GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Southam Road and Harbury: gwrsrh1600

GWR 4-6-0 40xx 'Castle' class No 5011 'Tintagel Castle' in immaculate condition is seen heading north from Southam Road station with the 2 p.m. Swindon to Leamington Spa all stations passenger train circa Summer 1932. Despite this, the train is carrying a 'Class A' express passenger headcode (Note the Red lamps at either end of the locomotive's buffer beam). The Up Refuge Siding runs parallel to the main line at this point; in the 1939 Service Time Table, this refuge siding was identified as being capable of holding a maximum of 67 wagons in addition to an engine and brake van. The train's rolling stock includes what appears to be a vacuum fitted special cattle wagon (Telegraphic codename 'Beetle') and three bogie clerestory coaches with a mixture of liveries. As well as prize cattle, other livestock, including working horses, were transported in these special cattle wagons.

Cattle wagons were required to be positioned nearest to the locomotive to reduce the movement and a circular issued in September 1927 required that 'It is essential that cattle traffic should receive expeditious transit, and the staff are requested to cooperate in effecting this.', which may explain the Class A headcode. The first coach in chocolate and cream livery is a brake third with four compartments and a large luggage area. This coach has been modified with the removal of the guards lookout. The middle coach in the pre-grouping crimson lake livery is probably a composite (1st / 3rd) coach with eight compartments, while the last coach appears to be another brake third again with four compartments, but this coach has the original guard's lookout protrusion.. No 5011 was built at Swindon Works in July 1927 as part of Lot 234. This locomotive was known to have been allocated to Newton Abbot shed (NA) in January 1934 and was also allocated there at nationalisation in December 1947. No 5011 was never fitted with a double chimney and was withdrawn in September 1962, being purchased for scrap by J. Cashmore Ltd (Newport).

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