Steam Around the South

The Southern Region of BR could justifiably claim to be one of the most absorbing from the enthusiasts' standpoint. Triple headed boat trains could be seen charging up the 1 in 30 incline from Folkestone Harbour to the junction, the 'Bournemouth Belle' conveyed travellers from Waterloo in sumptuous luxury in stark contrast to steam hauled commuter trains in which passengers were crammed in non-corridor compartment stock. The sleepy, rural branches in the West Country had an atmosphere all of their own where elegant Class T9 4-4-0s eked out their final days but in many respects they were rivalled by the attractive LBSCR engines that could be found in Sussex. During the final years of steam the neglected, grime encrusted locomotives were a sad sight, but the lifting of speed restrictions on the South Western Division provided enthusiastic crews with the opportunity for some thrilling performances with speeds regularly touching 100mph. Perhaps that was Southern Region’s finest hour.