Information from photographer John Thickitt:

This Sundays excepted express was formed of three or four carriages providing a through London Kings Cross to Victoria service. On the arrival of the diesel-hauled main-line train at Retford station, the carriages at the back were detached and a waiting B1 class engine coupled-up to them; with a 10.00 am departure from Platform 3, there followed a 30 minute sprint to Sheffield.

A few days before the photograph was taken this engine had been transferred to the 'shed' (depot) at Retford, an event suggesting B1s already there were no longer capable of express performance.

This train became the last rostered, week-day steam service at Victoria station (during the daytime, at least). Some weeks before June 1965 the express was withdrawn, exactly when is unclear. In any case, mid-June saw Retford's remaining steam allocation become redundant. Along with several other engines, 61384 was transferred elsewhere, remaining in service until early 1966.