Original ‘BB’ nO. 34081 92 SQUADRON

With Blackmore Vale awaiting overhaul, ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34081 92 Squadron is the only operational Bulleid ‘Pacific’ to carry Malachite green, and is the only one of its class to have worn the hybrid Southern Railway livery with BR number in preservation. The locomotive’s current and most familiar guise is something No. 34081 only carried for two years before it was repainted in Brunswick green, in April 1950. Like Manston, 92 Squadron was initially allocated to Ramsgate before moving to Exmouth Junction in 1957, where the locomotive’s duties included hauling the ‘Atlantic Coast Express’. No. 34081 was one of the victims of the Western Region’s takeover of Exmouth Junction in 1964, and it was withdrawn on August 16 that year. On April 2 1965, the ‘BB’ was towed in convoy with Nos. 34058 Sir Frederick Pile, 34067 Tangmere and 34073 249 Squadron to Barry scrapyard by ‘West Country’ No. 34006 Bude. Ironically, only the latter would succumb to the cutter’s torch. The ‘Spam Can’ was one of the first ‘Light Pacifics’ to escape from Barry - in 1976 - taking No. 34028 Eddystone’s tender with it as its original had been used by Briton Ferry Steel Works as an ingot carrier. Negotiations to restore No. 34081 at the Dean Forest Railway broke down, so the locomotive was moved to its current home, the Nene Valley Railway. 92 Squadron returned to steam for the first time in over 30 years in March 1998 and, as of this year, has started its second boiler ticket. It will be the star at a number of Southern steam celebrations, namely the Swanage, Severn Valley and Mid-Hants galas.