DAVID Wakeford’s letter about Catalina G-PBYA “Miss Pickup” reminded me about the Southern Railway’s (Flying) Boat Train services.

BOAC’s flying boat services were moved from Southampton to Hamworthy during the Second World War and remained in Dorset for around eight years until April 1948.

Generally special trains ran between London’s Victoria Station and Hamworthy Station with Class T9 express locomotives (designed by Dugald Drummond) hauling three Pullman coaches – which was more than adequate for the 22 passengers on each plane. One of the coaches contained sacks of Royal Mail destined for various parts of the British Empire.

The T9 engines had large tenders, containing plenty of coal and water, and the lightweight load allowed the 116-mile journey to be covered non-stop on many occasions.

One example of this class of engine remains and that is number 30120 owned by the National Railway Museum in York.

30120 was based on the Swanage Railway between 1991 and 1993 and proved very popular with visitors. It is possible it might visit Swanage again from its current base on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in Cornwall.

PETER SYKES, West Drive, Swanage