56105 & 56054 Grove 21 February 1993

During the early 1990s a pair of relief lines were reinstated between Wantage Road and Challow on the Great Western Main Line, principally to cater for the then new Avonmouth to Didcot Power Station coal trains. On 21 February 1993, 56105 & 56054 are pictured standing on the recently laid down relief line near Grove with a Redland stone train after ballasting operations further up the line. At this time the up relief line had not yet been laid. The driver told me that the train would stay in this position until 21:00, when the whole ensemble was due to be hauled back to Didcot by a Class 37. The site of former Wantage Road station is just beyond the trees in the background.