Rebuilt Merchant Navy 35022 Holland America Line with the Atantic Coast near Yeovil.
Robert Waterman adds the details: "This is the very last down weekday (Friday) ACE. 35022 worked this train, as shown here, with the headboard - increasingly rare in 1964. Also the first 8 coaches (3 set L for Ilfracombe and 5 set H for Padstow) carried 'The Atlantic Coast Express' roofboards (modellers please note the roofboards displayed the definite article whereas the loco headboard didn't). Roofboards were pretty much or completely non-existent by 1964. Also the first coach, 'semi open brake', of the Bulleid '5 set H' for Padstow had been replaced by a Mk1 BSK (fourth coach in the formation). The rear 5 coaches including the restaurant cars (load 13 in total) detached at Exeter Central were un-boarded.

The Ilfracombe '3 set L' returned to Waterloo on the up Ilfracombe ACE the following day (Saturday) behind 35009 but for some reason the roofboards had been turned over and were therefore blank. Padstow transferred the roofboards to 5 of the coaches forming the up Padstow ACE on the Saturday, (3 x 3 set L) on arrival at Waterloo, headed by 73085. None of the up Saturday ACE's, including the up Torrington ACE (headed by 34093) carried the headboard although the latter ACE portion did at least have a restaurant car.

On Monday to Thursday the ACE ran as two trains - 11.00 Ilfracombe (with restaurant car) and 11.05 Padstow (normally 8 coaches only without restaurant car but still booked for a Nine Elms Merchant Navy). The same applied in the up direction although Exmouth Junc. loco was short of Merchant Navy's by this time and frequently substituted a light pacific.

The last up weekday ACE on Friday 4th Sept 1964 (ie to the fast 179minutes Exeter - Waterloo schedule including the 2 stops, rather than the somewhat slower summer Saturday schedule) was worked by Warship class 42 number D825 - with load 12 if I recall correctly - and arrived on time). However, there was nothing at all to indicate that this was the ACE - although D825 wasn't equiped to carry the SR headbord in any event. Warships worked the up (main) Ilfracombe ACE for the final 3 weeks of the SR steam timetable and returned on the 7/00pm to Exeter St Davids. The relief up Padstow ACE was steam worked to the end (although only running Monday to Thursday). "