35017 - Belgian Marine

Hi all,

Does anyone have any stories or timings of 35017 Belgian Marine back in her day? A good shot here at Exeter in 1965; http://www.flickr.com/photos/16749798@N08/5348995406/

I remember Clanline being renumbered and renamed as 35017. A fitting tribute. Does anyone know why?

35017 worked the 17.30 Ex-Waterloo on 9th June 1965 the driver was Eric Saunders and the fireman Dave Wilson. According to DW Winkworth's book Bulleid's Pacifics we covered the 47.8 miles in 44mins 20 sec including signal checks before and after Brookwood and again between Hook and Basin' - he gives an estimated net time of 41mins 30 secs. The load was 11 for 400tons and the net time was equal to that of the 21.20 down on May 15th 1965 with 35005, when the driver was Gordon Hooper and fireman Dave Wilson, which according to the Railway Performance society is the fastest known recorded time for this journey behind steam traction.