Seen here at Banbury 7221 had been an Aberdare engine in earlier times , a member of the " 7200 " 2-8-2 Heavy Freight engine class which were rebuilds of some of the earlier " 5205 " class which in their original 2-8-0 wheel arrangement were never used as such but stored at Swindon due to the decline in mineral traffic particularly in South Wales .
Banbury Motive Power Depot had for many years been important facility , having seventy or so steam locomotives on its books in the 1950's and during the war its location in the East Midlands provided essential facilities fo engines on freight and passenger workings running between the northern cities and the South Coast.
Banbury Depot had been transferred from the Western to the Midland Region in 1963 , but closure came about in October of 1966 after the Depot had earlier been given an extended lease of life when eight " Britannias" were allocated there in September of 1965 for a four month period during which they worked the Nottingham to Marylebone passenger services in addition to more local rosters before they all went away from Banbury to Carlisle Kingmoor in January of 1966 .