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GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton
GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line
Birmingham Snow Hill - British Railways Period Locomotives:
gwrbsh1250
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Ex-GWR 4-6-0 Castle class No 5082 'Swordfish' is seen
standing at Platform 7 whilst at the head of the up 'Cambrian Coast Express on
31st August 1957. Rebuilt at Swindon works from a Star Class locomotive in June
1939, No 5082 was initially named 'Powis Castle' and was allocated to Bath Road
shed in Bristol. The locomotive had a long association with Bath Road shed in
Bristol being recorded as being allocated there August 1950 and March 1959
before being allocated to Old Oak Common shed from where it was withdrawn in
July 1962 to be scrapped in December 1962 by J Cashmore of Great Bridge. The
locomotive was renamed 'Swordfish' in January 1941 in honour of the daring raid
on the Italian fleet in Taranto. The attack was celebrated because on 11th
November 1940 a group of brave naval aircrew flew from HMS Illustrious on
twenty-one slow, outdated Swordfish biplanes (affectionately known as
Stringbags) to attack and ultimately cripple much of the Italian Fleet
in the heavily defended port of Taranto. The author's father, 'Chas Musson' was
at the time a Petty Officer on board HMS Illustrious and helped prepare the
aircraft for the attack.
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