GWR Castle No 4083 Abbotsbury Castle leaves Chester with an up express c1952.

Peter Kerslake says "A splendid location for this classic shot with that imposing elevated signal box, a nicely turned out locomotive with a crisp and clean exhaust as 4083 "Abbotsbury Castle" leaves Chester in this 1952 image.
That original and attractive design of inside valve chest with its curved corners is shown to advantage in this portrait of 4083, a reminder of the days of the "Stars", but sadly from 5013 "Abergavenny Castle", built in June of 1932 the less attractive squared design replaced this original style.
Entering service in May of 1925 "Abbotsbury Castle" was one of the first forty of the class concentrated from new between just three Motive Power Depots at Old Oak Common which had no less than twenty six including 4083, Laira which had eleven and Newton Abbot which had just three, all for use on the Westcountry passenger turns from Paddington, whilst later years saw the "Castles" widely dispersed throughout the Western Region, an example being in 1950 when no fewer than nineteen sheds had at least one on their respective books.
"Abbotsbury Castle" was later shedded at Wolverhampton's Staffford Road, Newton Abbot and Exeter and finally at Cardiff Canton from where it was withdrawn in December of 1961."

Photo: J.D. Mills/Rail Archive Stephenson