List of SR West Country and Battle of Britain class locomotives

Below are the names and numbers of the steam locomotives that comprised the Bulleid light pacifics, the West Country and Battle of Britain classes of locomotives that ran on the British Southern Railway network. They represented a publicity success for the Southern Railway, with the West Country class highlighting the names of places served by the Southern Railway, while the Battle of Britain locomotives constituted a roving memorial to the fighter pilots who fought during the Battle of Britain, and the actions of RAF Fighter Command as a whole. No. 34066 Spitfire and No. 34086 219 Squadron were at one point in time candidates for preservation, but No. 34023 Blackmoor Vale was chosen instead due to it being in better condition than No. 34066 and No. 34086.[1][2]

A posed side-and-front view of another large 4-6-2 steam locomotive with a tender stored in a railway station siding. This is another locomotive with flat metal side sheets.
Unrebuilt Battle of Britain class No. 34072 257 Squadron, as preserved, pictured at Swanage, Dorset in 2019

Table of locomotive details

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Key to notes:

  • BoB/NA – Battle of Britain locomotive that carried no coat of arms
  • C – Complete
  • GOE – carried Giesl oblong ejector, fitted 1962 (34064); mid-1980s (34092)
  • S – ex-Scrapyard, and awaiting future restoration
  • WC/NA – West Country locomotive that carried no coat of arms

Southern Railway batch

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West Country and Battle of Britain class locomotives
BR No. SR No. Name[3] Builder Built Rebuilt Withdrawn Current Location of Preserved Locomotives Image Notes
34001 21C101 Exeter Brighton May 1945 November 1957 July 1967  
34002 21C102 Salisbury Brighton June 1945 April 1967  
34003 21C103 Plymouth Brighton June 1945 September 1957 September 1964
34004 21C104 Yeovil Brighton July 1945 February 1958 July 1967  
34005 21C105 Barnstaple Brighton July 1945 June 1957 October 1966  
34006 21C106 Bude Brighton July 1945 March 1967  
34007 21C107 Wadebridge Brighton August 1945 October 1965 Mid Hants Railway   C, Withdrawn (2016) undergoing an exam for overhaul . Oldest surviving light pacific.
34008 21C108 Padstow Brighton September 1945 June 1960 June 1967
34009 21C109 Lyme Regis Brighton September 1945 July 1960 October 1966
34010 21C110 Sidmouth Brighton September 1945 February 1959 March 1965 Tyseley/Sellindge, Kent. (Southern Locomotives Ltd.)   S,
Under restoration.
34011 21C111 Tavistock Brighton October 1945 November 1963  
34012 21C112 Launceston Brighton October 1945 January 1958 December 1966  
34013 21C113 Okehampton Brighton October 1945 October 1957 July 1967  
34014 21C114 Budleigh Salterton Brighton November 1945 March 1958 March 1965  
34015 21C115 Exmouth Brighton November 1945 April 1967  
34016 21C116 Bodmin Brighton November 1945 April 1958 June 1964 Carnforth   C,
Undergoing Restoration to Mainline standards
34017 21C117 Ilfracombe Brighton December 1945 November 1957 October 1966  
34018 21C118 Axminster Brighton December 1945 September 1958 July 1967
34019 21C119 Bideford Brighton December 1945 March 1967  
34020 21C120 Seaton Brighton December 1945 September 1964  
34021 21C121 Dartmoor Brighton January 1946 December 1957 July 1967  
34022 21C122 Exmoor Brighton January 1946 December 1957 April 1965   WC/NA
34023 21C123 Blackmoor Vale/
Blackmore Vale
Brighton February 1946 July 1967 Bluebell Railway   C, WC/NA
(as-built, Coat of Arms added in preservation), Static display awaiting overhaul (at Horsted Keynes)
34024 21C124 Tamar Valley Brighton February 1946 February 1961 July 1967   WC/NA
34025 21C125 Rough Tor/
Whimple
Brighton March 1946 November 1957 July 1967   WC/NA/
Renamed "Whimple" 1948[4]
34026 21C126 Yes Tor Brighton March 1946 February 1958 September 1966 WC/NA
34027 21C127 Taw Valley Brighton April 1946 September 1957 August 1964 Severn Valley Railway   C, WC/NA (as-built, Coat of Arms added in preservation),
Operational (Loco is air braked but won't be going mainline).
34028 21C128 Eddystone Brighton April 1946 August 1957 May 1964 Swanage Railway. (Southern Locomotives Ltd.)   C,
WC/NA, Operational.
34029 21C129 Lundy Brighton May 1946 December 1958 September 1964 WC/NA
34030 21C130 Watersmeet Brighton May 1946 September 1964 WC/NA
34031 21C131 Torrington Brighton June 1946 December 1958 February 1965
34032 21C132 Camelford Brighton June 1946 October 1960 October 1966   WC/NA
34033 21C133 Chard Brighton July 1946 December 1965 WC/NA
34034 21C134 Honiton Brighton July 1946 August 1960 July 1967  
34035 21C135 Shaftesbury Brighton July 1946 June 1963 WC/NA
34036 21C136 Westward Ho Brighton July 1946 September 1960 July 1967   WC/NA
34037 21C137 Clovelly Brighton August 1946 March 1958 July 1967   WC/NA
34038 21C138 Lynton Brighton September 1946 June 1966   WC/NA
34039 21C139 Boscastle Brighton September 1946 January 1959 May 1965 Great Central Railway   C, WC/NA, Under overhaul
34040 21C140 Crewkerne Brighton September 1946 October 1960 July 1967  
34041 21C141 Wilton Brighton October 1946 January 1966   WC/NA
34042 21C142 Dorchester Brighton October 1946 January 1959 October 1965
34043 21C143 Combe Martin Brighton October 1946 June 1963 WC/NA. Also featured in The Titfield Thunderbolt as the Bulleid Pacific in the opening scene.
34044 21C144 Woolacombe Brighton October 1946 May 1960 May 1967 WC/NA
34045 21C145 Ottery St Mary Brighton October 1946 October 1958 June 1964   WC/NA Scrapped at Woodham Bros, Barry, in 1964
34046 21C146 Braunton Brighton November 1946 February 1959 October 1965 Mainline Certified,
Home base at Southall
  C, WC/NA
Operational, Mainline Certified. Owned by Jeremy Hosking, Operated by Locomotive Services
34047 21C147 Callington Brighton November 1946 October 1958 June 1967   WC/NA
34048 21C148 Crediton Brighton November 1946 March 1959 March 1966  
34049 21C149 Anti-Aircraft Command Brighton December 1946 December 1963  
34050 21C150 Royal Observer Corps Brighton December 1946 August 1958 August 1965  
34051 21C151 Winston Churchill Brighton December 1946 September 1965 National Railway Museum   C, Static exhibit at National Railway Museum Shildon after cosmetic overhaul at Mid Hants Railway.
34052 21C152 Lord Dowding Brighton December 1946 September 1958 July 1967  
34053 21C153 Sir Keith Park Brighton January 1947 November 1958 October 1965 Tyseley/Herston Works, Swanage. (Southern Locomotives Ltd.)   C,
Heavy Overhaul.
34054 21C154 Lord Beaverbrook Brighton January 1947 September 1964
34055 21C155 Fighter Pilot Brighton February 1947 June 1963
34056 21C156 Croydon Brighton February 1947 December 1960 May 1967  
34057 21C157 Biggin Hill Brighton March 1947 May 1967  
34058 21C158 Sir Frederick Pile Brighton March 1947 November 1960 October 1964 Sellindge, Kent. (Southern Locomotives Ltd.)   S,
Under restoration.
34059 21C159 Sir Archibald Sinclair Brighton April 1947 March 1960 May 1966 Bluebell Railway   C,
Operational.
34060 21C160 25 Squadron Brighton April 1947 November 1960 July 1967  
34061 21C161 73 Squadron Brighton April 1947 August 1964
34062 21C162 17 Squadron Brighton May 1947 April 1959 June 1964
34063 21C163 229 Squadron Brighton May 1947 August 1965
34064 21C164 Fighter Command Brighton July 1947 May 1966   GOE
34065 21C165 Hurricane Brighton July 1947 April 1964
34066 21C166 Spitfire Brighton September 1947 September 1966   Locomotive involved in the Lewisham disaster, 4 December 1957. Considered a candidate for preservation.
34067 21C167 Tangmere Brighton September 1947 November 1963 Mainline Certified,
Carnforth MPD
  Operational on the Main Line.
34068 21C168 Kenley Brighton October 1947 December 1963
34069 21C169 Hawkinge Brighton October 1947 November 1963  
34070 21C170 Manston Brighton November 1947 August 1964 Swanage Railway. (Southern Locomotives Ltd.)   C,
Operational.

British Railways batch

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Battle of Britain and West Country class locomotives
BR No. Name[3] Builder Built Rebuilt Withdrawn Location of Preserved Locomotives Image Notes
34071 601 Squadron Brighton April 1948 May 1960 April 1967
34072 257 Squadron Brighton April 1948 June 1964 Spa Valley Railway, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. (Southern Locomotives Ltd.)   C,
Operational
34073 249 Squadron Brighton May 1948 June 1964 Carnforth MPD  
34074 46 Squadron Brighton May 1948 June 1963
34075 264 Squadron Brighton June 1948 April 1964
34076 41 Squadron Brighton June 1948 January 1966
34077 603 Squadron Brighton July 1948 July 1960 March 1967  
34078 222 Squadron Brighton July 1948 September 1964
34079 141 Squadron Brighton July 1948 February 1966  
34080 74 Squadron Brighton August 1948 September 1964
34081 92 Squadron Brighton September 1948 August 1964 Nene Valley Railway   C, Operational; returned to working order in 2017 after a seven year overhaul
34082 615 Squadron Brighton September 1948 April 1960 April 1966  
34083 605 Squadron Brighton October 1948 June 1964  
34084 253 Squadron Brighton November 1948 October 1965  
34085 501 Squadron Brighton November 1948 June 1960 September 1965  
34086 219 Squadron Brighton December 1948 June 1966 Considered a candidate for preservation.
34087 145 Squadron Brighton December 1948 December 1960 July 1967  
34088 213 Squadron Brighton December 1948 April 1960 March 1967
34089 602 Squadron Brighton December 1948 November 1960 July 1967
34090 Sir Eustace Missenden, Southern Railway Brighton February 1949 August 1960 July 1967  
34091 Weymouth Brighton September 1949 September 1964  
34092 Wells Brighton September 1949 November 1964 East Lancashire Railway. Renamed "City of Wells" 1950   C, GOE,
Undergoing overhaul
34093 Saunton Brighton October 1949 May 1960 July 1967 WC/NA
34094 Mortehoe Brighton October 1949 August 1964   WC/NA Scrapped at Woodham Bros, Barry, 1965
34095 Brentor Eastleigh October 1949 January 1961 July 1967   WC/NA
34096 Trevone Brighton November 1949 April 1961 September 1964   WC/NA
34097 Holsworthy Eastleigh November 1949 March 1961 April 1967   WC/NA
34098 Templecombe Brighton December 1949 February 1961 June 1967   WC/NA
34099 Lynmouth Eastleigh December 1949 November 1964  
34100 Appledore Brighton December 1949 September 1960 July 1967   WC/NA
34101 Hartland Eastleigh February 1950 September 1960 July 1966 North Yorkshire Moors Railway   C, WC/NA
Under overhaul
34102 Lapford Eastleigh March 1950 July 1967   WC/NA
34103 Calstock Brighton February 1950 September 1965   WC/NA
34104 Bere Alston Eastleigh April 1950 May 1961 June 1967 WC/NA
34105 Swanage Brighton March 1950 October 1964 Mid Hants Railway   C, WC/NA
Under overhaul. Youngest surviving light pacific.
34106 Lydford Brighton March 1950 September 1964 WC/NA
34107 Blandford Forum Brighton April 1950 September 1964  
34108 Wincanton Brighton April 1950 May 1961 June 1967   WC/NA
34109 Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory Brighton May 1950 March 1961 September 1964  
34110 66 Squadron Brighton January 1951 November 1963   BoB/NA
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Footnotes

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  1. ^ Brine, M. E. "The Bulleid Society". Devon Heritage. Retrieved 31 July 2009.
  2. ^ Green, Richard. "Blackmoor Vale Preservation". Bulleid Society. Bluebell Railway. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  3. ^ a b Burridge, Frank: Nameplates of the Big Four
  4. ^ "4-6-2 LOCOMOTIVES". transportsofdelight. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

References

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  • Creer, S & Morrison, B: The Power of the Bulleid Pacifics (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2001) ISBN 0-86093-082-3
  • Derry, Richard: The Book of the West Country and Battle of Britain Pacifics (Irwell Press, February 2002) ISBN 1-903266-23-8
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Preserved locomotives

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