The 37116 was built at the English Electric Vulcan foundry in 1962 and originally numbered D6816. This class 37 was first allocated to Sheffield Darnall where it spent its early years working around Sheffield and various depots in the northeast. In February 1974, upon gaining BR blue livery, it was renumbered to No. 37116 and transferred to Stratford in January 1975 becoming an Eastern Region regular.
No. 37116 first gained celebrity status when it appeared at the Norwich Crown Point Open Day on the 30th May 1987, wearing a very striking variation of BR large logo blue livery with some unique embellishments. It is in this livery that our model is represented. Following overhaul at Doncaster Works the loco received the ubiquitous large logo blue, and was notably the only Class 37 in this livery to retained its original buffer-beam skirts.
No. 37116 was later transferred back to Tinsley during mid-1989 where it gained the unofficial painted name ‘Comet’. After cascading into Transrail ownership in 1996, it kept its celebrity status being repainted into a unique version of BR blue with Transrail branding but losing its buffer-beam skirts and rebuilt with flush fronts. It was also named ‘Sister Dora’. Secured for preservation and restoration by the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway in 2007, it is one of several class 37/0s currently working on the mainline for Colas Rail providing power for test trains and various duties.
