Once diesel hydraulic 'Hymek' (class 35) locomotives started crew training at Worcester in 1963, it was obvious that the days of the 4-6-0 'Castle' class steam locomotives working the express passenger trains from Worcester to Paddington were approaching an end.
The last scheduled 'Castle' class train was officially announced and No.7023 'Penrice Castle' was selected to haul the final train from Worcester to London. The photograph below shows No.7023 before working that final train, the 11:10am to London on Saturday 7th September 1963.
The photograph that is published by courtesy of the Worcester Evening News is taken at the exit from the 'passenger' shed at Worcester and obviously has some official support as such a location would have been 'out of bounds' to an ordinary enthusiast. The choice of 'Penrice' for this final train was perhaps unexpected as lifelong Worcester engine No.7005 'Sir Edward Elgar' would have been the obvious choice but perhaps the former engine was in better mechanical condition and the authorities did not want to risk the embarrassment of a steamer breaking down on the way to London.
Such embarrassment was not spared for long as the 'Hymek' diesels proved to be unreliable replacements, perhaps due to lack of proper servicing facilities at Worcester. When things seemed to getting back on track the 'Hymeks' suddenly disappeared and steam returned to all London trains. After the 'final' trip, 'Penrice Castle' was placed in store at the rear of the 'goods' shed at Worcester. Just before Christmas 1963, she returned to traffic and was in service at Worcester on main line duties until the following June when the disgraced diesels finally returned for good. 'Penrice' survived a little longer at Oxley (Wolverhampton) shed and continued to visit Worcester from time to time until withdrawn at the end of January 1965. The last time the members of the Malvern Industrial Archaeology Circle saw her was on shed at Oxley on Sunday 24th January 1965 shorn of nameplates, she was in steam but looked very forlorn. Interesting No.7023 was the third 'Penrice Castle', the first was No.5057 until that was renamed 'Earl Waldegrave' in 1937. The name was transferred to No.5081 but that lasted only until 1941 when No.5081 became 'Lockheed Hudson'.
A photo of the second (No.5081) 'Penrice Castle' appears here