On Saturday, 15th. September, 1956 locomotive power is clearly in short supply at Laira and the "North Mail", the 3.45.p.m. from Plymouth has most unusually only an unidentified "Hall" as train engine in place of the "Britannia" or "Castle" regularly rostered to this heavily loaded working , a most exceptional state of affairs!
This "Hall" and its Laira crew will work through to Bristol Temple Meads after losing the pilot engine at Newton Abbot and will later work onwards from Bristol to Paddington on a fast evening express but I expect that the Running Foreman at Bristol Bath Road later this same evening might be rather dismayed when he sees what Laira have provided him with for his late evening Paddington duty!
This is a "West to North " express, and the leading Royal Mail coach will come off at Bristol Temple Meads, to be worked back to Plymouth the following morning.
One of Bristol Bath Road's "Castles" will doubtless take this train onards to Shrewsbury via the Severn Tunnel.