According to RCTS 2A, 4494 Osprey and 4466 Herring Gull were allocated to Grantham (the first A4's to be allocated there I believe) at the start of the summer 1938 timetable to share a two day diagram covering the operation of the heavy overnight sleepers to Edinburgh and back. One would work out on one night on the Aberdonian Grantham-Edin then sleepover at Haymarket, returning back with the Night Scotsman the following night. Grantham crew would most likely handover their charge northbound at York (to a Gateshead crew?) then wait to bring t'other one back 'home' later in the night.jwealleans wrote:Probably a return working after a named train. I ought to know what the Grantham A4s mainly did, but OTTOMH I can't remember.
So interesting to see Osprey in action at Grantham in the day time! There's no earthly reason however why she shouldn't have been used for a 'filling in' local service during the day time. Where the train actually is gives a slight clue as it appears to be negotiating the crossover from the down relief to down main immediately south of the station. I think this was only signalled as a shunt move so Osprey would therefore appear to be bringing stock into the mainline platform to form a northbound service (assumed to Doncaster). The tender seems to be full of coal which would seem to indicate she's just 'come off shed'. Perhaps an afternoon service?
The headboard may therefore be the Aberdonian one, simply being kept handy for when the loco gets back to Grantham for its main working (although she would need to go back on shed to turn and no doubt a top up of coal).
And the gas wagon possibly being worked back to Donny for refilling, simply being a convenient way of transporting it.
Of course, all this postulating may be completely wide of the mark - do feel free to shoot me down in flames!