West Country Class and Battle of Britain
locomotives had been introduced in 1945 by the Southern Railway and designed by
Oliver Bulleid as a smaller version of the Merchant Navy Class. Their axle
loading allowed the class to be used nearly everywhere on the Southern Region.
The classes where rebuild after a decision was taken by Southern Railways
to move into more conventional locomotives. The imminent demise of Southern steam saw
the rebuilding program halted with only around half the locomotives rebuilt.
Eddystone was rebuilt at Eastleigh works in 1958. At the begining early members of
the class were named after locations in the West Country that were served by the
Southern Railway but later locomotives were named to commemorate the Battle of
Britain.
Visiting the Bluebell Railway until December
2007.
(Click on image to enlarge)
Other photographs of Eddystone can be found on the
Swanage Railway
pages
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