Locos in Profile | SR Battle of Britain (Light Pacific) Class No. 21C159/34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair

The Bluebell Railway Battle of Britain Locomotive Group will recieve £5 from the sale of each signed
print and £3 from each unsigned one.

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SIR ARCHIBALD SINCLAIR

The light pacifics were designed by O.V.S. Bulleid to work over the restricted secondary routes of the Southern Railway. Two naming themes were used; ‘West Country’ and the ‘Battle of Britain’. The ‘Battle of Britain’ locomotives were named in tribute to the personalities, aircraft, RAF stations and squadrons involved in the 1940 air battle.

‘Battle of Britain’ Class No. 21C159 emerged from Brighton Works in March 1947, with the original flat fronted cab, and sent to Nine Elms shed to work the main line out of Waterloo hauling trains such as the Bournemouth Belle. In December of that year it returned Brighton Works where the cab was modified to the revised wedge design to improve visiblity.

Scale: 5 mm/ft

Paper Size: A3 420 mm x 297 mm (16.5 in x 11.75 in)

	Unsigned Print: £19.50		Signed Print: £22.50

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Southern Railway Green

Shown as named at Waterloo Station on 24th February 1948 by Sir Archibald Sinclair (1890-1970) who as Liberal Leader served as Secretary of State for Air in the War Cabinet.

The railways were nationalised on 1st January 1948 which resulted in an S prefix being added to the number, although it was still in Southern malachite green. Attached is 4,500 gallon high-sided tender, No. 3310, lettered BRITISH RAILWAYS in Southern sunshine style lettering.

Renumbered 34059 in 1949 it spent time on the Eastern Region working out of Liverpool Street as a trial for pacific locomotives on this region, it was still in SR green but with unmarked tender.

British Railways Green with Early Crest

In April 1951 it was repainted BR green with lion over wheel symbol. It is shown in 1955 condition by which time the sanding to the front driving wheels had been removed and the hinged roof access panels had been changed to sliding ones.

After problems with water surging under braking the safety valves of the class were moved to behind the dome and reduced from three to two. The slidebar bracket has been re-designed to improve its strength and is now cast rather than fabricated, plus the fairings have been removed from in front of the cylinders. The nameplate has a black background, which was the official colour at this time.

Attached is 4,500 gallon high-sided tender No. 3273, which was transferd from 34023 Blackmore Vale at Exmouth Junction in September 1954.

Rebuilt with Rebodied 5,250 Gallon Tender

No. 34059 was rebuilt at Eastleigh in March 1960 by British Railways to a more traditional form with standard Walschaerts valve gear; the design work for this was overseen by R. G. Jarvis. The cab was widened to 9 foot, although keeping its original windows.

It is shown in 1964 condition after the fitting of AWS and speedometer. The bogie fitted is now one with a Merchant Navy style adjuster. The nameplate background has reverted to blue, although lighter than the original SR blue. Electrification warning signs have also been added.

No. 34039’s tender (No. 3273) was rebodied with a new 5,250 gallon tank, which was fitted with the BR briquette water treatment system.

Withdrawn: May 1966. It has been preserved at the Bluebell Railway, Sussex.

The above information is supplied with the print.

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