New in January and this looks like early spring to me, completion of the new Westerns were very slow, the first being released at the very end of 1961 and the last in mid April 1964.

Colin Moss tells us "This is the 08.55 ex Birkenhead. D1033 came on at Chester - the photo is 1964, a very latter day working for the class as they were largely displaced very early in 1964 by Brush Type 4. D1033 was new to traffic on 17.1.1964 so very likely soon after that. Loco in good condition externally."

Peter Kerslake says "Western Trooper" makes an attractive picture as she heads into Leamingtoo Spa in this portrait from 1964, the class working the line between Paddington and Birmingham Snow Hill, Wolverhampton and further on to Birkenhead and Chester via Shrewsbury from their early days in service as well as serving the far Westcountry and South Wales.
D1033 "Western Trooper" had been scheduled for construction at Swindon but slow output at that Works saw her construction, in company with D 1030, D1031, D1032 and D1033 switched to Crewe Works where a higher rate of construction resulted in forty four "Westerns" coming from Crewe compared with just thirty being built at Swindon .
"Western Trooper" lasted until mid September of 1976, that year being a particularly sad one for the "Westerns" with no less than twenty six being condemned during that year leaving just seven still in service at the start of 1977, the last four of which went in February 1977."