SR Merchant Navy Class 35018 British India Line

35018 British India Line

35018 at the Mid Hants Railway in March 1980

Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Eastleigh Works Build date May 1945

Specifications Configuration 4-6-2 Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Wheelbase 61 ft 6 in (18.75 m) Length 71 ft 7¾ in (21.84 m) Total weight 94 tons 15 cwt (96,270 kg, c. 212,240 lb) Boiler pressure 250 psi (1.73 MPa) Cylinders 3 Cylinder size 18 in bore x 24 in stoke (457 x 610 mm)

Performance figures Tractive effort 33,495 lbf (148.99 kN)

Career Operators Southern Region of British Railways Class Merchant Navy Numbers SR 21C18 BR 35018 Official name British India Line Last run 1964 Withdrawn 1964 Restored N/A

35018 British India Line was one of the first batch of twenty SR Merchant Navy Class steam locomotives to be built by the Southern Railway in 1945.

Completed at Eastleigh Works in May 1945, British India Line was first shedded at Nine Elms shed, she was to remain here for her career with southern and for most of her career under British Railways ownership until November 1960. On 24 November 1960, she was re-allocated to Bournemouth's 71B shed and in January of the following year, she returned to Nine Elms 70A shed where was to remain for the rest of her career with BR.

She was withdrawn from service in August 1964 and was sold onto Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry, South Wales where she arrived in December of the same year. British India Line was to remain at Barry Scrapyard for 16 years until November 1979 when she was purchased for preservation and in March 1980, she was moved to the Mid Hants Railway, she was later moved to a site in Portland in Dorset, but was moved once again in 2012 to the former 10A steam shed at Carnforth, Lancashire where she has been undergoing a thorough restoration since her arrival and it is hoped that near the end of 2016 or start/mid 2017 that British India Line will steam for the first time in preservation.

Allocations & History

The shed locations of 35018 on particular dates as well as where she has been stored and based over the years in preservation.

May 1945 (First Shed)	Nine Elms Locomotive Works
1 January 1948	Nine Elms, 9E
24 November 1960	Bournemouth, 71B
17 January 1961 (Final Shed)	Nine Elms, 70A
August 1964	Withdrawn
December 1964	Arrived at Barry Scrapyard
23 November 1979	Purchased for preservation
3 March 1980	Moved to Mid Hants Railway
?	Stored in Portland, Dorset
May 2012	Moved to Carnforth Motive Power Depot.