LB&SCR D3 Class - World War Two: Luftwaffe Versus D3

World War Two: Luftwaffe Versus D3

During World War II, one engine, number 2365, was working through the Romney Marshes when she was attacked by a German enemy plane. The plane attacked the engine, causing the boiler to burst, but no railway staff or passengers were hurt. Either the sudden rush of steam from the boiler, or the plane coming into contact with the dome, supposedly caused the plane to crash, killing the airman. The engine was repaired after a new boiler was fitted and survived the war.

Other members of the class which had been stored before the war found themselves being pressed back into service; when fears for an invasion were at their worst, this led to some being moved away to other places, including Salisbury.