BR Standard class 4MT 2-6-0 No 76008 approaches Southampton Central with a Bristol to Southampton Terminus train on June 7, 1956.

Robert Waterman explains: "The headcode is the uni-directional one for Portsmouth and Southsea (rather than Portsmouth Harbour - it was positions 2 and 5 to Portsmouth Harbour and in the opposite direction from either Portsmouth station). Portsmouth & Southsea was the normal destination for services from Bristol and Cardiff at this time (it became Portmouth Harbour on the introduction of WR Inter-City and Cross-Country DMUs with a basically 2 hourly interval service in June 1965 - much more convenient for IOW passengers and possibly any naval personel). "

Photo: K.L. Cook/Rail Archive Stephenson