4610 is banking a Southern Region passenger working up the daunting bank from Exeter St. David's to Exeter Central in this view, a task performed by Southern Region locomotives in days past, but I wonder whether this is a Steam Special in view of the late year shown, the choice of banker and the number of passengers at the open windows?
Further research shows me that a couple of Western Region Pannier Tank engines were , in fact , used for regular pilot and banking duties in the last year or so of steam in the mid ' sixties , so this shot may not be so unusual after all !
The severity of the gradient , with the sharp left hand sweep to the summit is evident in this view although the tunnel under Queen Street is hidden by the coaches.