Southern Named Trains

Southern Named Trains
Boat Train Specials

As well as its own Named Trains the Southern Railway ran many Ocean Liner Specials to carry the passengers from the liners that docked at the railway's Southampton Docks to London. Many of these had their own names, although there were also a lot of un-named specials.

34007 Wadebridge with the "Statesman" boat train ready to carry the passengers from the SS United States to Waterloo.

photograph by Les Elsey courtesy
Wadebridge (34007) Locomotive Ltd

The above photograph appeared in the September 1952 issue of The Railway Magazine with the following caption:

Southern Region Ocean Liner Expresses
The boat express comprised of Pullmans and ordinary first class stock which runs between Waterloo and Southampton Ocean Terminal in connection with Cunard Line RMS Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth has been named the "Cunarder". A specially designed headboard, in the form of a shield, is carried on the front of the engine, with nameboards on the coaches. The inaugral run of the "Cunarder" was on July 2 when the train left Waterloo at 7.5pm, hauled by "Merchant Navy" class locomotive 35004 "Cunard White Star". A similar Waterloo-Southampton boat express in connection with United States Lines ss United States has been named the "Statesman".

Wadebridge at Eastleigh shed on 9 May 1954 ready to leave for Southampton Docks to work the South American boat train "Holland American" to Waterloo.

Note how the headboard is located on the headlamp brackets.

photograph by Les Elsey courtesy
Wadebridge (34007) Locomotive Ltd

Almost three years later and the same engine is working the same boat train once more as it passes Eastleigh in April 1957.

photograph courtesy of www.southernrailway.net

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This page was last updated 26 April 2005

Southern Named Trains Boat Train Specials

Southern Named Trains
Boat Train Specials