IT WAS a case of ‘one in, one out’ for Herston-based Southern Locomotives Ltd (SLL) this summer – taking one of its Bulleid ‘Battle of Britain’ Pacifics in for overhaul and releasing another for testing.
The premature withdrawal of No. 34070 Manston following its low-speed collision with Riddles 2-6-4T No. 80104 on July 24 (see p71) quashed the long-awaited dream of running Manston with newly overhauled ‘BoB’ No. 34072 257 Squadron, but the union of the pair may only be a year away.
Simon Troy, SLL chairman, said: “We are obviously disappointed that we will now not see Manston and ‘257’ operating together this year, but we are hopeful that the 10-yearly overhaul will be undertaken now while the locomotive is partially dismantled, so the sight of two ‘unrebuilts’ working together may yet be possible in 2018.”
Monthly Subscription: Enjoy more Railway Magazine reading each month with free delivery to you door, and access to over 100 years in the archive, all for just £5.35 per month.
Click here to subscribe & save
No. 34072 itself made the move by road from SLL’s Herston Works to Norden on August 21, the group taking advantage of a £2,500 discount on haulage costs owing to the low loader being in the area for another job.
Read more in the September issue of The RM – on sale now!
