B433 Finstock 22 August 1985

B433 (51413, 59509 & 51371) approaches Finstock station with the 15:40 Great Malvern to Oxford service on 22 August 1985. Although I have a large collection of Class 117 pictures, this particular unit seems to have evaded me, and this is one of just a handful of pictures I have of it. This picture is taken from the remains of the former down platform, disused since the line was singled in 1971. Notice how the up platform appears to be too far away from the track. When the line was relayed shortly before this picture was taken, the line was slewed towards the middle of the formation, and a temporary platform extension was added to the up platform. Subsequently a new platform was constructed on the down side. Presumably this is why the scheduled re-doubling of the line is not going to reach this far, as the station would have to be rebuilt yet again with two platforms and the level of traffic certainly doesn't warrant that!