47500 'Great Western' heading a short mixed fitted freight from Acton Yard at Clapham Junction in the pouring rain on 23rd March 1981. ©Gordon Edgar/Railphotoprints.co.uk

From the time 47500 was first named 'Great Western', in February 1979, it became the Western Region's designated 'Royal' loco and was, consequently, usually turned out in immaculate condition, unlike many other loco's at the time. To see a 'Royal' locomotive on such a mundane task was worth capturing I thought. D1943 was built at Brush Loughborough and allocated the works number 705, entering service for British Railways on the 27th June 1966. The loco survived as part of the West Coast Railway Comp-any fleet but suffered a tragic fire at Manchester on 23rd Janauary 2013.