Mail Train c1963
treeve

Mail Train c1963

Assembled and waiting after service works, Penzance Station; c 1963.
I have no doubt that someone will be able to identify this loco.
I stopped being interested in locos, when it went diesel, but took this out of interest; note the two storey extension (demolished now) to Branwell s Granary (which still exists and was T F Hoskings when this was taken, I believe).
 
I reckon D801 'Vanguard' or D802 'Formidable'. Short handrails under the windscreen were fitted to D800-802 from new and the nameplate is the wrong shape for D800 'Sir Brian Robertson' One of the jumpers is missing from the buffer beam. D802 was photographed elsewhere like this in June 1961 but that doesn't rule out D801.
 
Thankyou, a step closer, unfortunately the photograph is a tad grainy to get any detail.
 
I have a similar print at home ,noted that the loco. is D801 'Vanguard' and ,yes the train is 1A69 the up postal.No date though.
 
Agreed it is D801 - the little oval vent next to the 'A69' has a flatter top on D802. So the date... According to Jennison's 'The Book of the Warships', D801 was taken out of traffic on 5th June 1963 to go to Swindon Works where it had a 4 digit route indicator fitted, so the photo must be earlier than that. The Mark 1 TPO coaches were introduced in 1959, so it must be 1959 or later. The missing jumper cable might narrow it down further but Jennison says that this was removed at the same 1963 works visit, which clearly can't be true based on the evidence in this photo. A quick scan of some likely books turned up a photo of D801 still carrying the jumper on 5th Dec 1959, so this photo is probably later than that. Jennison also quotes it being taken out of traffic on 29 Jan 1962 for a works visit where it had a yellow warning panel painted on the front. If that date is correct (and I've yet to find a photo of D801 confirming this) then the photo here must be earlier. So... probably 1960 or 1961 based on the above.
 

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