Kevin is a familiar figure at Toddington and when the diesels are running, he can usually be found on the footplate of a class 37.  Kevin is a key member of the Growler Group which owns two class 37s - 37215 and 37248 which are based at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, having been given a 'warm welcome' when the Group was looking for a home.  Coming from South Wales, rugby is another passion and if not spending time 'tinkering' with class 37s, he would for sure be much more heavily involved with Newport RFC.  Kevin is a life-saver too: he reveals that he once helped save the life of a young girl injured in a hit-and-run.  Enjoy his insight into the vibrant world of one of the UK's most successful diesel classes…

My railway business card, if I had one, would say:

… Tinkerer and worshiper of all things Class 37.

I first got interested in railways because:

I was brought up close to the South Wales Main line in Newport and weaned on a diet of 37's, 37's and more 37's. I was hooked from an early age. My next door neighbour was a former top link steam driver at Ebbw Junction and he used to make me remember and then recite the names of all the stations between Swansea and Paddington in the correct order from the age of about 4. I first went on the footplate of a locomotive aged 7. Pictures attached!

A typical run-down of what I do for the railway is:

Drive, maintain, restore and coordinate most activities involving The Growler Group locomotives - 37215 & 37248. I'm also on the diesel management committee and I am generally pretty good at sticking my nose into things that I think need sorting out (even if they don't!)

I was prompted to get involved with the Honeybourne Line by what or who - and when:

Back in the mid 1980's a group of friends in South Wales decide to set up a group to promote interest in Class 37's. We formed The Growler Group and membership quickly grew with another large catchment area being the Midlands. Before long we decided that the aim of the group should be to preserve a Class 37 but as none were available for sale at that time we focused our efforts on finding a suitable future home for a loco and integrating ourselves into that organisation. We approached all of the major UK preserved lines and had the warmest welcome from the GWR. It suited our members for location and also showed a huge potential for expansion, which has proved to be the case. I came here first in 1989 and have been a regular ever since. I started out on Per Way helping lay track beyond Winchcombe, through the tunnel and on to Far Stanley. As the diesels started to arrive I spent more and more time working on them before our own locomotive 37215 was delivered in 1994. Since then I can mainly be found down the yard in, under or on top of a 37.

The thing I like most about our railway is:

The location. It's a beautiful part of the world that sometimes gets taken for granted.

And the thing I like least:

The weather in the yard at Toddington always seems to be at extreme ends of the scale. The new diesel shed will be a great help!

I think the greatest achievement of our railway is:

Still being 100% volunteer run considering how greatly we have expanded. I think we now need to be considering having paid staff in certain key roles but to get as far as we have without that is an amazing achievement.

My 'real job' is:

Maintenance manager for Solutia UK Ltd. An American chemical manufacturing company based in St. Louis with facilities around the world. The Newport site makes heat transfer fluids, plasticisers and water additives. I'm responsible for about 80 people across a wide range of trades.

I always read (newspapers and/or magazines):

It used to be The Western Mail and South Wales Argus but these days everything is available on the internet. I tend not to read railway publications anymore as they all seem to have their own agendas and are basically making money out of other peoples efforts. I begrudge the fact that photographers make large amounts of money out of photographing our locomotives and railway without necessarily putting anything back in.

The headline I would most like to see in the newspapers about our railway is:

'GWR connects to mainline at Honeybourne. 37215 takes over from 67xxx on the first through Gold Cup special from Paddington to Cheltenham Racecourse in 40 years'

My favourite railway company / operator is:

None of them. They are all as bad as each other.

…because:

'Don't get me started ……'

My favourite locomotive class is:

English Electric Type 3 - 12CSVT. Class 37. Accept no substitutes.

…because:

How long have you got for me to wax lyrical? The sound, the look, the power, the reliability …….

If I was lucky enough, I would invest a£1 million windfall on:

Improving the finances of Newport RFC and finishing off the diesel shed at Toddington.

If I wasn't involved with the Honeybourne Line I would probably:

Be a lot richer, healthier and less stressed.

In other spare time I also enjoy:

Rugby - My first love is Newport RFC of which I have recently been honoured with a place on the committee for all of my volunteer work with the Friends of Newport Rugby Trust. Being involved with one of the most famous rugby teams in the world is a huge honour and something that I both relish and cherish. 'C'mon the 'port!'

My greatest achievement is:

Hard to single out one thing but others might say it was when I helped save a young girl's life after a hit and run accident.

My biggest regret is:

Life is way too short for regrets. Pick yourself up, quit moaning and get on with it!

This is what my family thinks about my involvement with the Railway:

I think they are very proud of what my friends and I have achieved. They certainly enjoy their visits and have supported me immensely. My parents put up with a huge amount of disruption due to my hobby and have always helped out enthusiastically, apart from when I tried to smuggle a set of class 37 batteries into their house to keep them warm one winter many years ago.

In 10 years time I think the railway:

Will have reached Broadway and consolidated its position in the top five UK heritage lines.

No-one on the railwayknows this about me, but:

Some of my greatest friends are at the GWR and they know 'everything' about me. Even the bits that I couldn't possibly put on this website …..

Editor's note: the Class 37s

The distinctive English Electric Type 3 (later to be known as class 37) diesel-electric locomotives were introduced as part of the British Railways Modernisation Plan.  The first appeared in 1960 and were intended to replace mixed-traffic steam locomotives (in other words, suitable for both passenger and freight traffic).  They had a very low axle load for their power so could be found almost anywhere on the British railway network. They continued in production until 1965 and in all, 307 were built.  Over the years there were various modifications but they proved to be very dependable: and, indeed, a few remain in traffic on the national network to this day having put in well over 40 years' service. You can find out more about the class and about The Growler Group by clicking here