In the days before Class 33s worked the Marches route Class 25s were the mainstay of operations. Making its way past Caerleon 25042 leads the 1M75 15.10 Cardiff to Crewe service composed of a rake of six Mk. 1 coaches providing plenty of comfortable seats for the passengers. Notice the enthusiasts gathering on the B4236 overbridge in anticipation of the returning steam-hauled Welsh Marches Express charter. Remarkedly, an almost identical photograph is reproduced on page 14 of L. A. Nixon's book British Rail in Colour published in 1982 ISBN 0 7106 0224 3 meaning that the great man must have been standing right next to me! By pure coincidence, I have a signed copy of this book in my collection.
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