A young female trainspotter records No.4984 Albrlghton Hall in the early 1960s at the east end of Newton Abbot station. Meanwhile the driver of North British ‘Warship’ No.D600 Active chats to some older spotters as he prepares to start his train. No.4984 was allocated to Exeter shed from June 1961 until July 1962, moving to Cardiff Canton and withdrawal two months later. No.D600 would only work for five years beyond that because the class was deemed non-standard under the 1965 Traction Plan in which they were reported to have an availability of between 20% and 60%, by far the worst a figures for any Type 4 on BR, and were singled out as having ‘frequent defects’.
This shows just how popular " Train Spotting " was in the days of steam as even the girls seem to have got involved although I think this young lady must have been the exception and the more usual brigade are over on the far platform.
My shedbook tells me that 4984 , " Albrighton Hall " had earlier been a Carmarthen engine but I suspect that it's now a transfer to down here in the far Westcouintry.
The engine is at the eastern or Exeter side of Newton Abbot station in this view and may be waiting to cross over to the shed way out of shot on the extreme right .