For almost a week an emergency speed restriction had been in force over both the up and down lines between Worcester Shrub Hill and Norton Junction as a result of outstanding track defects becoming overdue for rectification. Rob Matthews engineering possession the previous Saturday night had been extended to cover these lines so that the work could take place, but a lack of resources (and the weather conditions) meant that the work could not be completed. Ron Davies's midweek blockages also made an attempt to finish the job off but was also thwarted by the same difficulties. Early on the Thursday morning it became clear that there would be an over-run with the original hand-back time deadline being missed by at least a couple of hours.
Luckily Ron was able to hand back the down line at about 5 o'clock and so a start was made in arranging "single-line-working" between Shrub Hill and Norton Jcn. The local Ashchurch mobile operations manager Paul Gardner acted as Pilotman with the 05.02 to Paddington travelling wrong line at about 05.20. Next train in the right direction was 6M11 the Margam to Round Oak steel which was routed into the yard. A considerable amount of disruption also occurred with the platforming of London Midland services. At about five-to-six my colleague Steve Lewis came to relieve me of duty and so I left the situation in his capable hands and returned home for a well-earned break. (I was absolutely gutted at having to leave !) When I returned to work the following week, I discovered that S.L.W. had continued until 09.20, with the up line not handed back until turned 10 o'clock.
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