Description

BR Standard Class 5 No. 73049 (built 1953, with 82F Bath Green Park shedplate)  and BR Standard Class 5 No. 73054 (built 1954) are on the 8-car 9.08 am Birmingham New Street to Bournemouth West service, reporting code 1O90, near the Chilcompton Tunnels. A rectangular reporting code board with 1O90 is being displayed.

The train is approaching the cutting leading to the twin bores of Chilcompton Tunnel. The restored running line of the S&D at Midsomer Norton stops just short of the footpath crossing in this photo with the infilled cutting ahead presenting a major obstacle to further progress in the Chilcompton direction.

Based on the allocation of 73049, this photo can only have been taken in summer 1962, through services last running on the S&D on 8 September. Trust records show this combination of locomotives on this service only on 7 July that summer, though this particular record is noted as open to doubt.

73049 is shown as allocated to Bath Green Park from June/July 1962 until August-October 1964. 73054 is shown as allocated to Bath Green Park from March/April 1961 until withdrawal in August 1965.

Photo by G A Richardson. Copyright S&DRT. Our ref. WSHSD_2022_14_178.

Medium format 6 x 6 cm negative.

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