Description

2017 was the 50th anniversary of the end of Southern steam when the famous Bulleid Pacifics were withdrawn from BR service.

The Bulleid Pacifics of the Southern Railway were locomotives like no other in Britain. From the start they represented a radical break from traditional design and, when heavily rebuilt some years later, they became in effect the last main line steam design in the UK.

This programme traces the history of the Merchant Navy, West Country and Battle of Britain classes. Using original archive film we highlight services that the Bulleid Pacifics worked and also which locos were saved for preservation.

Superb cine footage from the Richard Greenwood collection allows us to follow the story of 34092 ‘City of Wells’ from Barry Scrapyard to working order on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. The programme ends with the Swanage Railways ‘Strickly Bulleid’ Gala in 2017.