British Railways 4-6-2 No. 34072 '257 Squadron'
Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK
Location: Spa Valley Railway
Status: Operational
Posted: Dec 1, 2024 @ 12:12:23 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron", will be relocating back to the Swanage Railway in Dorset, from 2025.
Posted: Nov 22, 2024 @ 12:11:47 by Russell Newman
Currently visiting on loan to the Mid Hants Railway (Watercress Line) until March 2025, the ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron", will not be returning to the Spa Valley Railway as instead the locomotive will be relocating back to its owners Southern Locomotives Ltd’s main base at the Swanage Railway in Dorset to be one of their main steam locomotives there while sister rebuilt Bulleid West Country Class Light Pacific No. 34028 "Eddystone", is out working on the mainline from 2025.
Posted: Jul 12, 2024 @ 10:07:32 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron", will be going on loan to the Mid Hants Railway (Watercress Line) from late July 2024 and will stay at the railway until the New Year, and during its stay at the Mid Hants Railway No. 34072 will take part in their Autumn Steam Gala from the 4th to 6th of October 2024.
Posted: May 31, 2024 @ 09:05:12 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron", will visit the Mid Norfolk Railway for the first time for their Summer Steam Gala from the 28th to 30th of June 2024.
Posted: Feb 12, 2024 @ 14:02:34 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron", will be making a return to the Swanage Railway to star in the largest gathering of ex Southern Railway Bulleid Pacific locomotives in the Strictly Bulleid 2 Gala from the 7th to 9th of June 2024.
Posted: Nov 2, 2023 @ 14:11:19 by Russell Newman
After being out on hire to the East Lancashire Railway for the latter half of the year, ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" is now back home at its Southeast base at the Spa Valley Railway in time to work their Polar Express trains over Christmas. In the early part of the New Year No. 34072 will be operating at the Spa Valley Railway on sceduled dates in January and February including two Driver Experience days and will also take part in their Winter Steam Gala from the 9th to 11th February 2024.
Posted: Feb 20, 2023 @ 08:02:38 by Jack Spencer
34072 257 Squadron is visiting the East Lancashire railway for the summer season this year, hot on the heels of her visit to the Kent and East Sussex railway. She will be filling in the void left by now withdrawn 34092 City of Wells, and it is hoped that the latters overhaul will be completed in time for the two to run together at the ELR.
Posted: Feb 20, 2023 @ 06:02:19 by Russell Newman
The visit of ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" to the Kent & East Sussex Railway will last until June when she returns home to the Spa Valley Railway to take part in their Summer Steam Up Event on the 17th and 18th of June 2023. Afterwards No. 34072 will visit the East Lancashire Railway for the Summer Season which this will the first time in 30 years that No. 34072 would seen running at the East Lancashire Railway again as her last visit there was in 1992 and 1993.
Posted: Jan 7, 2023 @ 14:01:53 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" will be doing a first in presvation this year in 2023 as the locomotive will be the very first Bulleid Light Pacific to visit the Kent & East Sussex Railway. No. 34072 will visit the Kent & East Sussex from the end of March until late May 2023, which No. 34072 will take part in a number of special events during her visit then.
Posted: Dec 13, 2022 @ 14:12:39 by Russell Newman
No. 34072 "257 Squadron" is to remain located at the Spa Valley Railway at Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent as it has now taken residence there. As well as the Swanage Railway, the Spa Valley Railway is a South East base for Southern Locomotives Ltd. the owners of No. 34072 and other locomotives in they fleet.
Posted: Dec 5, 2022 @ 13:12:28 by Russell Newman
It has been announced that ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" will be staying at the Spa Valley Railway at Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent as its home, as the locomotive will take residence there along with sable mate sister No. 34053 "Sir Keith Park" when her overhaul is completed. As they will be two Bulleid pacific locomotives to be based at the Spa Valley Railway as they have a good association with the Southern Locomotives Limited.
Posted: Nov 4, 2022 @ 15:11:26 by Russell Newman
Former Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" has arrived at the Spa Valley Railway for her visit over the winter season to be the main steam locomotive for their Polar Express Train Rides over Christmas.
Posted: May 13, 2022 @ 05:05:02 by Jack Spencer
257 Squadron will be visiting the Spa Valley Railway for the winter of 2022/23, hauling Santa Specials and normal service trains. This visit was originally planned for last year but was cancelled.
Posted: Jan 5, 2022 @ 12:01:54 by Russell Newman
Former Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" will be visiting the Great Central Railway as their second visiting locomotive for thie Winter Steam Gala from the 28th to 30th of January 2022.
Posted: Nov 30, 2021 @ 14:11:20 by Russell Newman
After months of repair ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" has now left Herston works and has returned to the Swanage Railway and ready to return to traffic over the Christmas season.
Posted: Oct 5, 2021 @ 14:10:17 by Russell Newman
Repairs on ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" are in there final stages of completion as the locomotive will be returning to traffic at the Swangae Railway this October.
Posted: Jun 29, 2021 @ 13:06:07 by Russell Newman
The ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class Light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" has temporarily been stopped for repairs and a front bogie replacement as her own front bogie is in need of repairs so the front bogie from sister West Country Light Pacific No. 34010 "Sidmouth" is being used as a replacement.
Posted: Mar 17, 2020 @ 11:03:25 by Russell Newman
The visit of No. 34072 "257 Squadron" to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for their Cotswold Festival of Steam has been put on hold due to event being postponed.
Posted: Mar 4, 2020 @ 07:03:41 by Jack Spencer
34072 257 Squadron will be making her first visit to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for their Cotswold Festival of Steam on May 23rd-25th, joining Sentinel 7109 Joyce.
Posted: Mar 3, 2020 @ 14:03:35 by Russell Newman
Ex Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain Class light Pacific No. 34072 "257 Squadron" will visit the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway as the second visiting locomotive for their Cotswold Festival of Steam from the 23rd to 25th of May 2020.
Posted: Aug 9, 2018 @ 13:08:31 by Russell Newman
Finally after some more work and tests No. 34072 "257 Squadron" was steamed for the first time in 15 years and is now being run in at the Swanage Railway before it enters traffic later this month.
Posted: Aug 22, 2017 @ 10:08:38 by Russell Newman
34072 "257 Squadron" has been moved out of Herston works and brought back to the Swanage Railway as its overhaul is now complete. The locomotive will be beginning a series of test runs before it enters service in the coming months.
Posted: Jun 23, 2005 @ 16:06:32 by John Rowley
On overhaul