Some locos that still see main line use in 2008 first took to the rails in the late 1950s or early 1960s making them 40 to 50 years old. Quite remarkable considering they were designed in a very different era.
Mail trains have not totally gone from the scene as this working between London and Scotland shows. Normally it would just be the class 325 unit but on this occasion due to unit failure a class 47 was put on. Brush Type 4 47853 started out as D1733 in 1964 and was the only loco to carry the experimental XP 64 livery which it does again today. It is seen here speeding through Harrow very near the end of its journey south on the 22nd April 2008.
Photo from James & Martin's Picture Collection Copyright 'Jampics' m.hawkes7@ntlworld.com
British and Foreign Railway Pictures Jampics Fotopic.