GWR Star class 4-6-0 No 4063 Bath Abbey in ex-works condition at Exeter shed c1930. (This engine was converted to a Castle class engine in March 1937).

Peter Kerslake says "Looking absolutely pristine here on Exeter Depot in 1930 "Bath Abbey" has been cleaned to perfection ready for her next call to duty with a couple of oil cans on the front footplating.
One of the final batch of twelve "Stars" built at Swindon during 1922 and 1923 this engine entered service in November of 1922 and was initially allocated to Newton Abbot, so she could well be working back down to there this day from here at Exeter, possibly on a "Running In" turn following a visit to Swindon Works.
Originally, and from their early years being centred at Old Oak Common and at Motive Power Depots down in the West of England, later years saw the "Stars" allocated to a wider range of Depots and by the time of this fine view the class were working beteen Paddington and Worcester, Bristol and South Wales in adddition to the Westcountry."

Photo: C.R. Gordon Stuart/Rail Archive Stephenson