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‘Battle of Britain’ class loco honours brave Polish pilots

Wednesday, 4 September 2024 06:05

By Nigel Peacock X @westkentradio

An express locomotive at the Spa Valley Railway has been renamed

An express locomotive at the Spa Valley Railway has been renamed to honour Polish pilots who served with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

The renaming coincides with the 85th anniversary of the invasion of Poland by German - and later Russian - forces.

The Bullied Pacific steam engine ‘Sir Keith Park’ will be known as ‘303 Squadron’ until September 2025.

Pilots who escaped from Poland formed the squadron and played an important role in the Battle of Britain. They flew Hurricane fighters and shot 126 enemy aircraft out of the skies over West Kent and South East England during the battle.

The rebuilt Battle of Britain class loco will revert to its original name when the 85th anniversary of battle is commemorated in September 2025.

Peter Spowage - a Director of Southern Locomotives, the organisation that restored and owns the rebuilt the loco - speaks to West Kent Radio’s Brian Johnson.


Peter Spowage is pictured on ‘303 Squadron’

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