Green is the colour

The last two batches of the LMS-designed Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0s [46503-14 and 46515-27] were built at Swindon, in 1952 and 1953 respectively. These final 25 locomotives in the class - which became known as “Mickey Mouse” - were allocated to the Western Region and like the earlier engines, they were initially turned out in black. Some subsequently received a lined green livery when they re-visited the ex-GWR works.

We caught up with 46521 at Hampton Loade on the embryonic Severn Valley Railway. We were on our way to visit friends in Cheltenham, on Saturday 27^th June 1975.