Bulleid Spam Cans

The Bulleid Light Pacific locomotives were introduced in 1945 by the Southern Railway to a design by Oliver Bulleid. They were designed as a smaller version of the Merchant Navy Class. Their 18 ton axle loading and 8 foot 6 inch wide cabs enabled the class to be used almost anywhere on the Southern Region. Later members, 34071 onwards, were built with wider 9 foot cabs. These locomotives were attached to wider 5,500 gallon tenders. They were often referred to as 'Spam-Cans' because of their unconventional streamlined appearance.

They incorporated the same novel features as the Merchant Navy Class including an all-steel welded boiler, chain-driven valve-gear, inside motion enclosed in an oil bath and 'air-smoothed' casing.

All of this engineering detail meant nothing to me as a kid when I would spend hours during summer school holidays in the 50s train-spotting on the Southern mainline that ran from Victoria to Dover. My favoured location was just downline from Teynham station, which provided good views over a considerable length of the track. The most memorable times were to see a Bulleid Light Pacific from the 'West Country' or 'Battle of Britain' class emblazoned with golden arrows to casing sides and one angled on the front of the boiler housing as it thundered by hauling the Golden Arrow express - suitably named the Flèche D'Or on the run from Calais to Paris. Young heads were filled with romantic ideas of travelling to Paris in one of the Pullman carriages that formed the train....

Battle of Britain class No. 34072 '257 Squadron'

Many years later in October 2003 I attended a steam festival at The Bluebell Line in Sussex. This big kid at heart was thrilled to enjoy a train journey steam hauled by West Country Pacific no. 21C123 'Blackmore Vale' double-headed with visiting LNER V2 2-6-2 no. 60800 'Green Arrow'.

'Green Arrow'

The sheer grace of these magnificent locomotives from a bygone era is breathtaking and fortunately many of them have been preserved by Heritage Lines throughout the UK. I look forward to the day when I can enjoy one of the excursions that run on mainline routes and experience the thrill of being steam hauled at speed....