SR West Country Class No. 34105 Swanage

SR West Country Class No. 34105 "Swanage" is a preserved 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive currently owned by the Mid-Hants Railway/Watercress Line. 
==History==
SR West Country Class No. 34105 "Swanage" was constructed in March 1950 at the Brighton Railway Works. as one of the 110 examples of the SR West Country and Battle of Britain Classes. The class was designed by Oliver Bulleid and built to operate for the Southern Railway in the United Kingdom. It was based at Bournemouth, performing Waterloo – Bournmouth express trains while also worked in Bath over the Somerset and Dorset line. In 1951 Swanage hauled the inaugural Royal Wessex from Weymouth to Waterloo.
Between 1955 and 1961, a total of 60 examples of the SR West Country and Battle of Britain Class Locomotives were rebuilt after British Railways/British Rail was formed, however, No. 34105 "Swanage" would not be one of them. In September 1959 whilst working a Bournemouth West to Newcastle train, the locomotive caught fire at Pokesdown near Bounemouth.
When it was withdrawn in October 1964, it was sold to Woodham Brothers at Barry for scrap where it arrived in February 1965. It remained there until March 1978 when it was purchased for preservation and moved to the Mid Hants Railway at Alresford.
It was restored to steam again in 1987 and ran for ten years until it was withdrawn for an overhaul. For a long time "Swanage" was stored out in the open at Ropley but has now been moved into the locomotive shed.
As of today, "Swanage" is still undergoing an overhaul at the Mid-Hants Railway/Watercress Line. There is currently no set target date for when it will return to steam.
==Gallery==
File:Swanage.jpg
File:West Country class pacific No 34105 Swanage on the Mid Hants Railway (2).jpg
==References==
* https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/34105-swanage/
Category:4-6-2 steam locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain
Category:SR West Country Class
Category:British locomotives
Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge
Category:Bulleid locomotives
Category:British steam locomotives
Category:British Rail locomotives
Category:Preserved steam locomotives
Category:Built in 1950
Category:Mid-Hants Railway
Category:4-6-2 locomotives
Category:SR West County and Battle of Britain Classes
Category:Watercress Line
Category:Preserved locomotives
Category:Southern Railway (UK) locomotives
Category:Brighton Works locomotives
Category:Locomotives saved from the Woodham Brothers scrapyard