey Horne finishes his shift
It's now getting late and Chris Lothian paints the roof whilst Lee Sutherland paints the grilles	A pair of legs means that Chris Lothian continues to paint the roof whilst Lee Sutherland paints the grilles	Chris & Lee work wonders with the paint	37175 is a hive of activity as Martin, Chris & Lee all continue painting into the small hours of Saturday morning
Dave & Martin paint out the domino headcode	The nose end is almost done as Dave & Martin put finishing touches to the no.2 nose end	Almost finished - 37175 on the morning of Saturday 26th April	Fired up! 37175 clegs the shed out after starting up in order to move a few yards for final painting at no.2 end
Fired up! 37175 clegs the shed out after starting up in order to move a few yards for final painting at no.2 end	After moving out of the shed 37175 sits next to WCRC 47804	With a nice & shiny paint job 37175 gleams	With a nice & shiny paint job 37175 gleams
Martin Taylor puts finishing touches to the domnio panel at no.2 end	Martin Taylor puts finishing touches to the domnio panel at no.2 end	37175 comes off shed to take its first service of the day to Birkhill	With temporary D6875 number applied (because we can!) 37175 sits by Bo'ness signal box
37175 runs round at Birkhill on Saturday morning	Looking like a Bachmann model, 37175 is viewed from the overbridge at Birkhill	Heading down to join 37025 back at Bo'ness	Twin beasts - 37175 & 37025
Twin beasts - 37175 & 37025	Highland Traction pair 37175 & 26010 (D5310)	Twin beasts - 37175 & 37025	37025 viewed from the back cab of 37175 on Saturday afternoon as the pair thunder out of Bo'ness on Saturday afternoon
Sunday afternoon and 37175 is about to lead 37025 downhill from Birkhill	Clag away! 37175 moves onto the stock on Sunday afternoon	37175 heads onto the stock at Bo'ness ready for its sojourn up the branch	37175 sits on the stock on Sunday afternoon
37175 almost ready to depart Birkhill on Sunday 27th April	37175 at Bo'ness on sunday 27th April 2008 (Photo: Steve Wells)	37025 and 37175 approach Snab Bridge with the 1250 Bo'ness-Birkhill service on 27th April 2008 (Photo: Steve Wells)	37175 approaches Birkhill with the 1610 from Bo'ness on 27th April 2008 (Photo: Steve Wells)
37175 clags nicely during the run round at Birkhill on sunday 27th April 2008 (Photo: Steve Wells)