Original ‘BB’ nO. 34072 257 SQUADRON

Having only taken two years, the restoration of ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34072 257 Squadron was a preservation record at the time it was completed in 1990. The locomotive’s history closely parallels that of classmate and fellow Swanage Railway resident No. 34070 Manston, having initially been based in Kent before moving to Exmouth Junction following the Kent Coast electrification. 257 Squadron began its working life at Dover, where it primarily hauled continental boat trains to London, and one of its main duties was the ‘Night Ferry’. It is believed to have also been the first ‘Light Pacific’ to work over the Tonbridge-Redhill line. Withdrawn in 1964, it would languish in Barry scrapyard for 20 years before being bought by the Port Line Locomotive Project, the organisation that would eventually become Southern Locomotives Ltd. 257 Squadron was the first ‘Light Pacific’ restored by the group, and it returned to steam in September 1990. The locomotive remained in traffic for 12 years before being withdrawn in January 2003 - no other locomotive in preservation has been in service for such a long, continuous period of time. Once Sir Keith Park had been restored, SLL turned its attention to overhauling No. 34072. It had been hoped that 257 Squadron would move under its own steam for the first time in over a decade last year, but now the end of the overhaul is in sight, and the locomotive will be in operation to celebrate 50 years since the end of Southern Region steam.