At the east end of Southall station, on the GWR main line out of London, was a footbridge which also gave access to Southall loco shed. The foreman was ferocious, so I never got in, but it was the ideal spot from which to watch the expresses hammering into and out out of Paddington, the local passenger trains, the freights, and activity on the branch to Brentford docks, which was so steeply graded it sometimes needed 3 or 4 pannier tanks to every train.
The photos below were taken, I think, in the mid 60s, and show a very different scene from that which prevailed only a few years before.
The 61XX Prairie (2-6-2) tanks ran the Paddington suburban services throughout the 50s. Most of them were painted green, some fully lined out, and their brass invariably shone. They had a particularly crisp beat as they pulled away from stations - their acceleration was impressive. Here, 6131, without smokebox number, (and is that a chalked 'C' for condemned ? ) crosses the fast lines with a freight from the down slow to reach the South yard.
2-8-0 no. 2813 leaves the shed
Below, Castle Class 4-6-0 no 7022, "Hereford Castle", in appalling condition, goes onto the shed. No nameplate, a chalked cabside number, and filthy. This locomotive was withdrawn in June 1965.
Right, an unidentified Hall class 4-6-0 heads for the shed on the same day. Again, no nameplate or cabside number