Great Western Coffee Shop

FGW has just set up a page on the website to keep passengers up to date with the project and is also offering email updates of new information, see http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=3501 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=3501) though I only know of its existence thanks to Chris Bates, the local customer panel member, posting the address on the Charlbury.info site as there's no obvious link to it off the FGW home page or under service alterations at the moment. Leaflets are to be distributed at stations in the next few days.

That's good, but at a time of year when a lot of people will be thinking about booking their summer holidays, the earlier the exact dates of any possessions are released, the better.

Hopefully it will be linked directly from the home page headlines section of the site when the 'New Timetable' and 'Christmas & New Year' links are no longer relevant.

It wasn't Chris Bates who posted the information on the Charlbury website but someone called Ed. FGW has sent an email to people on their mailing list with details about the project and the link to their website. On the page people can register to receive updates on the scheme - particularly helpful as the possession strategy is firmed-up. The link is www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/northcotswolds (http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/northcotswolds).

I've been told by Network Rail that the six week blockade between 18 July and 30 August 2009 will be split into three phases -

Phase 1 (2 weeks) Line closed between Hanborough to Evesham
Phase 2 (2 weeks) Line closure shortened between Moreton-in-Marsh and Evesham
Phase 3 (2 weeks) Line closed between Moreton-in-Marsh to Evesham

The work planned will include:

• track slew between Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood
• track slew between Moreton-in-Marsh and Evesham
• relocation of fixed telecoms network along 20 miles of redoubling
• renewal of of existing signalling cables with provision for new intermediate block signals
• track and formation removal inside Chipping Campden Tunnel to deliver minimum W8 gauge clearance
• relay track through Chipping Campden Tunnel

Once the existing track has been slewed laying the second track will occur during the daytime with the railway remaining open. Track and ballast would be delivered each night.

A further 2 week possession is planned for February 2010 to allow repairs to be made to the bridge at Honeybourne, and commisisoning of the new S&C will occur either at Easter 2010 or August Bank Holiday 2010.

The redoubling and extra intermediate block signals will allow a 15 minute headway but no linespeed increase due to the lack of telephones at most of the crossings - adding these makes the scheme unaffordable. The speed through the Aston Magna curves may be reduced to 60 mph (from 70/60) as they already have the highest cant possible.

Signalling will be controlled from a new panel at Evesham or Moreton-in-Marsh but in time will transfer to the Thames Valley Signalling Centre at Didcot (I expect this will be at the same time as Oxford). The existing boxes at Ascott, Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh will close and the token exchanges will be replaced with axle counters. Norton Junction will be a block section so a train can depart Worcester Shrub Hill before arrival of the train from Oxford.

Turnback facilities are to be provided at Charlbury (from Oxford), Moreton-in-Marsh (from Oxford), Honeybourne (from Worcester) and Evesham (from Worcester)

Thanks, gwr2006. Fascinating reading - let's hope all goes well!