The Merchant Navy Class dates back to the 1940s, it was designed by Oliver Bulleid to be a fleet of express passenger locomotives for the Southern Railway. They featured a 4-6-2 wheel configuration, giving them their nickname “Bulleid Pacifics”, although not to be confused with “Bulleid Light Pacific”, as that was another design built after it transpired that the Merchant Navy was too heavy for some lines.

The other nickname attributed to the class is “Spam Can”, thanks to the air-smoothing casing that adorned the sides of the locos. It was intended that this smoothing would lift exhaust gases from the loco, and make cleaning easier with the locos fitting in carriage washes better. Unfortunately, the smoothing introduced other issues, maintenance was more challenging and smoke would often cling to the loco body, severely reducing driver’s visibility.

As a result, in the 1950s the decision was taken to rebuild the fleet, during which the smoothing would be removed and valve gear would be updated. This brought an end to the fleet’s unique design, but produced a set of much improved locomotives that would excel on routes such as the South Western Main Line until the end of the steam era.

The class was withdrawn between 1964 and 1967, having been superseded by Warship diesel locomotives on the line to Exeter via Salisbury. Miraculously though, just over 1/3 of the fleet was saved from the scrapyard.

One of those locomotives is 35028 ‘Clan Line’ which was saved and lovingly restored by the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society. Under MNLPS ownership, Clan Line has been working on the mainline on tours and excursions since 1974, and has since hauled the British Pullman, visited rails far beyond its operational network, and even hauled the Royal Train in 2018. Based at Stewarts Lane TMD in Battersea, Clan Line is regularly seen in London and the south of England, and can now be experienced in full authenticity thanks to the hard-working efforts of Bossman Games!

If you would like you to learn more about the spectacular Merchant Navy Class 35028 ‘Clan Line' you can visit their website www.clan-line.org.uk.