Bulleid WC/BB 'West Country' and
'Battle of Britain' class 4-6-2
| As with the Merchant Navy class despite their failings
these locomotives were capable of impressive performances due in part to the
steaming capacity of the boiler which was capable of a sustained high output.
Their wide route availability meant they were useful engines that could
traverse most of the system. Three WC locos took part in the 1948 locomotive
exchanges and being driven by expert crews put up some outstanding performances
albeit with a high coal consumption. Two WC class engines were experimentally
converted to oil burning but were rapidly converted back to coal burning when
the experiment was cancelled.
When in 1955 authority was given for modifyding half of the MN Pacifics it was also given for 15 light Pacifics. However unlike the MN class not all were modified since the financial justification for converting a relatively new locomotive class was weak especially with the end of steam already in sight. In all 60 out of 110 were odified with the WC class being modified in greater proportion than the BB class - 43 out of 66 WC locos compared with 17 out of 44 BB. For information and pictures of modified light pacifics please follow the link below to the modified light pacific pages. So a good quantity of air-smoothed examples did survive working useful lives until the end of steam and working on the "Withered Arm" in particular since the heavier weight of the modified excluded them from working north of Meldon Junction to Bude and Padstow or to North Devon. The first withdrawals were in 1963 and the final members of the class lasted until the end of steam in 1967. |
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34038 Lynton at Barnes on a Goods Working
on 29th June 1965.
photograph by Ray Soper |
| Three quarter rear view of 34038.
photograph by Ray Soper |
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34076 41 Squadron photographed at Oxford having
arrived with the Pines Express on 7th July 1965, long after the train had been
re-routed away from the Somerset & Dorset route.
photograph by Ray Soper |
| A grubby-looking 34023 Blackmore Vale at Waterloo on
10th October 1965. Note that unlike in her present, preserved, condition she does
not have a shield.
photograph by Ray Soper |
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A far cleaner Blackmore Vale, this time photographed at
Nine Elms, also in 1965.
photograph by Keith Harwood |
| 34038 once again, this time on shed at Nine Elms.
photograph by Ray Soper |
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Still at Nine Elms original Bulleid Pacific 34019
Bideford is seen here receiving attention on 30th January 1966.
Bideford was to give several more months of service, including a couple
of Steam Specials later in 1966.
photograph by Keith Harwood |
| Blackmore Vale again! This time bringing the
LCGB's "Dorset and Hants" Railtour past Northam Junction
signalbox on 16th October 1966. The locomotive had worked double-headed with
sister engine 34019 Bideford from Waterloo via Guildford to Fareham,
where 34019 was detached. 34023 continued to Broadstone where it was relieved
by two standard class 2-6-0s. From Broadstone the train toured the (then)
freight only lines to Blandford Forum and Ringwood. It then returned through
Broadstone to Hamworthy Junction, where 34019 and 34023 rejoined it for the
return journey to Waterloo.
photograph by Keith Harwood |
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Making several appearances on the SEmG pages, Nº34006
Bude is seen here at Waterloo on 1st November 1966.
photograph: Mike Morant collection |
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This page was last updated 12 May 2009
