Our cameraman has found a high vantage point here for this overhead view of Laira's 6017 " King Edward IV " making an unassisted assault of Dainton bank, with a convenient break in the trees, and being February devoid of any leaves, providing him with a splendid vantage point.
I suspect that this is a down working heading to Plymouth on the Newton Abbot side of the bank, as there's not much coal visible in the tender and the load must be within the ten coach maximum for an unassisted " King " over the South Devon banks between Newton Abbot and Plymouth as no pilot engine has been coupled ahead of 6017 at Newton Abbot.
The diesels on these Westcountry services to and from Paddington resulted in 6017 leaving Laira in February 1959 with a transfer to Wolverhampton's Stafford Road from where it was later condemned in July 1962.

6000 " King George V " which took the very first train of ten coaches over the South Devon banks without an assisting pilot engine from Newton Abbot on the down " Cornish Riviera " on 20th July 1927, thereby setting the loading limit for such unassisted workings for the " Kings " which lasted until their demise on the West of England main line in the early ' sixties.
On that memorable day " King George V " was just a month old, and its crew that day were driver Young and fireman Pearce, both Old Oak footplate men who accompanied 6000 on its journey to the United States the following month.