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{{Infobox southern steam loco

|construc = SR Brighton Works

|wheels = 4-6-2

|pressure = 250 lb/sq in

}}

'''34027 Taw Valley''' is a SR West Country Class 4-6-2 'Pacific' designed by Oliver (O.V.S.) Bulleid, CME of the Southern Railway (SR). Lighter in weight than their sister locomotives, the Merchant Navy class, they could be used on a wide variety of routes including in the south-west of England and the Kent coast. They were a mixed-traffic design, being used for both passenger and freight trains, and were latterly rated 7P6F by British Railways.

===Present boiler ticket===

Taw Valley’s heavy overhaul had begun by the spring of 2006, with the locomotive being fully stripped down within eight weeks.<ref>SVR News 153</ref>. The overhaul required a new left-hand cylinder to be cast.<ref>SVR News 155, 160</ref> Work on the boiler at Pridham's in Devon involved building an almost complete inner firebox and replacing most of the outer box.<ref>SVR News 165</ref> The overhaul continued to make steady progress and was eventually completed in time for Taw Valley to re-enter service on 16 May 2015, hauling an incoming "British Pullman" rail tour consisting of 12 coaches and a Class 67 diesel from Bewdley to Bridgnorth,<ref>I. Walker, "Steam Locomotive Notes", ''SVR News'' 190 (2015) p. 28</ref> and an SVR service from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster. Taw Valley is the only SVR steam locomotive, apart from 600 Gordon, equipped to work with air braked rolling stock. However the locomotive is no longer registered to work on the main line (the owner sold [[Carriages formerly resident on the SVR|support coach 35479]] in 2015 around the time the locomotive re-entered service). It has also not [[SVR-based locomotives visiting other events|appeared at another railway]] since that time.

Until early 2022, Taw Valley was in BR Green livery featuring the ‘Late Crest’. The coat of arms on her name plate were not carried in service. At the end of 2019, 34027 had recorded a total of 82,767 miles in preservation on the SVR. The reported total may include mileage on the main line and on hire to other railways<ref>SVR News 210, SVR-based Steam Locomotive Mileage 2017-2019, Duncan Ballard</ref>.

<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">

70_Elizabeth_II_20220528.jpg| 'No 70' at the Spring Steam Gala

</gallery>

No 70 then featured in the four-day special event between 2-5 June held to mark the Queen's platinum Jubilee, taking part in a naming ceremony at Kidderminster on the first day. On Saturday 23 July 2022 the SVR hosted a leg of the Queen's Baton Relay as part of the final build-up to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The baton travelled from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth aboard a special train piloted by 'Elizabeth II', double headed with visiting Class 20 20142 owing to fire risk resulting from the exceptionally hot weather at the time.

==Notes==