GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Hatton Bank: gwrhb1473

British Railways 4-6-0 Castle class No 4082 'Windsor Castle' is seen climbing Hatton Bank on the down main line with the Royal Train on 24th May 1962. Pastrick Kingston writes, 'The train is going to Wolverhampton Low Level. The following day the scene could have been repeated after an overnight stay south of Banbury. This train was Solihull bound where The Queen alighted and went by road to Hampton in Arden to rejoin the train for Coventry and the Cathedral Consecration on 25th May 1962'. This locomotive was built as No 7013 'Bristol Castle' at Swindon works in July 1948 to Lot 367, but when, on the occasion of King George VI’s state funeral in February 1952, No 4082 'Windsor Castle' was unavailable, the name and numbers of the two locomotives were permanently exchanged. The commemorative plaque celebrating the late Kings visit to Swindon in 1924 was also transferred to the newer engine at the same time, but was subsequently removed. In May 1958 No 4082 was fitted with a double chimney to improve boiler draughting and the fuel economy of the locomotive. Finally No 4082 was withdrawn from Tyseley shed (2A) in February 1965 and scrapped in June 1965 by Cox & Danks, Park Royal.

The colour slide version of this black & white image is shortlisted for inclusion in 'TE Williams, The Lost Colour Collection, Volume Two' which currently in production. Volume One was published in March 2017 by Irwell Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1-906919-99-3.

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