Southern Railway 4-6-2 No. 34059 (21C159) 'Sir Archibald Sinclair'
Sheffield Park, Sussex, UK 		Location: Bluebell Railway
Status: Operational
Posted: Aug 18, 2025 @ 12:08:37 by Russell Newman
Making her first visit away to another preserved railway from the Bluebell Railway for the first time since her return to steam in preservation, the ex Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain Class light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair", will be visiting the Mid Hants Railway (Watercress Line) for the very first time for their Autumn Steam Gala from the 3rd to 5th of October 2025.
Posted: Jun 11, 2025 @ 14:06:20 by Russell Newman
In a surprise move, the ex Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain Class light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair", is returning to the mainline briefly as the locomotive is being moved from the Bluebell Railway via Network Rail’s mainline to London for a private openday event. This is the first time that No. 34059 has ventured onto the mainline since 1966 and will be taken up as part of a consist to the capital. No. 34059 is being hauled from the Bluebell Railway to London and back by a Freightliner Class 66 Diesel Electric locomotive along with a few freight wagons for braking that will move the locomotive safely along Network Rail’s mainline’s into London.
Posted: May 29, 2024 @ 06:05:04 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain Class light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair", is to be rededicated back into service at the Bluebell Railway on the 15th June 2024 which will be carried out by the Bluebell Railway’s chairman, Roy Watts, and Tim Dunn, known for his passion of railway preservation.
Posted: May 20, 2024 @ 13:05:47 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain Class light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair", has now been fully painted and lined out in a new coat of British Railways Brunswick Green livery, and is now set to enter traffic at the Bluebell Railway this summer.
Posted: Oct 28, 2023 @ 10:10:20 by Russell Newman
With the overhaul now complete, the ex Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain Class light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" will be hauling trains at the Bluebell Railway over the Christmas season working on both their Santa Specials and their Steamlights trains. After this No. 34059 will enter the paint shops at Horsted Keynes for final painting before entering service for the 2024 season.
Posted: Oct 11, 2023 @ 06:10:09 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain Class light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" has undergone a successful loaded test run on the Bluebell Railway, and is now set to enter service soon after some final painting, and will be on display during the Bluebell Railway’s Giants of Steam Gala from the 13th to 15th of October 2023.
Posted: Oct 2, 2023 @ 14:10:32 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain Class light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" was successfully steamed and moved under her own power for the first time since 2011. This now marks the end of the overhaul and the locomotive is again operational, with just a few more items to sort out before No. 34059 can enter service at the Bluebell Railway again. They is a possibility that No. 34059 may be in steam during the Bluebell Railway’s Giants of Steam Gala from the 13th to 15th of October 2023.
Posted: Jun 1, 2023 @ 11:06:29 by Russell Newman
The boiler of ex Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain Class light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" was successfully steamed for the first time since 2012 and has passed its official steam test. The boiler of No. 34059 will now be painted with aluminium heat resistant paint and will then be returned onto the chassis of the locomotive with work then centred on the pipe work and other fitting out to completed before No. 34059 can start futher testing and running in trials.
Posted: Jul 31, 2022 @ 13:07:22 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" has not left the Bluebell Railway as it is still at Sheffield Park still in the last stages of its overhaul.
Posted: Jul 28, 2021 @ 05:07:49 by Russell Newman
Work on the overhaul of former Southern Railway Bulleid rebuilt Battle of Britain light Pacific No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" is progressing in the workshops at Sheffield Park as the chassis of the locomotive have been placed back on its wheels again.
Posted: Jul 21, 2019 @ 11:07:39 by Russell Newman
Another milestone has been reached for No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" as the rolling chassis of the locomotive have been moved in to the workshop at Sheffield Park for its overhaul.
Posted: Aug 31, 2018 @ 10:08:47 by Russell Newman
The boiler of No. 34059 "Sir Archibald Sinclair" has returned back to the Bluebell Railway after having new sides to the outer wrapper of the firebox and a completely new inner steel firebox and foundation channel fitted at the South Devon Railways workshops. The boiler is in the workshop at Sheffield Park where its being measured for stays and tubes in readiness for work to commence on re-staying and the fitting of smoke and flue tubes. It is hoped the locomotive will be back in service at the Bluebell Railway within two years.
Posted: Feb 20, 2009 @ 14:02:16 by New York Central
"Sir Archibald Sinclair" is approaching completion, she should return to steam sometime in summer at the earliest.