34027 Taw Valley, SR West Country Class
A preserved SR West Country Class 4-6-2 Pacific, built at Brighton Works in April 1946 as Southern Railway No. 21C127. Rebuilt at Eastleigh in September 1957. Withdrawn from British Railways service in August 1964 after working from Salisbury shed. Rescued from Woodham Brothers' scrapyard at Barry, South Wales in 1980 after sixteen years in the yard — acquired for preservation by Bert Hitchen.
34027 Taw Valley was initially allocated to Ramsgate, working Kent coast expresses, then Exmouth Junction from 1947 working the Atlantic Coast Express and Devon Belle to Plymouth. Rebuilt in 1957 — the second of her class to be so treated — she then worked commuter services from Bricklayers Arms and Brighton before transfer to Salisbury in 1963. Withdrawn August 1964, sent to Barry scrapyard December 1964.
Rescued from Barry in 1980, she moved first to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, then the East Lancashire Railway, before arriving at the Severn Valley Railway in August 1985 as the first Southern Pacific on the SVR. Restoration was completed October 1987, entering service June 1988. She gained main-line certification in 1989, working the North Wales Coast Express and other excursions.
In 2022 she was repainted in a unique purple and silver livery and temporarily renamed Elizabeth II (number 70) for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, the name chosen by public vote with royal approval via the Cabinet Office. A Hornby OO gauge limited edition of 1,500 models sold out within hours of release. Later in 2022 she was repainted in SR wartime matt black carrying No. 21C127 — a livery no rebuilt West Country ever actually wore in service. Her boiler certificate expired May 2024 and she is at Bridgnorth on intermediate overhaul.
Last recorded as based at the Severn Valley Railway, Bridgnorth. Operating status: Static display (on overhaul). Current livery: SR wartime black as 21C127.
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
34027 Taw Valley was built at Brighton Works in April 1946 as Southern Railway No. 21C127, one of Oliver Bulleid's original air-smoothed West Country class Pacifics. Initially allocated to Ramsgate working Kent coast expresses, she transferred to Exmouth Junction in 1947 where she hauled the Atlantic Coast Express and Devon Belle on the challenging South Western main line to Plymouth. In September 1957 she was the second member of the class rebuilt at Eastleigh — the air-smoothed casing removed, chain-driven valve gear replaced with conventional Walschaerts gear, and boiler pressure reduced to 250 psi — giving a more reliable if heavier locomotive. Post-rebuild she worked Bricklayers Arms and Brighton commuter services before transfer to Salisbury in 1963, withdrawn in August 1964 and sent to Woodham Brothers' scrapyard at Barry, South Wales.
Rescued from Barry in 1980 by Bert Hitchen after sixteen years in the scrapyard, she moved to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, then the East Lancashire Railway, before arriving at the Severn Valley Railway in August 1985 — the first Southern Pacific to reach the SVR. Restoration was completed in October 1987 and she entered SVR service in June 1988, receiving a formal renaming ceremony on 4 June that year. She gained main-line certification in 1989 and ran extensive excursion work including the North Wales Coast Express.
In 2022 the SVR repainted her in a unique purple and silver livery and renamed her Elizabeth II (temporarily carrying the number 70) to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee — the name chosen by public vote from entries including Severn Majesty, Valley Monarch, and Gloriana, and receiving royal approval via the Cabinet Office. Hornby produced a limited edition of 1,500 OO gauge models in the purple livery, sold out within hours. Later in 2022 she was repainted into SR wartime matt black as 21C127, a livery no rebuilt West Country actually carried in service. Her boiler certificate expired in May 2024 and she is currently at Bridgnorth undergoing intermediate overhaul.
Additional notes
Location last confirmed: 2024, Severn Valley Railway.
