34039 Boscastle, SR West Country Class
A preserved SR West Country Class 4-6-2 Pacific, built at Brighton Works in 1946 as SR No. 21C139. Rebuilt at Eastleigh Works in November 1958. Withdrawn from British Railways service in May 1965 having covered approximately 745,000 miles. Sent to Woodham Brothers' scrapyard at Barry, South Wales in September 1965. Rescued from Barry in November 1972 by James Tawes and acquired for preservation in January 1973.
Boscastle was the first ex-BR main-line steam locomotive to arrive at the preserved Great Central Railway, arriving at Loughborough on 22 January 1973. In service from 1947–48 she worked the Golden Arrow Pullman from Victoria, and was the first of her class to carry BR standard green livery. Following restoration completed in November 1992 she ran on the GCR until withdrawn for major overhaul — a long-running overhaul project that has been in progress since 2005 at the GCR's Loughborough workshops.
Last recorded as based at the Great Central Railway, Loughborough. Operating status: Under restoration. Current livery: BR Brunswick green.
Location, livery and operating status last confirmed pre-2024 and subject to change. Check with the owning organisation or heritage railway for current information.
Notable history
34039 Boscastle was built at Brighton Works in 1946 as SR No. 21C139, allocated first to Stewarts Lane where she worked principal services from Victoria including the prestigious Golden Arrow Pullman between July and September 1948. She became the first West Country class locomotive to carry the new BR standard passenger green livery in August 1949. Rebuilt at Eastleigh in November 1958, she was withdrawn in May 1965 having covered approximately 745,000 miles, and moved to Woodham Brothers' scrapyard at Barry in September 1965. Bought from Barry in November 1972 by James Tawes and arriving at the Great Central Railway on 22 January 1973, she became the first ex-BR main-line steam locomotive to arrive at the preserved GCR. Restoration to working order was completed on 7 November 1992. After a period of service she was withdrawn for major overhaul, which has been in progress since 2005 and remains ongoing.
Additional notes
Status last confirmed: 2025, under restoration at GCR.
