S&DJR 4F 0-6-0 No 44557 (S&DJR No 57) piloting a West Country class 4-6-2 approaching Templecombe with a Bournemouth train on June 18, 1960.

Peter Kerslake says "A typical Somerset and Dorset scene from the later years of the line across the Mendips with stalwart "4F" 44557 rostered this day on piloting duties, a task regularly undertaken by the "4F's" throughout their long working lives, such duties being interspersed with turns working secondary passenger duties as well as the more usual freight and especially coal traffic over the network.
The Southern Region's "Bulleid Pacifics" were not best suited to the heavily loaded passenger workings on the Somerset and Dorset and as seen here almost always required a pilot engine and the Standard "9F's", introduced in 1960 were intended to reduce the high levels of double heading of such duties, especially during the Summer services."

Photo: D.M.C. Hepburne-Scott/Rail Archive Stephenson