The Bahamas Locomotive Society (BLS) bought 45596 Bahamas in 1967, following its withdrawal from service at Stockport Edgeley Motive Power Depot. Since then, the locomotive has undergone three overhauls. The first was by the Hunslet Engine Company in Leeds, completed in March 1968. The next overhaul was undertaken by Society members and was completed in August 1988. At this time, the engine was housed at the BLS’s base at the Dinting Railway Centre near Glossop in Derbyshire. The latest overhaul was completed at Tyseley Locomotive Works in January 2019.

During its first overhaul, it was repainted in LMSR crimson-lake livery and numbered 5596. During its second overhaul, it was restored authentically in British Railways Brunswick green livery with its BR number 45596.

After its first overhaul Bahamas was selected by BR to be one of the few locomotives chosen to haul a series of embryonic ‘Return to Steam’ excursions. Following its second repair, it returned to main line operation (1989 – 1994) with its final years working on several heritage railways until its boiler certificate expired in December 1997.  A long period of exhibition at Oxenhope on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) ensued interupted with a short period at the National Railway Museum in York, for their Railfest event in 2012 and where it remained until a return to Ingrow in April 2013.

At that time a small group of supporters had been regularly contributing to the Diamond Jubilee Appeal. However, the desire to retunr the engine again to the mainline initiated the Last Blast Appeal. The sum raised, together with an award from the National Lottery Heritage Fund enabled its third and major overhaul to be successfully completed.

With the expiry of its mainline certificate in September 2025, the engine is undergoing its fourth overhaul. This is being undertaken at the Tyseley Locomotive Works.