37180 Baulking 3 May 1985

A welcome surprise at Baulking on 3 May 1985. 37180 Sir Dyfed / County of Dyfed glints in the evening sunshine as it heads towards the capital with a Cardiff Central to Paddington relief, variously reported as being either a 16:30 or 17:15 departure. As it passed me at 18:30, the latter seems more likely. This picture would be impossible today, as not only is the concept of a relief train totally alien to the privatised railway, but also there is a lot more than the few clumps of cowslips seen here now growing on the cutting side. In fact, both sides of this cutting are now virtually covered in uncontrolled brambles, bushes and small trees.