A favourite for the Paddington bound " Cheltenham Spa Express " in the shape of Gloucester shed's 5017 ," The Gloucestershire Regiment " speeds non stop through Swindon station on what looks to be a wet and dismal morning.
Starting out from Cheltenham with a rather less impressive engine , this train would reverse at Gloucester Central , from where 5017 would work the train forward to London.

The pride of Gloucester's Horton Road Motive Power Depot , their 5017 " The Gloucestershire Regiment " , originally named " St. Donat's Castle " until its renaming in early of 1954 to honour the exploits of the " Glorious Gloucesters " , the local Regiment , following the Regiments' exploits in Korea .
The fireman is taking a rest as they speed through a very wet Swindon and it was on this train , in its earlier Great Western days , that record speeds were attained between here and Paddington by such sister engines as 5000 , " Launceston Castle " , 4079 , " Pendennis Castle " and 5006 , " Tregenna Castle "