BR Britannia Pacific No 70034 Thomas Hardy leaves East Leake with the 5.15pm Nottingham Victoria to Marylebone semi-fast on August 1, 1963.

Peter Kerslake says "70034 "Thomas Hardy" started service in December1952 as a Manchester Longsight engine before reaching its designated home at Stratford in July1953, its spell at Longsight being broken by a month at Stewarts Lane in May1953 helping out when the Southern Region's "Merchant Navy"class were experiencing axle problems.
Removed from its later Eastern Region home at Norwich in March1961 "Thomas Hardy" was sent to March in Cambridgeshire but was not wanted there, joining the other exiled Norwich "Britannias" and left open to the elements and stored out of use with no prospects of being put to work.
With a real threat that the "Britannias" at March would all be condemned salvation for the former Eastern Region stalwarts came with the decision to transfer them to the Midland Region but not before many were overhauled at Crewe Works, with 70034 thereafter going to Willesden in March1963 and later heading north to Crewe in June1964.
In this fine image, therefore, 70034 is carrying its 1A shedplate and would still be a Willesen engine."

Photo: T.G. Hepburn/Rail Archive Stephenson