A splendid " Sunshine and Shadows " portrait of 70025 , " Western Star " with what looks like an impressive twelve coach load in her train formation .
Delivered from new in September of 1952 as the first of her class to be allocated to Cardiff Canton 70025 spent some time either just before , or shortly after her time in Wales on the Rugby Test Plant following in the footsteps of 70005 "John Milton " which had also undergone tests at that Plant in the previous year .
Returning back home to Canton in May of 1953 " Western Star " was , in company with that Depot's other four " Britannias " , engaged on working the tightly timed express passenger rosters between Cardiff and Paddington , including the " Capitals United " and " Red Dragon ".
The Canton footplatemen liked their five original " Britannias " , although the ten others which joined them from Old Oak and Laira from late 1956 were not so well received , a number being in poor mechanical condition and overdue for overhaul .
Canton lost all fifteen of the class from late 1958 upon their transfer away from the Western Region to Midland Region Depots , and " Western Star " , Canton's " Flagship " in her glory days , was finally condemned from Carlisle Kingmoor in December of 1967 .