Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

Looked as if 34046 was ready for a boiler lift at CHC today. It was stripped and seemed like a crane in place.

 

Quite right. Surely the point of naming these engines as they were named was to honour those who fought in the battle, i.e. to commemorate it?

 

Quite right and it matters not one jot by which company there were named nor what colour they were painted in at the time.

 

Agreed, and no-one has suggested it should be named anything other than 257 Squadron.

 

As this thread has devolved into petty insults, I've reported to the mod team to review and removed several posts from view temporarily.
(as this includes some of my own posts I will not participate in the mod decision).

 

There seems to me no point re-naming any surviving BoB next year. However, it would be a fitting gesture to follow Braunton's lead and re-name some of the West Country locos, for a short period. If an owner wants to use the occasion as an excuse to repaint any light pacific into the SR or BR version of malachite green, I for one will be happy to see it.

34051 will be on display at the NRM, newly "out-shopped" from Ropley. I wonder if there's any chance of 34067 and 34046, in her temporary guise as 34052, visiting the museum at the same time, perhaps between railtour duties, and the three of them appearing together around the turntable or out in the sunshine? What do you think, Anthony?

 

That, is exactly what I have been suggesting in a few posts further back......... no point in changing a BoB's id at all, and I for one are looking forward to seeing as resplendent & shiny 92 Squadron replete with new crests!

I just hope that those who have a West Country in their charge, and are ghosting on this forum, pick up on the "ground swell" of opinion........

As for 34051, I think Ollie is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel........ & I hope he and the rest of the lads invited to York for the unveiling have a grand day out.

 

The 66 Sqn Commanding Officer's Landrover, RAF Seletar (Singapore), October 1968. The squadron was flying Belvedere and Wessex Helicopters.

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I hope he never had a shunt in that. Would not be good news for the nameplate.

 

...and even worse for the other car.

 

I wonder if the bright spark who did that realised how much its worth? Or some other bright spark realised what it was and took their toolkit to it?

 

Indeed, 34056 Croydon's nameplate sold for £28k at auction recently. And on a similar note, I bought this replica on ebay recently. I may repaint it at some point, as some of the existing paint is a tad scruffy.

EDIT. I've just looked up 66 Squadron, the squadron was disbanded in 1969 (having been formed in 1916 as part of the RFC, so an old squadron indeed!) so I wonder where those nameplates are now....

 

Perhaps one of the Railway Mags could sponsor an event at Eastleigh if it's possible next year for the BoB Anniversary?
Gather as many Bulleids as possible using Bob's and WC's disguised as BoB's for a line-up like the A4 event at York and with a display from the BBMF (although the busy Eastleigh Airport might prevent this). You also have the Spitfire connection with Eastleigh.............
Alternatively gather the loco's at a Southern Heritage line and have some displays from the BBMF. Trouble is the BBMF will be very busy next year.

 

I should imagine the BBMF are busy most years! Now is the time to crack on with this though if we want somthing to happen next summer.

 

That would be a fun idea, I think hosting it on the Bluebell might be an easier choice as I dont think Siemens would be very happy about shutting down work on there maintance team. For me it would be a great way of raising funds for CanPac as she will be in the shed hopefully being restorated (pending what happens with the funding from the Heritage Lottery).

 

I'd watch this space on that.......something is definitely in the pipeline

 

Although the Swanage Railway has stated it doesn't need 34053 as a regular loco, it would be good to see it pay a visit to the line for some special event. Quite apart from being able to team up with 34070 and 34072 for a Battle of Britain commemoration event next year, it was a Bournemouth engine for the last few years of its working life, so a return, albeit brief, to Dorset would be most appropriate

 

Surely the Eastleigh connection with the Spitfire and designer Mitchell merits the location of any celebration at Eastleigh Works; if it is possible to park a Spitfire at the adjacent airfield (or possibly on site) it would be an event to match the popularity of the Eastleigh Centenary which surpassed all expectations. To add interest to the modern fleet perhaps Colas or GB Railfreight could commemorate Mitchell with a naming ceremony ?