BR Steam Locomotive - 34072 '257 SQUADRON'

Ex SR West Country & Battle of Britain Class

4-6-2 Pacific designed by Bulleid, built Brighton 1948

[Author © Dr WP Brown PhD (plus 'DocsPics' help from AI these days), railway page updated September 21st 2025]

Appearing at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) Annual Steam Gala September 2025

Heritage & Preserved Steam Locomotive Engines

My Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

Bulleid Pacific 34072 "257 Squadron" was built at Brighton Works in 1948 and allocated to Dover shed to mainly work the Continental Boat Trains from London to Dover e.g. the Night Ferry. 34072 also worked on local services between the Kent Coast and Charing Cross but after the electrification of the Kent coast lines in 1958 34072 257 Squadron was moved to Exmouth Junction locomotive depot in 1958, the Southern Region's main shed for the West Country and 34072 would have worked trains to Salisbury, Plymouth and to the Southern's other destinations in North Devon and North Cornwall.

The only photograph I had of 34072 is rather blurred and taken when she visited the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (year ?), here seen climbing up from Beckhole to Goathland with a Grosmont-Pickering train. (recovered from a 35 mm photograph)

Bulleid SR 4-6-2 'Battle of Britain' Class Pacific design, 34072 257 SQUADRON is still in its original air smoothed casing, thermic syphons and Boxpox driving wheels.

Technical detail specifications of locomotive 34072: Boiler pressure of 34072: 250 lbf/sq.in., Weight of 34072: loco 86.0 tons, tender ~42-48 tons, Wheel diameter of 34072: 3' 1'', 6' 2", 3' 1", Valve gear of 34072: Walschaerts, Cylinders (diameter x stroke) of 34072: 16⅜" x 24" (3), Tractive effort of 34072: 27720 lbf., BR Power classification of 34072: Class 7P

See also

BR 34007 WADEBRIDGE SR Bulleid Class WC & BB 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive

BR 34027 TAW VALLEY SR West Country Class 4-6-2 Pacific locomotive

BR 34039 BOSCASTLE SR Bulleid West Country Class 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive

BR 34051 WINSTON CHURCHILL SR Bulleid Class WC & BB 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive

BR 34070 MANSTON SR Bulleid Class WC & BB 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive

BR 34081 92 SQUADRON SR Bulleid Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive

BR 34092 CITY OF WELLS SR Bulleid Class WC & BB 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive

BR 34101 HARTLAND SR Bulleid Class WC & BB 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive

A full profile of steam locomotive SR 34072 "257 Squadron", a preserved member of the Southern Railway’s iconic Battle of Britain class:

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Historical Background and Description of 34072 257 Squadron

34072 "257 Squadron" is a member of the Battle of Britain class, designed by Oliver Bulleid for the Southern Railway. These locomotives were part of the broader Bulleid Light Pacifics, which also included the West Country class. Built at Brighton Works in 1948, 34072 was named after No. 257 Squadron RAF, a fighter squadron that flew Spitfires during WWII.

The Battle of Britain class served as a roving memorial to RAF Fighter Command, with each locomotive named after squadrons, airfields, or personnel involved in the conflict. Bulleid’s design was innovative, featuring air-smoothed casing, chain-driven valve gear, and a three-cylinder layout, earning them the nickname “Spam Cans” due to their distinctive shape.

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Technical Specifications of 34072 257 Squadron

Feature	Specification
Class	SR Battle of Britain Class
Wheel Arrangement	4-6-2 (Pacific)
Designer	Oliver Bulleid
Builder	Brighton Works
Build Date	1948
Driving Wheel Diameter	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Boiler Pressure	250 psi (1.72 MPa)
Cylinders	Three, inside
Cylinder Size	16⅜ in × 24 in (416 mm × 610 mm)
Tractive Effort	~31,000 lbf (138 kN)
Valve Gear	Chain-driven (original design)
Fuel Type	Coal
Water Capacity	~4,500 imperial gallons (20,500 L)
Coal Capacity	~6 tons
Total Weight	~94 tons (locomotive only)
Power Classification	7P6F

34072 was never rebuilt, retaining its original air-smoothed casing and chain-driven valve gear, making it a rare survivor of the unrebuilt form.

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Preservation and Heritage Story of 34072 257 Squadron

• Withdrawn from BR service in 1964, 34072 was sent to Barry Scrapyard, where it remained until 1984.

• Purchased by Southern Locomotives Ltd, it was restored at Swindon Works, returning to steam in 1990.

• Moved to the Swanage Railway in 1992, where it became a regular performer.

• Withdrawn in 2003 for overhaul, which began in 2013.

• Returned to traffic in 2018, now operating in its original unrebuilt form.

34072 is one of the few unrebuilt Bulleid Pacifics in preservation, offering a rare glimpse into Bulleid’s radical design philosophy.

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Liveries and Numbers of 34072 257 Squadron

Era	Livery Description	Number Displayed
SR Era	Southern Malachite Green with yellow lining	257 Squadron
BR Service	BR Green with early or late crest	34072
Preservation	BR Green (Late Crest) or SR Green	34072 / 257 Squadron

In preservation, 34072 has alternated between BR Green and Southern Malachite Green, often carrying its original nameplate “257 Squadron” alongside its BR number 34072.

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My Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

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