SR Battle of Britain class 21C151 Winston Churchill
Encyclopedia
21C151 Winston Churchill is a Southern Railway
Battle of Britain class 4-6-2
Pacific steam locomotive
that has been preserved as part of the United Kingdom's National Collection. It is on display at the National Railway Museum
.
locomotive shed for services on the West of England Main Line
between London and Exeter
.
in a ceremony at Waterloo railway station on 11 September 1947. The former prime minister, by then Leader of the Opposition, was offered the chance to name the locomotive, but turned it down, claiming a prior engagement. The locomotive was named by Lord Dowding
, who also named "his" locomotive at the same ceremony. Churchill became the only person to decline the opportunity to name a Battle of Britain class locomotive after himself.
It passed to British Railways in January 1948 as part of nationalisation of Britain's railways. However it was October 1948 before it received its British Railways number 34051. It also kept it Southern Railway malachite green with chrome yellow stripping until November 1950 when it was repainted into British Railways Brunswick green.
During an overhaul at Eastleigh Works
in March 1949, 34051 swapped its tender (number 3301) for tender number 3280, formerly coupled to 21C128 Eddystone (tender 3301 was then attached to 34042 Dorchester).
In February 1950, 34051 moved to Nine Elms locomotive shed in London, and continued to work the West of England Main Line, as well as the Waterloo to Weymouth line
. In August that year it had another change of tenders, 3280, its old tender, going to 34065 Hurricane, while 34051 gained tender number 3316 (which 34067 Tangmere had had from new). It would keep this tender for the rest of its British Railways service.
In April 1951 it was reallocated to Exmouth Junction shed, on the eastern outskirts of Exeter. Its opportunities to wander the network of branchlines west of Exeter known as 'The Withered Arm', were cut short when its allocation was changed to Salisbury only two months later.
It stayed at Salisbury for the rest of its career, becoming the shed's 'pet' locomotive, even being noted on the Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway
line in June 1959 on the front of a Salisbury– cattle train.
During a General Repair at Eastleigh Works in November/December 1954, 34051 had its boiler pressure reduced from 280 lbf/in2. At its next General, six years later, it was fitted with a speedometer and Automatic Warning System
apparatus, and tender 3316 had its cosmetic high-sides removed.
on the before being transferred to Waterloo Station. A special train had been laid on to take the family to , seven miles north-west of Oxford
. Handborough was the closest station to the parish church of Bladon
where Churchill's body was to be interred. The train comprised:
The hearse
was a Southern Railway 53 in 3 in (16.23 m) Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van, no. 2464, which was built in 1931 as part of a batch of 30. It had been withdrawn from normal service in 1961, and was set aside and repainted into the Pullman cream and umber colours in July 1962. The van was kept out of public gaze in Stewarts Lane carriage sheds.
While being prepared, the locomotive carried the four discs in an inverted 'T' formation—the headcode for a Royal train
, but this was subsequently changed. The headcode used while pulling the special was one disc on each side of the locomotive's smokebox
, and a third in the middle of the bufferbeam—a 'V' formation evoking Churchill's 'V for Victory
' sign. In reality, that headcode would normally only have been used for a breakdown train.
The train was routed via , , , , and , where it left the Southern Region
and joined the Western Region
. The train continued to Handborough via Didcot East and North Junctions and . 34051 then retraced its route back to London light engine, the special train being taken back to Paddington by 'Western' class
diesel-hydraulic D1015 Western Champion.
34051 was withdrawn later that year on 19 September 1965, having covered 807496 miles (1,299,536 km).
Today, S2464S survives on the Swanage Railway
since being repatriated from the USA. It has been repainted into Pullman umber and cream and is now operational.
. It now resides at the National Railway Museum
, York, as part of the UK National Collection.
Co-incidentally, all six cars used in Churchill's funeral train survive in preservation, with two Pullmans and the hearse van having spent several years in the United States.
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
Battle of Britain class 4-6-2
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
Pacific steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
that has been preserved as part of the United Kingdom's National Collection. It is on display at the National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
.
Career
21C151 was built at Brighton Works in 1946, being released to traffic on 30 December of that year. Initially it was unnamed and paired with 4500 gallons (20,457.4 l) tender 3301. It was first allocated to SalisburySalisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
locomotive shed for services on the West of England Main Line
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
between London and Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
.
Naming
21C151 was officially named Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
in a ceremony at Waterloo railway station on 11 September 1947. The former prime minister, by then Leader of the Opposition, was offered the chance to name the locomotive, but turned it down, claiming a prior engagement. The locomotive was named by Lord Dowding
Hugh Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding
Air Chief Marshal Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding GCB, GCVO, CMG was a British officer in the Royal Air Force...
, who also named "his" locomotive at the same ceremony. Churchill became the only person to decline the opportunity to name a Battle of Britain class locomotive after himself.
Modifications
In July/August 1947 it had its original flat-front cab altered to a more streamlined wedge-shaped, with a larger front window.It passed to British Railways in January 1948 as part of nationalisation of Britain's railways. However it was October 1948 before it received its British Railways number 34051. It also kept it Southern Railway malachite green with chrome yellow stripping until November 1950 when it was repainted into British Railways Brunswick green.
During an overhaul at Eastleigh Works
Eastleigh Works
Eastleigh Works is a locomotive, carriage and wagon building and repair facility in the town of Eastleigh in the county of Hampshire in England.-History under the LSWR:...
in March 1949, 34051 swapped its tender (number 3301) for tender number 3280, formerly coupled to 21C128 Eddystone (tender 3301 was then attached to 34042 Dorchester).
In February 1950, 34051 moved to Nine Elms locomotive shed in London, and continued to work the West of England Main Line, as well as the Waterloo to Weymouth line
South Western Main Line
The South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
. In August that year it had another change of tenders, 3280, its old tender, going to 34065 Hurricane, while 34051 gained tender number 3316 (which 34067 Tangmere had had from new). It would keep this tender for the rest of its British Railways service.
In April 1951 it was reallocated to Exmouth Junction shed, on the eastern outskirts of Exeter. Its opportunities to wander the network of branchlines west of Exeter known as 'The Withered Arm', were cut short when its allocation was changed to Salisbury only two months later.
It stayed at Salisbury for the rest of its career, becoming the shed's 'pet' locomotive, even being noted on the Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway
Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway
The Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway was a railway that ran in the English counties of Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset from 1866 until its closure in 1964. Working from Salisbury, trains left the Salisbury to Southampton line at the remote Alderbury Junction. Here there was a signal box, some...
line in June 1959 on the front of a Salisbury– cattle train.
During a General Repair at Eastleigh Works in November/December 1954, 34051 had its boiler pressure reduced from 280 lbf/in2. At its next General, six years later, it was fitted with a speedometer and Automatic Warning System
Automatic Warning System
The Automatic Warning System is a form of limited cab signalling and train protection system introduced in 1956 in the United Kingdom to help train drivers observe and obey signals. It was based on a 1930 system developed by Alfred Ernest Hudd and marketed as the "Strowger-Hudd" system...
apparatus, and tender 3316 had its cosmetic high-sides removed.
Funeral train
On 24 January 1965, Winston Churchill died. His state funeral on 30 January 1965 saw his coffin process up the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
on the before being transferred to Waterloo Station. A special train had been laid on to take the family to , seven miles north-west of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. Handborough was the closest station to the parish church of Bladon
Bladon
Bladon is a village and civil parish on the River Glyme about northwest of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.-Churches:The Parish Church of Saint Martin was originally 11th or 12th century, but was rebuilt twice in the 19th century: firstly in 1804, and then by the architect A.W...
where Churchill's body was to be interred. The train comprised:
- Battle of Britain class 34051 Winston Churchill,
- Pullman guard-parlour car 208,
- Hearse van S2464S,
- Pullman kitchen-parlour car Carina,
- Pullman kitchen-parlour car Lydia,
- Pullman parlour car Perseus,
- Pullman guard-parlour car Isle of Thanet.
The hearse
Hearse
A hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
was a Southern Railway 53 in 3 in (16.23 m) Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van, no. 2464, which was built in 1931 as part of a batch of 30. It had been withdrawn from normal service in 1961, and was set aside and repainted into the Pullman cream and umber colours in July 1962. The van was kept out of public gaze in Stewarts Lane carriage sheds.
While being prepared, the locomotive carried the four discs in an inverted 'T' formation—the headcode for a Royal train
Royal Train
A royal train is a set of carriages dedicated for the use of the monarch or other members of that particular royal family. Most monarchies with a railway system employ a set of royal carriages.-Australia:...
, but this was subsequently changed. The headcode used while pulling the special was one disc on each side of the locomotive's smokebox
Smokebox
A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a Steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney .To assist...
, and a third in the middle of the bufferbeam—a 'V' formation evoking Churchill's 'V for Victory
V sign
The V sign is a hand gesture in which the index and middle fingers are raised and parted, while the other fingers are clenched. It has various meanings, depending on the cultural context and how it is presented...
' sign. In reality, that headcode would normally only have been used for a breakdown train.
The train was routed via , , , , and , where it left the Southern Region
Southern Region of British Railways
The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...
and joined the Western Region
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
. The train continued to Handborough via Didcot East and North Junctions and . 34051 then retraced its route back to London light engine, the special train being taken back to Paddington by 'Western' class
British Rail Class 52
British Rail assigned Class 52 to the class of 74 large Type 4 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built for the Western Region of British Railways between 1961 and 1964...
diesel-hydraulic D1015 Western Champion.
34051 was withdrawn later that year on 19 September 1965, having covered 807496 miles (1,299,536 km).
Today, S2464S survives on the Swanage Railway
Swanage Railway
The Swanage Railway is a long heritage railway in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. The railway follows the route of the Purbeck branch line between Norden railway station, Corfe Castle railway station, Harman's Cross railway station, Herston Halt railway station and Swanage...
since being repatriated from the USA. It has been repainted into Pullman umber and cream and is now operational.
Preservation
After hauling Churchill's funeral train, 34051 was earmarked for preservation, so in November 1965, 34051 was moved to Hellifield for storage . It later spent some time at the Didcot Railway CentreDidcot Railway Centre
Didcot Railway Centre, located in the town of Didcot in the English county of Oxfordshire, is based around the site of a comprehensive "engine shed" which became redundant after the nationalisation of the UK railways, due to the gradual changeover from steam to diesel motive power.-Description:The...
. It now resides at the National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
, York, as part of the UK National Collection.
Co-incidentally, all six cars used in Churchill's funeral train survive in preservation, with two Pullmans and the hearse van having spent several years in the United States.