Locomotive Class

Battle Of Britain / West Country Class

Battle Of Britain / West Country Class Class: Battle Of Britain / West Country Class
Type: Steam
Designer: Oliver Bulleid
Weight: 137 tons
Purpose: Mixed Traffic

Information: Battle of Britain Class locomotives, along with sister West Country’s were introduced in 1945 and produced through 1954. A total of 110 air-smooth cased Light Pacific’s; affectionately known or rather unkindly nick-named “Spam Cans” were built by the Southern Railway and later British Railways using many features inherited from the larger and heavier Merchant Navy Class.

Details: By 1945 plans for electrification of the Southern Railway were already in progress. The Merchant Navy Class had been introduced in 1941 to fill the need for express passenger service on the busiest routes. Because of weight load restrictions and size, the Merchant Navy Class could not be used universally through-out the region. Although third rail electrics would eventually spread, a lighter weight locomotive was required to handle freight and cross country intermediate passenger services that ran through-out the region replacing an ageing fleet of T-9’s, School’s, etc.
Features employed on the previous Merchant Navy Class such as the Boxpox wheels, chain drive, welded firebox construction, and electric lighting were incorporated into the considerably lighter West Country/Battle of Britain Class locomotives.
Initial deliveries of a batch of thirty West Country locomotives built at Brighton Works commencing in May 1945. A second order of fifteen locomotives followed in 1946. With the third batch, production of the Battle of Britain locomotives commenced after a total of 48 West Country’s had been produced (17 more West Country’s were later produced before production ceased). Remaining members of the class were constructed at Brighton, Ashford, and Eastleigh with the final member of the class 34110 “66 Squadron” taking to the rails in May 1951 under British Railways auspices. In all 65 West Country’s and 45 Battle of Britain’s were produced.
Names were associated with various aspects of the famous Battle of Britain fought over areas of Southern Britain and the coast during WW2. Individual locomotives included names and plaques associated with famous people such as “Winston Churchill”, aircraft “Hurricane”, and fighting squadrons. Sister West Country locomotives were typically named for town’s scattered through-out West Country region. By 1957 un-rebuilt members of the class was assigned a 7P5F rating category by British Railways. Rebuilt members received a 7P6F rating. Class members seldom saw the type of service and train loads they were capable of hauling.
Liveries carried include the original Malachite Green, affectionately known as “Sunshine Green” with yellow lining was employed by the Southern Railway. All members were ultimately painted British Railways Brunswick Green with orange and black lining.
Performance, maintenance, and operational cost evaluations of the original design were undertaken on the earlier Merchant Navy Class, as expectations of the design were not meeting objectives. As a result the entire Merchant Navy Class was ultimately rebuilt to more conventional steam locomotive design principles strongly influenced by the then current British Railways Pacific Class standard design criteria. This resulted in a radical appearance change as air-smoothed stream-lined casings were removed, primarily for maintenance purposes. An initial order to rebuild 60 of the Light Pacific’s took place between 1957 and 1961. However, it was found that the rebuilding procedure increased the loading weight of the locomotives thereby making them redundant for their intended route availability. As the 1955 Modernisation Plan was already in progress further rebuilds were not undertaken.
With their work being replaced by on-going electricification and route closures many members of the class were pre-maturely with-drawn, commencing with 10 locomotives in 1963. By the end of steam on the Southern Region in 1967, only seven locomotives were still in active duty.
A total of twenty class members; including 10 of the rebuilds have been spared the breakers torch. It is unlikely that some will ever reach preservation stage. Features that made them popular during their operational years such as route availability and imposing appearance have made them popular with preservation lines and museums through-out Britain, where today they can still be enjoyed.

John Faulkner

Battle Of Britain / West Country Class Releases (43)

MODEL NO. LIVERY
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 222 Squadron
Released: 2005 2006 2007
34078 B.R. Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 41 Squadron
Released: 1985 1986
34076 B.R. Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 605 Squadron
Released: 2004 2005 2006
34083 B.R. Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 73 Squadron
Released: 2003
34061 B.R. Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 92 Squadron
Released: 2001 2002 2003 2004
34081 B.R. Malachite Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Fighter Pilot
Released: 1987 1988 1989
21C155 S.R. Malachite Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Fighter Pilot
Released: 2002 2003 2004 2005
21C155 S.R. Malachite Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Lord Beaverbrook
Released: 1995 1996 1997
34054 B.R. Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Eustace Missenden
Released: 2008 2009 2010
34090 B.R. Malachite Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Spitfire
Released: 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
21C166 S.R. Malachite Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Tangmere
Released: 2001 2002 2003 2004
34067 B.R. Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Winston Churchill 21C151 S.R. Malachite Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Winston Churchill 34051 B.R. Green
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Winston Churchill - National Railway Museum Collection - Special Edition
Released: 2004
34051 B.R. Green
Devon Belle (West Country Class - Wadebridge)
Released: 2009
34007 B.R. Green
Devon Belle (West Country Class - Watersmeet)
Released: 2006
34030 B.R. Green
Devon Belle (West Country Class - Yes Tor)
Released: 2006
34026 B.R. Green
Fireworks At Chilcompton Train Pack (West Country Class - Dorchester) - Barry J. Freeman Collection
Released: 2010
34042 B.R. Green
Pines Express (West Country Class - Combe Martin)
Released: 2005
34043 B.R. Green
Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 17 Squadron
Released: 2006 2007
34062 B.R. Green
Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Frederick Pile
Released: 2008 2009 2010
34058 B.R. Green
Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Keith Park
Released: 2006 2007
34053 B.R. Green
Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Trafford
Released: 2009
34109 B.R. Green
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Ottery St. Mary
Released: 2006 2007 2008 2009
34045 B.R. Green
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Padstow
Released: 2008 2009 2010
34008 B.R. Green
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Plymouth (Weathered)
Released: 2006 2007 2008
34003 B.R. Green
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Westward Ho
Released: 2008 2009
34036 B.R. Green
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Yes Tor
Released: 2008 2009
34026 B.R. Green
Thanet Belle (Battle Of Britain Class - Biggin Hill)
Released: 2002
21C157 B.R. Malachite Green
The Golden Arrow (Battle Of Britain Class - 46 Squadron)
Released: 2004
34074 B.R. Malachite Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Barnstaple
Released: 1966 1969w
34005 B.R. Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Bideford
Released: 1996 1997
21C119 S.R. Malachite Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Blackmoor Vale
Released: 2002 2003 2004 2006
21C123 S.R. Malachite Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Blandford Forum
Released: 2010
34107 B.R. Green
West Country Class Locomotive - City Of Wells
Released: 2006
34092 B.R. Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Clovelly
Released: 2003
34037 B.R. Malachite Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Dorchester
Released: 1970w 1971w 1972w
34042 B.R. Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Exeter
Released: 1995
21C101 S.R. Malachite Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Sidmouth
Released: 2001
21C110 S.R. Malachite Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Torrington
Released: 2008 2009 2010
34031 S.R. Malachite Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Weymouth
Released: 2002
34091 B.R. Green
West Country Class Locomotive - Wilton
Released: 2001 2002 2003 2004
34041 B.R. Green
West Country Class Locomotive With Stanier Tender - Bude - Limited Edition
Released: 2008 2009 2010
34006 B.R. Malachite Green

Battle Of Britain / West Country Class Images (43)

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 222 Squadron
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 222 Squadron 34078

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 41 Squadron
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 41 Squadron 34076

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 605 Squadron
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 605 Squadron 34083

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 73 Squadron
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 73 Squadron 34061

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 92 Squadron
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 92 Squadron 34081

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Fighter Pilot
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Fighter Pilot 21C155

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Fighter Pilot
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Fighter Pilot 21C155

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Lord Beaverbrook
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Lord Beaverbrook 34054

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Eustace Missenden
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Eustace Missenden 34090

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Spitfire
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Spitfire 21C166

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Tangmere
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Tangmere 34067

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Winston Churchill
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Winston Churchill 21C151

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Winston Churchill
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Winston Churchill 34051

Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Winston Churchill - National Railway Museum Collection - Special Edition
Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Winston Churchill - National Railway Museum Collection - Special Edition 34051

Devon Belle (West Country Class - Wadebridge)
Devon Belle (West Country Class - Wadebridge) 34007

Devon Belle (West Country Class - Watersmeet)
Devon Belle (West Country Class - Watersmeet) 34030

Devon Belle (West Country Class - Yes Tor)
Devon Belle (West Country Class - Yes Tor) 34026

Fireworks At Chilcompton Train Pack (West Country Class - Dorchester)  - Barry J. Freeman Collection
Fireworks At Chilcompton Train Pack (West Country Class - Dorchester) - Barry J. Freeman Collection 34042

Pines Express (West Country Class - Combe Martin)
Pines Express (West Country Class - Combe Martin) 34043

Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 17 Squadron
Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - 17 Squadron 34062

Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Frederick Pile
Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Frederick Pile 34058

Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Keith Park
Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Keith Park 34053

Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Trafford
Rebuilt Battle Of Britain Class Locomotive - Sir Trafford 34109

Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Ottery St. Mary
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Ottery St. Mary 34045

Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Padstow
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Padstow 34008

Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Plymouth (Weathered)
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Plymouth (Weathered) 34003

Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Westward Ho
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Westward Ho 34036

Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Yes Tor
Rebuilt West Country Class Locomotive - Yes Tor 34026

Thanet Belle (Battle Of Britain Class - Biggin Hill)
Thanet Belle (Battle Of Britain Class - Biggin Hill) 21C157

The Golden Arrow (Battle Of Britain Class - 46 Squadron)
The Golden Arrow (Battle Of Britain Class - 46 Squadron) 34074

West Country Class Locomotive - Barnstaple
West Country Class Locomotive - Barnstaple 34005

West Country Class Locomotive - Bideford
West Country Class Locomotive - Bideford 21C119

West Country Class Locomotive - Blackmoor Vale
West Country Class Locomotive - Blackmoor Vale 21C123

West Country Class Locomotive - Blandford Forum
West Country Class Locomotive - Blandford Forum 34107

West Country Class Locomotive - City Of Wells
West Country Class Locomotive - City Of Wells 34092

West Country Class Locomotive - Clovelly
West Country Class Locomotive - Clovelly 34037

West Country Class Locomotive - Dorchester
West Country Class Locomotive - Dorchester 34042

West Country Class Locomotive - Exeter
West Country Class Locomotive - Exeter 21C101

West Country Class Locomotive - Sidmouth
West Country Class Locomotive - Sidmouth 21C110

West Country Class Locomotive - Torrington
West Country Class Locomotive - Torrington 34031

West Country Class Locomotive - Weymouth
West Country Class Locomotive - Weymouth 34091

West Country Class Locomotive - Wilton
West Country Class Locomotive - Wilton 34041

West Country Class Locomotive With Stanier Tender - Bude - Limited Edition
West Country Class Locomotive With Stanier Tender - Bude - Limited Edition 34006


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