4-6-2 West Country Class SR

4-6-2 West Country Class SR

4-6-2 West Country Class SR

SR No. BR No. Name Date Built

21C101 34001 Exeter 1945 Prototype locomotive
34092 City of Wells 1949/50 Originally named just as 'Wells'
21C123 34023 Blackmoor Vale 1946
21C144 34044 Sir Eustace Missenden 1949 Woolacombe is the correct designation here,
Sir Eustace Missenden should be 34090
34075 264 Squadron 1948/49
21C106 34006 Bude 1948
34107 Blandford 1950 Originally named as Blandford Forum
21C118 34018 Tavistock 1956/56 Axminster is the correct designation here,
Tavistock should be 21C111 & 34011
21C119 34019 Bideford 1945
21C110 34010 Sidmouth 1945/46

At the end of World War II, a fast and powerful mixed traffic engine was needed to replace the Southern's war-weary locomotive stock. Southern Railway introduced a new class of Light Pacific locomotive, capable of operating on a worn and damaged rail network. Design effort started in 1943 and, after considering and rejecting a 4-6-0, the 'Light Pacific' was born, copying as closely as possible the Merchant Navy class design but with the objective of retaining the maximum possible power, whilst at the same time keeping the engines' weight to a ceiling of 86 tons, with an axle load of no more than 19 tons. This was achieved by utilising the Merchant Navy's bogie, coupled wheels, axleboxes and motion while reducing the size of the trailing wheels, cylinders and pistons. Further, the boiler and firebox were scaled down and utilised welding techniques to save weight.

Roll out occurred in June 1945, resplendent in pre-war Malachite livery, which sharply contrasted to the prevailing starkness of the wartime overall black livery. The class name was also replaced, gone the term 'Lightweight Pacific' and replaced by 'West Country' These locomotives were destined for operations in the south and south-west, while a subsequent batch given the class name of 'Battle of Britain' primarily operated in the south-east.

Initially 70 locomotives were ordered but the build was subsequently extended through and after nationalisation to a total of 110 examples. Of the 110, 66 were named after places and features of the south-west while the reamining 44 were named after squadrons and other aspects associated with the Battle of Britain and hence the 'Battle of Britain class'. In all respects other than the naming, they were identical locos to the WC class.

The Southern Railway Company stole a march on the other railway companies and gained a considerable amount of public support by introducing a bold forward looking design wearing a bright livery and by their naming policy honouring the war effort.

From Waterloo, beyond Okehampton to Launceston and Padstow, from Barnstaple via the 1 in 36 Morthoe bank to Ilfracombe, over Meldon viaduct or along the GWR route to Plymouth, on the S&D line to Bath, the 'West Country' pacifics were doing their stuff and holding their own when rostered to take a Merchant Navy task.

Technical Details Original Locos Rebuilt Locos

Introduced: May 1945 June 1957
Driving Wheel: 6 ft 2 ins 6 ft 2 ins
Bogie Wheel: 3 ft 1 in 3 ft 1 in
Length: 67 ft 4Вѕ ins 67 ft 4Вѕ ins
Weight: 128 tons 12 cwt 132 tons 3 cwt
Water Capacity: 8 ft 6 in wide locos: 4,500 gals Original tender: 5,000/5,500 gals
9ft wide locos: 5,500 gals Rebuilt 4,500 gal tender: 5,250 gals
Cylinders (3) 163/8 in x 24 in 163/8 in x 24 in
Boiler Pressure: 280 lb sq in 250 lb sq in
Tractive Effort: 31,046 lb 27,720 lb
Coal Capacity: 5 tons 5 tons
BR Power Classification: 7-P 5-F 7-P 5-F

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I would like to thank John Ewan (JWEwan), for hours of dedicated beta testing and research efforts to support this project and providing insights and ideas on how to improve the model, so cheers John for that work.

Author: Allan Rees

4-6-2 West Country Class SR
• config.txt 11.60KB
• screenshot.jpg 9.86KB
west_country_sr_alpha_numbers
alphanumber_0a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_0b.tga 256.53KB
alphanumber_1a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_1b.tga 256.53KB
alphanumber_2a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_2b.tga 256.53KB
alphanumber_3a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_3b.tga 256.53KB
alphanumber_4a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_4b.tga 256.53KB
alphanumber_5a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_5b.tga 256.53KB
alphanumber_6a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_6b.tga 256.53KB
alphanumber_7a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_7b.tga 256.53KB
alphanumber_8a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_8b.tga 256.53KB
alphanumber_9a.tga 64.53KB
alphanumber_9b.tga 256.53KB
west_country_sr_art
west_country_sr_art_512.texture.txt 93 bytes
west_country_sr_art_512.tga 1.00MB
west_country_sr_art_icon.texture.txt 95 bytes
west_country_sr_art_icon.tga 16.53KB
west_country_sr_body
1 sr-1 sr.texture.txt 43 bytes
1 sr.bmp 48.05KB
1 sr.tga 64.53KB
2 sr-2 sr.texture.txt 43 bytes
2 sr.bmp 48.05KB
2 sr.tga 64.53KB
axlebox.texture.txt 30 bytes
axlebox.tga 48.04KB
black.texture.txt 28 bytes
black.tga 1.28KB
brass lamp.texture.txt 33 bytes
brass lamp.tga 12.53KB
bronzy dark.texture.txt 34 bytes
bronzy dark.tga 12.53KB
bronzy.texture.txt 29 bytes
bronzy.tga 12.53KB
buffer red.texture.txt 33 bytes
buffer red.tga 12.02KB
c sr-c sr.texture.txt 43 bytes
c sr.bmp 48.05KB
c sr.tga 48.02KB
charcoal.texture.txt 31 bytes
charcoal.tga 12.02KB
digit_4a.texture.txt 31 bytes
digit_4a.tga 16.53KB
digit_5a.texture.txt 31 bytes
digit_5a.tga 16.53KB
digit_6a.texture.txt 31 bytes
digit_6a.tga 16.53KB
digit_6b.texture.txt 31 bytes
digit_6b.tga 192.02KB
env_metal.texture.txt 32 bytes
env_metal.tga 48.02KB
fire round.texture.txt 33 bytes
fire round.tga 192.53KB
lmsbr black.texture.txt 34 bytes
lmsbr black.tga 12.02KB
lner blackrcharcoal.texture.txt 42 bytes
lner blackrcharcoal.tga 192.53KB
mallard brako.texture.txt 36 bytes
mallard brako.tga 192.53KB
mallard presso.texture.txt 37 bytes
mallard presso.tga 192.53KB
mallard speedo.texture.txt 37 bytes
mallard speedo.tga 192.53KB
red.texture.txt 26 bytes
red.tga 12.04KB
silver.texture.txt 29 bytes
silver.tga 12.04KB
southern ring-southern ring.texture.txt 61 bytes
southern ring.bmp 48.05KB
southern ring.tga 64.53KB
sr wc band.texture.txt 33 bytes
sr wc band.tga 768.53KB
west_country_sr_body.im 977.90KB