Battle of Britain Class Pacific No. 34070 Manston will be running on The Watercress Line during a short-term loan from the Swanage Railway.
Manston has been loaned to The Watercress Line to help it during the Christmas period, but it will return to Swanage Railway next year for its own summer workings and the special events that the railway has planned for next year.
34070 Manston was built by the Southern Region to Oliver Bulleid's design in 1947 and allocated to Stewarts Lane then in 1955 it was transferred to Ramsgate shed. Following the Kent Coast electrification in 1961 it spent a short time at Ashford shed before ending its days at Exmouth Junction until 1964 when it was purchased by the Manston Locomotive Preservation Society.
The Manston Locomotive Preservation Society subsequently merged with Southern Locomotives Ltd., which, besides Manston, owns eight other locomotives that run on heritage lines in Britain.
Manston started hauling trains on the Swanage Railway in 2008 and was withdrawn in 2017 for overhaul but returned to Swanage in 2021. As well Manston, the Swanage Railway also has another Battle of Britain Class Pacific, No. 34072 257 Squadron and the similar West Country Class Pacific No. 34028 Eddystone.
Well swanage won’t need it as its not doing Xmas lunch this year!!!!