34010 Sidmouth – BR Service
WORK IN PROGRESS JAN2026
The loco, initially numbered 21C110, was built at Brighton Works by the Southern Railway in September 1945 and following trials and testing on local duties around Brighton the locomotive was allocated to Exmouth Junction shed in December of that year. Duties at Exmouth Junction would have seen it operating over the Southern's North Devon and Cornwall routes as well as the the main line to Salisbury.
It travelled to the town of Sidmouth to be formally named on 27th June 1946. This was a big event for the small seaside town, with reports in both local newspapers, a lunch in the restaurant car, and a commemerative coffee table.
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The curtain was drawn back showing the town's name. Note the OU of Sidmouth,the footplate crew and the local vicar. |
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The Sidmouth Herald wrote a full report, listing the great and the good of the town and Southern Railway. Among them was E.C.Cox,former Chief Operating Superintendent of the railway, who by then had retired to Sidmouth |
The railways were nationalised in 1948 and Sidmouth took the British Railways numbering style as 34010, and in 1951 it was based at Nine Elms, hauling services on the Weymouth and Exeter routes.
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Sidmouth Leaving Waterloo in 1952 |
In February 1955 its cab was widened and remodelled with the angled front windows. Having run 578,944 miles it was rebuilt to the "Modified" form in February 1959 and remained a Nine Elms engine until September 1964 when it was transferred to Eastleigh.
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At Victoria on 5th May 1959 at the head of a special train conveying the Shah of Iran from Gatwick for a state visit. |
We have been kindly offered several records of Sidmouth at work on the main line from Waterloo in 1964. SLL shareholder Malcolm Garner timed Sidmouth on a series of runs between Woking and Waterloo, details here.
Bryan Benn timed Sidmouth on a summer Saturday run from Waterloo to Wareham, details here.
Brian L Smith timed Sidmouth on two runs from Basingstoke to Waterloo, details here.
Thanks to the recorders for permitting their logs to be reproduced.
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Leaving Woking for Waterloo, 30th August 1964 |
The locomotive was withdrawn in March 1965 having run a total of 922,906 miles in BR service and sent to Barry Scrapyard to await its fate.