CHOCKS AWAY AT LAST FOR 257 Squadron
Almost a year after it left Herston Works on the Swanage Railway following its overhaul, ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34072 257 Squadron is finally about to enter traffic. The air-smoothed Bulleid ‘Pacific’ had been due to undergo a loaded test run in early August ahead of its return to service, but owing to issues with the injectors the run had to be postponed. Southern Locomotives Ltd Chairman Simon Troy said: “The injectors weren’t picking up and we suspected sludge in the sieve was causing a blockage. Sure enough, when the tender was emptied, the sieve cleaned and the tender partially refilled, the injectors picked up immediately. Hopefully this has resolved the problem.” A second trial was expected to take place on August 9 as this issue went to press.
Mr Troy added: “Because of the steam ban north of Norden, the stretch of line used for the testing and running-in of locomotives, the railway hasn’t been able to give it a proper test run owing to the intensive timetable of two-train running over the rest of the line. It’s been a very difficult couple of months, especially as the pit is being used for the running fleet. The imminent return to steam of the ‘Spam Can’ will bring the ‘Purbeck Line’s’ Bulleid drought to an end. The railway was left without a working ‘Pacific’ after rebuilt ‘BB’ No. 34053 Sir Keith Park was withdrawn with bottom end problems. The locomotive is back in Swanage after a short visit to South Devon Railway Engineering at Buckfastleigh, where SLL staff resolved a problem with a driving wheel axlebox. After attention to the big end of the inside connecting rod it will return to service.
●● One of 257 Squadron’s first duties is likely to be participating in the Swanage Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala, on October 12-14. It will line up alongside visiting ‘Duchess’ No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland and recreate the role played by No. 34006 Bude in the 1948 Locomotive Exchange Trials.