SR West Country Class

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The Southern Railway (SR) West Country and Battle of Britain Classes, also known as Bulleid Light Pacifics, are classes of streamlined 4-6-2 steam locomotive. Designed for express passenger and semi-fast work in South-East and South-West England, 110 of them were built.

[edit] Early History of the Classes

Contents 1 Early History of the Classes 2 The Bulleid Numbering System 3 The Classes Post-Nationalisation 4 Operational Details and Preservation 5 Locomotive List 6 Gallery 7 Reference 8 External links

Based on the experience gained through working with the SR Merchant Navy Class locomotives, the Southern Railway's Chief Mechanical Engineer Oliver Bulleid designed a lighter pacific with a wider route availability in mind. Incorporating his infamous chain-driven valve gear, located within a sealed oil bath and other refinements such as electric lighting and the Bulleid-Firth-Brown (BFB) wheel design, the resultant design closely resembled the larger Merchant Navy class.[1] As a result, the West Country and later, Battle of Britain classes came about after the prototype, 21C101 Exeter was outshopped from Brighton works in May, 1945.

The two classes are identical; the class distinction being the subject of the names. 66 of the class were named after places in the West Country served by the Southern Railway, and the rest took their names from RAF squadrons, airfields, commanders and aircraft from the Battle of Britain. Originally, the West Country locomotives were intended to work the lines in the south-west of England, whilst the Battle of Britain Class were to work the lines of Kent. In practice, this did not occur and both classes were to be found all over the network. ^[1] The last Southern-built locomotive was Battle of Britain Class 21C170 (later 34070) Manston, and happily she has been preserved and is about to return to steam under the auspices of Southern Locomotives Ltd.

The classes were subject to modifications during the brief time they operated under the Southern Railway, the chief of which was the redesign of the footplate spectacle plates to the V-profile that all Bulleids depict. Originally, the spectacle plates were 90 degrees to the air-smoothed casing, offering limited vision ahead for the driver. ^[2]

[edit] The Bulleid Numbering System

Bulleid advocated a continental style of locomotive nomenclature, based upon his experiences at the French branch of Westinghouse Electric before the First World War, and those of his tenure in the rail operating department during that conflict. The SR number followed an adaptation of the UIC classification system where "2" and "1" refer to the number of unpowered leading and trailing axles respectively, and "C" refers to the number of driving axles – in this case three. However, since "21C" was the prefix already used by the Merchant Navy class, the suffix "1" was added; all these locomotives therefore carried numbers which started "21C1" followed by the individual two-digit identifier.

[edit] The Classes Post-Nationalisation

The final 40 engines were built after the railways were nationalised in 1948, and so never carried SR numbers, the last being 34110 66 Squadron. Between 1957 and 1961, British Railways rebuilt 66 of the class as more conventional engines, adopting many features from the BR Standard locomotives that had been introduced since 1950. The streamlined casing was removed and replaced with conventional boiler cladding, and the chain-driven valve gear was replaced with modified Walschaerts valve gear.

The rebuilt versions were similar to the rebuilt Merchant Navy Class design of R. G. Jarvis. As a result of the rebuilding and the implementation of Walschaerts valve gear, the rebuilts were slightly heavier than their unrebuilt counterparts, and were prone to hammerblow on the track, a complaint that was not evident with as-built locomotives.

The onset of the BR Modernisation Plan meant that the final 44 locomotives were not rebuilt, and continued in as-built condition until eventual withdrawal from service. On 30 January 1965, unrebuilt No.34051 Winston Churchill hauled the funeral train of its namesake from London's Waterloo station to his final resting place, close to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, where he was born.

[edit] Operational Details and Preservation

The locomotives were largely successful. Their light driving axle loading meant that they were often prone to wheelslip, requiring very careful driving when starting a heavy train from rest, but once into their stride they were noted for their free running, excellent steam production and being remarkably fleet of foot.

A perennial problem with the unrebuilt light pacifics lay with the leaks from the oil bath onto the wheels which in turn splashed oil onto the boiler lagging. Once saturated with oil, the lagging attracted coal dust and ash which provided a combustible material, and as a result of the heavy braking of the locomotives, sparks would set the lagging on fire underneath the air-smoothed casing. The local fire brigade would invariably be called to put the fire out, with cold water coming into contact with the hot boiler, causing stress to the castings. Many photographs show an unrebuilt with 'cockled' (warped) casings, a result of a lagging fire. ^[3]

Another problem was experienced with the exhaust, which beat down onto the air-smoothed casing when the engine was on the move, obscuring the driver's vision from the cab. There were many instances of experimentation in order to resolve this problem, to varying degrees of success, and photographic evidence shows the many guises of this project. The rebuilts were provided with LMS-style smoke deflectors and the lack of air-smoothed casing also helped reduce the problem. ^[4]

An unusual but frequent sight on the Southern Region's 'Withered Arm' (the railways west of Exeter) was of a light pacific hauling local stopping services with single carriages to destinations as diverse as Padstow and Wadebridge, the larger and heavier Merchant Navy Class being unable to use these restricted lines. This state of affairs also highlights the fact that there were more of these pacifics built than were actually needed, and so were able to undertake such mundane tasks that would befit a much smaller locomotive.

No fewer than 20 of these useful locomotives escaped the cutting torch and still exist in varying states of preservation. 9 of those preserved are unrebuilts, whilst the remainder are rebuilts. Had it not been for Barry scrapyard, no rebuilt light pacifics would have been preserved.

[edit] Locomotive List

Key to notes: (Surviving locos are marked with an asterisk '*')

• C – Complete
• UR – Under Restoration
• S – ex-Scrapyard, and awaiting future restoration

BR No.	SR No.	Name	Builder	Built	Withdrawn	Scrapped?	Preserved/location?	Notes
34001	21C101	Exeter	Brighton	May 1945
34002	21C102	Salisbury	Brighton	June 1945
34003	21C103	Plymouth	Brighton	June 1945
34004	21C104	Yeovil	Brighton	July 1945
34005	21C105	Barnstaple	Brighton	July 1945
34006	21C106	Bude	Brighton	July 1945
34007*	21C107	Wadebridge	Brighton	Aug 1945	Oct 1965		Y Mid Hants from April 2007	C
34008	21C108	Padstow	Brighton	Sept 1945
34009	21C109	Lyme Regis	Brighton	Sept 1945
34010*	21C110	Sidmouth	Brighton	Sept 1945			Y Sellindge (Southern Locomotives Ltd.)	S
34011	21C111	Tavistock	Brighton	Oct 1945
34012	21C112	Launceston	Brighton	Oct 1945
34013	21C113	Okehampton	Brighton	Oct 1945
34014	21C114	Budleigh Salterton	Brighton	Nov 1945
34015	21C115	Exmouth	Brighton	Nov 1945
34016*	21C116	Bodmin	Brighton	Nov 1945			Y Mid Hants Railway (under overhaul)	UR
34017	21C117	Ilfracombe	Brighton	Dec 1945
34018	21C118	Axminster	Brighton	Dec 1945
34019	21C119	Bideford	Brighton	Dec 1945
34020	21C120	Seaton	Brighton	Dec 1945
34021	21C121	Dartmoor	Brighton	Jan 1946
34022	21C122	Exmoor	Brighton	Jan 1946
34023*	21C123	Blackmoor Vale/Blackmore Vale	Brighton	Feb 1946			Bluebell Railway	C
34024	21C124	Tamar Valley	Brighton	Feb 1946
34025	21C125	Whimple	Brighton	March 1946
34026	21C126	Yes Tor	Brighton	March 1946
34027*	21C127	Taw Valley	Brighton	April 1946			Y Severn Valley Railway (under overhaul)	C
34028*	21C128	Eddystone	Brighton	April 1946			Bluebell Railway	C
34029	21C129	Lundy	Brighton	May 1946
34030	21C130	Watersmeet	Brighton	May 1946
34031	21C131	Torrington	Brighton	June 1946
34032	21C132	Camelford	Brighton	June 1946
34033	21C133	Chard	Brighton	July 1946
34034	21C134	Honiton	Brighton	July 1946
34035	21C135	Shaftesbury	Brighton	July 1946
34036	21C136	Westward Ho	Brighton	July 1946
34037	21C137	Clovelly	Brighton	Aug 1946
34038	21C138	Lynton	Brighton	Sept 1946
34039*	21C139	Boscastle	Brighton	Sept 1946			Y Great Central Railway (stored pending overhaul)	UR
34040	21C140	Crewkerne	Brighton	Sept 1946
34041	21C141	Wilton	Brighton	Oct 1946
34042	21C142	Dorchester	Brighton	Oct 1946
34043	21C143	Combe Martin	Brighton	Oct 1946
34044	21C144	Woolacombe	Brighton	Oct 1946
34045	21C145	Ottery St Mary	Brighton	Oct 1946
34046*	21C146	Braunton	Brighton	Nov 1946			Y West Somerset Railway	UR
34047	21C147	Callington	Brighton	Nov 1946
34048	21C148	Crediton	Brighton	Nov 1946
34049	21C149	Anti-Aircraft Command	Brighton	Dec 1946
34050	21C150	Royal Observer Corps	Brighton	Dec 1946
34051*	21C151	Winston Churchill	Brighton	Dec 1946			National Railway Museum	C
34052	21C152	Lord Dowding	Brighton	Dec 1946
34053*	21C153	Sir Keith Park	Brighton	Jan 1947			Y Sellindge (Southern Locomotives Ltd.)	UR
34054	21C154	Lord Beaverbrook	Brighton	Jan 1947
34055	21C155	Fighter Pilot	Brighton	Feb 1947
34056	21C156	Croydon	Brighton	Feb 1947
34057	21C157	Biggin Hill	Brighton	March 1947
34058*	21C158	Sir Frederick Pile	Brighton	March 1947			Y Avon Valley Railway	UR
34059*	21C159	Sir Archibald Sinclair	Brighton	April 1947			Bluebell Railway	UR
34060	21C160	25 Squadron	Brighton	April 1947
34061	21C161	73 Squadron	Brighton	April 1947
34062	21C162	17 Squadron	Brighton	May 1947
34063	21C163	229 Squadron	Brighton	May 1947
34064	21C164	Fighter Command	Brighton	July 1947
34065	21C165	Hurricane	Brighton	July 1947
34066	21C166	Spitfire	Brighton	Sept 1947
34067*	21C167	Tangmere	Brighton	Sept 1947			Y Mainline running, home base Bury	C
34068	21C168	Kenley	Brighton	Oct 1947
34069	21C169	Hawkinge	Brighton	Oct 1947
34070*	21C170	Manston	Brighton	Nov 1947			Y Swanage Railway Herston Works	S
34071	-	601 Squadron	Brighton	April 1948
34072*	-	257 Squadron	Brighton	April 1948			Y Swanage Railway Herston Works (under overhaul)	C
34073*	-	249 Squadron	Brighton	May 1948			Y Currently at Bury, for sale	S
34074	-	46 Squadron	Brighton	May 1948
34075	-	264 Squadron	Brighton	June 1948
34076	-	41 Squadron	Brighton	June 1948
34077	-	603 Squadron	Brighton	July 1948
34078	-	222 Squadron	Brighton	July 1948
34079	-	141 Squadron	Brighton	July 1948
34080	-	74 Squadron	Brighton	Aug 1948
34081*	-	92 Squadron	Brighton	Sept 1948			Y North Norfolk Railway	C
34082	-	615 Squadron	Brighton	Sept 1948
34083	-	605 Squadron	Brighton	Oct 1948
34084	-	253 Squadron	Brighton	Nov 1948
34085	-	501 Squadron	Eastleigh	Nov 1948
34086	-	219 Squadron	Brighton	Dec 1948
34087	-	145 Squadron	Eastleigh	Dec 1948
34088	-	213 Squadron	Brighton	Dec 1948
34089	-	602 Squadron	Eastleigh	Dec 1948
34090	-	Sir Eustace Missenden, Southern Railway	Brighton	Feb 1949
34091	-	Weymouth	Brighton	Sept 1949
34092*	-	City of Wells	Brighton	Sept 1949			Y Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (under overhaul)	C
34093	-	Saunton	Brighton	Oct 1949
34094	-	Morthoe	Brighton	Oct 1949
34095	-	Brentor	Brighton	Oct 1949
34096	-	Trevone	Brighton	Nov 1949
34097	-	Holsworthy	Brighton	Nov 1949
34098	-	Templecombe	Brighton	Dec 1949
34099	-	Lynmouth	Brighton	Dec 1949
34100	-	Appledore	Brighton	Dec 1949
34101*	-	Hartland	Eastleigh	Feb 1950			Y North Yorkshire Moors Railway (under overhaul)	C
34102	-	Lapford	Eastleigh	March 1950
34103	-	Calsock	Brighton	Feb 1950
34104	-	Bere Alston	Eastleigh	April 1950
34105*	-	Swanage	Brighton	March 1950			Y Mid Hants Railway (stored pending overhaul and resolution of legal dispute)	C
34106	-	Lydford	Brighton	March 1950
34107	-	Blandford Forum	Brighton	April 1950
34108	-	Wincanton	Brighton	April 1950
34109	-	Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory	Brighton	May 1950
34110	-	66 Squadron	Brighton	Jan 1951

[edit] Gallery

Rebuilt 34050 Royal Observor Corps at Exeter St Davids, 1962.

Rebuilt 34056 Croydon at Exeter St Davids, 1962.

Rebuilt 34108 Wincanton at Exeter, 1962.

[edit] Reference

1. ^ Bulleids in Retrospect, Transport Video Publishing, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
2. ^ Stanley Creer & Brian Morrison, The Power of the Bulleid Pacifics (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2001) ISBN 0-86093-082-3
3. ^ Peter Herring, Classic British Steam Locomotives (Abbeydale Press: London, 2000) Section "WC/BB Class" ISBN 1-86147-057-6
4. ^ Stanley Creer & Brian Morrison, The Power of the Bulleid Pacifics (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2001) ISBN 0-86093-082-3

[edit] External links

• Southern e-group unrebuilt locomotives...
• ...and rebuilt locomotives
• For an insight into the chain driven valve gear
• Southern Locomotives Ltd., owners of 34010, 34028, 34053, 34070 and 34072
• Bluebell Railway based Bulleid Society, owners of 21C123 and 34059
• The Battle of Britain Locomotive Society, owners of 34081
• The 34058 Restoration Group

Locomotives of the Southern Railway v • d • e
Maunsell:	H15 - Lord Nelson - N15 (King Arthur) - N15X - Q - V (Schools) - U - U1 - W - Z
Bulleid:	Leader - Merchant Navy - Q1 - USA - West Country/Battle of Britain
Diesels:	10201 to 10203
Locomotives of:	BR (steam) • GWR • LMS • LNER