165101 Norton 7 July 2018

As a couple of large horse boxes vie for supremacy on the M5 motorway in the background, 165101 passes Norton on 7 July 2018 with the 1Z54 17:00 Moreton-in-Marsh to Great Malvern GWR service. The Cotswold Line was closed south of Moreton-in-Marsh, as extensive engineering works was taking place at Oxford. A two week shutdown would see extensive track alterations and replacement of he 1970s signalling equipment. Network Rail, who ought to know better, claim that Oxford's signalling dates from the 1960s, when it fact it dates from 7 October 1973!