35010 Blue Star (SR 21C10 & BR 35010)

21C10 was built at Eastleigh and entered traffic in 1942 based at Salisbury to work trains on the ex-London and South Western Railway, Waterloo to the West of England route. It gained the name Blue Star some months later.

It soon returned briefly to Eastleigh for trials in an attempt to cure the problem of drifting smoke obscuring the driver’s vision. The outcome was an experimental hood fitted in early 1943, and later, separate smoke deflectors. In January 1950 Blue Star was transferred to Nine Elms Shed, London, from where it would have worked Bournemouth Line services in addition to those to the West of England.

35010 was rebuilt during the winter of 1956/57, at which time many of the innovative features were removed. The locomotive was then transferred to Bournemouth in January 1956 where it stayed until February 1960 when it was moved to Exmouth Junction. In August 1964 it was transferred to Bournemouth before being withdrawn from BR service with a damaged right-hand cylinder in September 1966, having covered a final mileage figure of 1,241,299.

It was sold for scrap to Woodham Brothers of Barry where it arrived in 1967.

The locomotive was purchased (with the aid of a substantial bank loan) by the British Enginemen Steam Preservation Society (BESPS) in 1982, without a tender. Subsequently (in 1992) a snowplough converted from a Schools Class locomotive tender was purchased as a base for the missing tender.

In 1985 made its exit from the Barry yard on a road transporter, contracted from the Mike Lawrence Haulage Co, to the safety of K Shed, an ex PLA (Port of London Authority) bonded warehouse at the Royal Victoria Dock, East London.

This was made possible by an agreement between the now BESPS and Passmore Edwards Museum Trust, which were brought together by the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC). The total cost of the move, was generously met by Tate & Lyle Sugar Co.

The accommodation in the Royal Docks was shared with the Museum of London, who were acquiring redundant machinery from around the Docklands area. This machinery was filling K Shed to such a degree that it was approaching an unworkable situation, in terms of safety and as a result the project to restore the Merchant Navy on was put on hold.

In 1995 the LDDC wrote requesting vacant possession of K Shed by the following March (1996). In addition there was the news that it was likely the Museum was to close.

There was no suitable site for 35010 anywhere in the local vicinity so a new site had to be found for the BESPS locomotives which as well as 35010 included 45293 by this stage.

After careful consideration of the facts, and weighing all aspects of the future wellbeing of both the engines and the Society, it was agreed that The Colne Valley Railway had the most to offer in the long term. An agreement between BESPS and the Colne Valley Railway was drawn up and signed in 1996 and Blue Star moved to Castle Hedingham (Essex) on the Colne Valley Railway.

Still basically a static exhibit though the owning group continue to obtain parts. Recently they have started fundraising towards sorting out the wrecked cylinder which was damaged in BR service and led to the withdrawal of the locomotive.

The BESPS is focusing on restoring 45293 before moving on to restore 35010. The locomotive will run with a Schools class tender chassis which had formerly been used as a snowplough and a redundant tender tank from 34007.