The SR Merchant Navy class is a type of steam locomotive, designed by Oliver Bulleid, that ran on the British Southern Railway network. All were built at the Southern Railway's Eastleigh Works. The following table sets out the names, numbers and other vital statistics of the locomotives that comprised the class. The 'Merchant Navies' represented a publicity success for the Southern Railway in highlighting the names of Merchant Navy shipping lines that used Southampton Docks, which were served by the Southern Railway. They also constituted a roving memorial to the seamen who fought at sea during the Second World War to keep Britain supplied with food, fuel and other goods.
The shipping lines below are linked to their current or last owners, and take into account the many mergers that occur in the Merchant Marine industry, for example, General Steam Navigation merged with P & O in 1920, and finally disappeared as a separate entity in 1972.
+ List of SR/BR Rebuilt and non-rebuilt Merchant Navy class locomotives BR No. SR No. NameBurridge, Frank: Nameplates of the Big Four (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 1975) Built Rebuilt Withdrawn Preserved/location Preservation Status Image Notes 35001 21C1 Channel Packet Entered SR service June 1941. Scrapped at Birds (Swansea) Ltd. 1965 35002 21C2 Union Castle Scrapped at Slag Reduction Co. Ltd., Yorkshire 1964 35003 21C3 Royal Mail Holder of class speed record (105.88 mph). Last authenticated 100 mph plus on British Railways by a steam locomotive. Scrapped at J Cashmore, Newport 1967 35004 21C4 Cunard White Star Scrapped at Cohen's/Eastleigh Shed 1966 35005 21C5 Canadian Pacific The Watercress Line Restored on the Great Central Railway at Loughborough and used on main line steam specials. Painted in British Railways Blue livery between 2000 and 2001. Now based at The Watercress line. In 2025 completed overhaul at Eastleigh Locomotive Works. 35006 21C6 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway Awaiting overhaul after boiler ticket expiry. 35007 21C7 Aberdeen Commonwealth Scrapped at J. Buttigieg, Newport 1968 35008 21C8 Orient Line Scrapped at J. Buttigieg, Newport 1968 35009 21C9 Shaw Savill Private Site, Bury Stored awaiting restoration. 35010 21C10 Blue Star Colne Valley Railway Stored 35011 21C11 General Steam Navigation Private site, Dorset Under long-term restoration to as-built condition. 35012 21C12 United States Lines Scrapped at J Cashmore, Newport 1967 35013 21C13 Blue Funnel Originally named Blue Funnel Line, renamed Blue Funnel Certum Pete Finem on 21 June 1945. Scrapped at J. Buttigieg, Newport 1968 35014 21C14 Nederland Line Scrapped at J Cashmore, Newport 1967 35015 21C15 Rotterdam Lloyd Scrapped at Slag Reduction Co. Ltd., Yorkshire 1964 35016 21C16 Elders Fyffes Scrapped at Birds (Swansea) Ltd. 1965 35017 21C17 Belgian Marine Scrapped at J. Buttigieg, Newport 1966 35018 21C18 British India Line WCRC Carnforth Operational, main-line certified Originally built with fabricated wheels that were replaced with conventional cast wheels in 1947 First of the 'Merchant Navies' to be rebuilt. 35019 21C19 French Line CGT The only member of the class to have script lettering on the nameplate, as used by French Line. Scrapped at J Cashmore, Newport 1966 35020 21C20 Bibby Line Scrapped at BR/Eastleigh Works 1965 35021 - New Zealand Line Scrapped at Birds (Swansea) Ltd. 1965 35022 - Holland America Line Private Site, BuryBoiler overhauled for eventual use by 35027, awaiting restoration to mainline standards 35023 - Holland-Afrika Line Scrapped at J. Buttigieg, Newport 1968 35024 - East Asiatic Company Scrapped at C. Woodfield and Sons, Newport 1965 35025 - Brocklebank Line Private site at Sellindge, Kent Stored, pending long-term restoration 35026 - Lamport & Holt Line Scrapped at J Cashmore, Newport 1967 35027 - Port Line Private Site, Bury Under overhaul. (see 35027 Port Line) Being restored to mainline standards, based at Southall 35028 - Clan Line Stewarts Lane, London Operational, main-line certified 35029 - Ellerman Lines National Railway MuseumSectioned Exhibit 35030 - Elder Dempster Lines Scrapped at J. Buttigieg, Newport 1968
See also SR Merchant Navy Class 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. SR Merchant Navy Class 35009 Shaw Savill SR Merchant Navy Class 35027 Port Line SR Merchant Navy Class 35028 Clan Line
Footnotes
External links Southern e-groupMerchant Navy information Preserved locomotives Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co (35006) General Steam Navigation (35011) Clan Line (35028)