43106

43106 was built at Darlington in 1951 and was one of the last operating steam locomotives as it was not withdrawn from service until June 1968. Its actual last day in steam on the main line was however on the 2^nd August just two days before the end of steam operation on BR tracks. It was the last of the class operating – only six were still operational by the end of 1967.

BR motive power depot allocations.

Date Arrived	Depot
April 1951	South Lynn
July 1956	Woodford Halse
March 1962	Saltley
June 1962	Wellingborough
March 1963	Kettering
August 1963	Trafford Park
September 1963	Heaton Mersey
August 1966	Carlisle Kingmoor
September 1967	Lostock Hall

Whilst operating in East Anglia it carried Whitaker token exchange apparatus fitted into a pocket towards the front of the tender.

After suffering a minor derailment at Colne Goods Yard in April 1968, 43106 was withdrawn from service in June 1968 after a relatively short working life of 17 years 2 months.

43106 had already been selected as the best of the remaining small group for preservation.

It was felt that damage was so minimal the prospective owners would investigate the ease of a repair. On its return to Lostock Hall, the locomotive was repaired by fitters from Carnforth, that repair exists to this day. However it derailed again at Lostock Hall when being prepared for a test run in late July. It was steamed for the final time by British Railways on 1 August 1968 and departed at about 15:30 with one member of its new owning consortium on board. This was only after lengthy discussions to get the locomotive moved in live steam before 4 August, the end of steam operation on BR. The journey was carefully routed to limit movement ‘under the wires’, via Frodsham, Chester and Shrewsbury. The journey through the West Midlands continued via Wolverhampton High Level towards Bescot and Pleck Junction, where after a movement around a triangular junction to ensure it arrived the ‘right way round’ the light engine continued on the Stourbridge Junction where it stabled overnight in the exchange sidings, now part of the extensive car park. On 2 August it continued on to its new life in preservation on the Severn Valley Railway appearing on the front page of the Shropshire Journal with three of its new owners giving it a much needed clean. It is affectionately known as the Flying Pig, although many railwaymen referred to the Ivatt 4s as Doodlebugs.

It worked services on the official opening day in May 1970, and hauled several main line railtours during the 1980s.

A major overhaul of the locomotive was completed in 2009 and it is currently operational after having damage repaired that it received during a derailment at Hampton Loade soon after returning to service. The speedy return to service was competed due to the loan by The Highland Locomotive Company of the wheels of the tender attached to 46512.

In 2013 it had an intermediate overhaul which included work being carried out on the boiler which allowed a new 10 year certificate to be issued along with a completely new locomotive dragbox.

In April 2018 new superheater flues were fitted which should enable the boiler certificate to remain valid until 2023.

43106 is owned by the Ivatt Class 4 Group and is based on the Severn Valley Railway where it remains operational.

The next boiler overhaul is due in 2020 but with agreement from an insurance examiner it could remain in service until 2023.