Peter Kerslake says "What a wonderful opportunity for this fortunate photographer to capture not one, but three "Castles" all together at Paddington in this truly remarkable shot!
On the left 7009, "Athelney Castle" from Landore shed has the down "Pembroke Coast Express" due out at 11.a.m. for Pembroke Dock whilst centre, Laira's 7031 "Cromwell's Castle" is heading home to Plymouth on the 11.0.5.a.m for Penzance and on the extreme right on platform one 5082 , "Swordfish", an Old Oak Common engine has been put on the 10.55.a.m. for Penzance , and she will undoubtably work as far as Plymouth as well.
You can tell that it is 5082 on the extreme right by the just visible"Castle Class" addition to the nameplate.
Two Westcountry expresses running just ten minutes apart seems strange, but on Summer Saturdays the relief to the down "Cornish Riviera" was just five minutes behind the main train, the departure times being 10.35.a.m. and 10.30 . a.m. respectively.
There would, therefore, have been considerable pressure on the footplate crew on the leading part of the "Riviera" to maintain time all the way to Newton Abbot where the engine from that part was coupled as pilot to the second part for the run from there to Plymouth, but that's another story !

A letter in the Winter 2004 issue of the Great Western Society's " Echo " magazine by a Mr. Edward Chaplin refers to this picture , as a similar shot but from a different date appeared in the Autumn edition of that magazine.
The date of this image is confirmed as 31st . July , 1954 with the locomotives recorded as shown here , and the photographer was apparently J.M.Craig."