No 45170 arrives back in Scotland

This photo marks the arrival of North British Locomotive Company constructed 8F No 45170 back in Scotland at the Scottish Railway Preservation Society at Bo'ness.

On the outbreak of the Second World War British locomotive manufacturers could no longer supply an order for 2-10-0s to Turkey. However, Nazi Germany stepped in to offer neutral Turkey DRG BR 52-type Kriegsloks. Diplomatically embarrassed, the British offered the Turks 25 of the LMS Stanier Class 8F 2-8-0s, which had been adopted by the War Department as their standard heavy freight locomotive.

The engines selected were built by the North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow. Originally intended for WD service but the Fall of France saw them earmarked for the LMS before they were diverted to Turkey.

The locomotives were shipped as a kit of parts via the Cape of Good Hope and the Suez Canal since the Mediterranean was too dangerous for Allied shipping. Seven failed to complete the journey. The vessel transporting them, the SS Jessmore, was involved in a collision in the Atlantic with another ship in the convoy on 19 February 1941. The Jessmore sank with the loss of its cargo a few days later. Three more received the same fate when the MV Berhala was torpedoed by U-38 on 23 May 1941 off Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The remaining 18 locomotives were transhipped at Port Said in Egypt and went overland to Turkey where they were renumbered 45151-68. Re-erection was in Sivas under the direction of R.G. Jarvis of the LMS. In 1943 they were joined by 2 more taking the class number to 20, in lieu of the lost engines.

Designed for British conditions, the 8Fs proved not to be suited to Turkish railway conditions. Though large for British engines, they were underpowered by Turkish standards and so could not ascend the steep gradients unassisted. They were thus relegated to shunting and local trip freights. The Turkish railwaymen referred to them as "Churchills" for obvious reasons.

The locomotives lasted into the 1980s where they became a special interest of British railway enthusiasts.

In October 2010 No 45170 was acquired by members of the Churchill 8F Locomotive Company Limited. The locomotives arrived back in Britain in 2010 and was stored at the North Norfolk Railway, from where it was acquired by the SRPS who have just brought the 8F home to Scotland.

I am endebted to Wikipedia for the history of 45170.