SIR KEITH PARK TO STEAM AT SPA VALLEY RAILWAY NEXT YEAR?

Rebuilt ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34053 Sir Keith Park could become the Spa Valley Railway’s first preservation-era Bulleid in 2021.

The Swanage Railway-based ‘Light Pacific’ is set to move from Tyseley Locomotive Works – where it has been receiving attention to its bottom end – to Tunbridge Wells West later this year after the ‘Purbeck Line’ advised

No. 34053’s owner, Southern Locomotives Ltd, in early March that it should not be returned from Tyseley to Dorset owing to both Covid-19 and financial concerns, according to SLL chairman Simon Troy. Swanage Railway Company chairman Gavin Johns added: “The timing of this movement by road was deemed non-essential under coronavirus restrictions and was temporarily postponed.”

Faced with the prospect of Sir Keith Park being temporarily homeless, said Mr Troy, “the Spa Valley Railway kindly offered to look after it this winter, as No. 34053’s main sponsor was understandably concerned that it would sit unprotected in a siding with little or no chance of it being used for many months.” As a gesture of thanks, SLL has offered free steamings of Sir Keith Park to the SVR to open the line’s 2021 season.

No. 34053 is set to be the second SLL locomotive running at the SVR next year, in addition to RSH ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST WD No. 75050 ‘Norman’, which is being outshopped in Longmoor Military Railway livery for the first time (SR501).

Meanwhile, work continues on SLL’s latest acquisition – ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35025 Brocklebank Line – at the locomotive’s base at Sellindge, in Kent (SR505), where volunteer working parties are busy preparing the ‘8P’ 4-6-2 for its eventual departure.

Said Mr Troy: “Unfortunately, all of the work accomplished at Loughborough has to be

dismantled with parts cleaned and oiled, or painted, where appropriate, and stored. With Herston Works closed at this time, those who travel from London and the south east are being diverted to Sellindge as there is much to do, most of it unskilled at this stage.”

Although SLL has still not guaranteed restoring Brocklebank Line, it is being considered the group’s next restoration project after ‘West Country’

No. 34010 Sidmouth. To that end, “A preliminary boiler inspection will be organised to ascertain that Brocklebank Line is the feasible project we think it is,” said Mr Troy, adding: “As usual

the success of this new project will depend on funding.”