LMS Princess Royal 4-6-2 No 46206 Princess Marie Louise stands beside GWR King 4-6-0 No 6000 King George V in Shrewsbury station as Castle class 4-6-0 No 5061 Earl of Birkenhead waits to leave with an express for Birkenhead Woodside on May 5, 1952.

Peter Kerslake says "Celebrated photographer Robert Tuck's luck was with him this day and I recall seeing this splendid shot very many years ago in "Trains Illustrated", the essential reading for us enthusiasts in the ' fifties.
46206 may well be about to work 6000's train forward to Crewe once the "King" has moved away down to Shrewsbury depot at the far end of the station but 6000 went away from Bristol Bath Road to Old Oak Common five months after this splendid view so its "West to North" duties ended then although it would have still worked to Shrewsbury from Paddington.

6000 is at the end of its run from Bristol on a "West to North" duty, the engine having been allocated to Bristol Bath Road from December 1948 until October 1952 and regularly rostered on this duty, running through the Severn Tunnel."

Photo: R.O. Tuck/Rail Archive Stephenson