Ian R Townend says "At first sight this looks like this was taken when 5705 Seahorse was brand new in May 1936. However there is no crosshead vacuum pump and the insignia seem to be of the vermillion shaded variety. The locomotive is in exceptional ex-works condition (awaiting shed code to be refitted) and I think that it was taken in April 1939 following a Heavy General repair and is likely to be on a running-in turn from Crewe".