The Preservation Years - 2002
37324 in Toddington North Headshunt - 2/8/02. Photo by Kev Jarvis.
37324 received an overhauled vacuum exhauster during the early part of 2002 to replace one that was faulty and loosing oil.
The new exhauster is lowered in to the No2 nose end - 16/3/02. Photo by Kev Jarvis.
Soon afterwards the power unit returned from having its main generator repaired. It had been found that the main armature was down to earth caused by the ingress of damp. We arranged for it to be swapped with a spare that we had at a specialist electrical company in Chesterfield. Fragonset Railways kindly undertook the work of removing and refitting the generator set to the engine at their workshops in Derby.
Once the power unit was back inside the locomotive we spent the next few weeks connecting everything back up until we had a succesful start-up on March 9th. Since then, the power unit as a whole has performed well. 
37324 in Toddington Yard - 15/6/02. Photo by Kev Jarvis.
324 suffered from a succesion of niggling electrical problems that we gradually sorted out through the summer of 2002 and we also attend to a number of water leaks. The loco remained in traffic throughout this period and proved to be a popular attraction with the visiting enthusiasts.
Both 324 and 215 were heavily involved in Permanent Way duties associated with the GWR extension to Cheltenham Race Course and they were as popular as ever on Driver Experience Courses run for the general public.
The second highlight of the year was when the steam heat boiler inside 324 was succesfully coaxed back to life. This was the first class 37 to steam since the mid 1980's and an excellent 'first' for The Growler Group. Further minor repairs have continued and it is hoped to have the unit certified during 2003 so that it can be used on public services.
37324 at Cheltenham Race Course station - 14/4/02. Photo by Kev Jarvis.
A battery change was carried out during September as the loco was proving sluggish to start. All now appears to be well.
324 has also benefitted from the new inspection pit and received repairs to its brake rigging and boiler water systems whilst over the pit.