Newton Heath Manchester Lancashire 29th June 1968

It takes years of real neglect to get as filthy as this unidentified Stanier Black 5.

The cleaners (if there were still such things at Newton Heath loco shed in 1968) hadn't been near the cylinder and wheels of this example & no doubt it went to its grave with the accumulated grease & grime. The scrap men (and look away if you're sensitive) would set fire to the grease before cutting the engines up. This would burn away everything first so that their torches didn't start fires while they worked.