ORIGINAL ‘BATTLE Of BRITAIN’ NO. 34051 WINSTON CHURCHILL

Possibly the most famous Bulleid ‘Light Pacific’, No. 34051 secured its place in history by hauling the funeral train of its namesake, former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, on January 30 1965, from Waterloo to his final resting place in Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire. After performing this solemn duty, No. 34051 was designated for the National Collection, representing the innovations of its designer. Following withdrawal, the ‘Battle of Britain’ led a difficult life in preservation. It was stored out of public view for many years at the former Pullman works at Preston Park, in Brighton, in unrestored condition, before moving to Didcot Railway Centre in 1977, and finally arriving at York six years later. In 2011, the Friends of the National Railway Museum, South of England Group, launched an appeal for Winston Churchill to be cosmetically restored in time for the 50th anniversary of the famous funeral train. The ‘Spam Can’ was taken to the Mid-Hants Railway in 2013 for the work to be carried out and, four years later, No. 34051 formed the centrepiece of the NRM’s ‘Churchill’s Final Journey’ exhibition, where it was on display in York’s Great Hall with SR luggage van S2464S, which originally carried the former Prime Minister’s coffin. The exhibition ran from January 30-May 3 2015, after which Winston Churchill moved to Shildon, where it is now on display.