(Page Six)
This a rather nice colour photograph showing some long forgotten wagons. In this case these are coke wagons on the 'up' Uskmouth to Bilston train. The locomotive is ex GWR 2-8-0 No.3855 built at Swindon in 1942 and withdrawn in August 1965.
The sight of an ex GWR 'Castle' class 4-6-0 never fails to excite interest as shown to good effect here as No.4093 'Dunster Castle' is photographed speeding south of Abbotswood Junction on the afternoon Stourbridge to Severn Tunnel junction freight train.
Also making a fine spectacle is ex LMSR class 5MT 2-6-0 (popularly known as a 'Crab') having just gone past Abbotswood Junction signal box.
The 'Duck 6' class 4F 0-6-0 and based on a MR design was a familiar sight in the Worcester area typically employed as this one is on a mineral train. The locomotive is about to enter the 'down' loop at Abbotswood.
This is the sort of working that survived until fairly recently when the Post Office suddenly ceased carrying parcels by rail. This unidentified Class 5MT 4-6-0 is on the evening Derby to Bristol parcels as it approaches Abbotswood Junction from Worcester.
Another familiar sight in the Worcester area were oil trains from the refineries in South Wales to the Midlands and their returning empties. More often than not motive power would be one of these Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 locomotives. This is No.92218 which was built at Swindon for the Western Region and is carrying a Banbury shed plate in this photograph.