5396 1955-09-19 Ludgershall
Paul Warner says " The wide, long curving platform, and the footbridge tell me this is Ludgershall on the M&SWJ cross country route from Andover to Cheltenham. The long wide platforms for such a small rural station was because of the nearness of Tidworth camp to which a short branch ran from here.
For some teason there is bunting or toilet paper around the boiler handrail.
Mike Barnsley asks "Could the loco actually be No. 5396, which was decorated in this way when she ran the last passenger train to Tidworth on 17 September 1955?"
The GWR 'B set' of coaches certainly looks like that used on the branch the weeks before as well as on the final day, numbers W6898W & W6899W were on the service on 7th September 1955. In addition 5336 was not allocated anywhere near this area before November 1957 so we think this is 5396 rather than 5336 which the neg packet identified as the loco. Finally another image on the final day of the branch shows the tender water filler open just as it is here so I think that clinches it.