Cheltenham to Kingham railway re-opening

[whole diary]

[Cheltenham Kingham Rail]

Re-opening of the direct Cheltenham to Oxford line (to Kingham on the Cotswold line).
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Re-open-the-Cheltenham-to-Kingham-railway-line-to-link-with-East-West-Rail/262628167202496?ref=hl
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReopenCheltenhamKinghamrailwayline/

Construction of the existing scheme - a railway along route used until closure in 1962 - would be hugely disruptive, the theoretical scheme would offer a local service to Kingham only - limited journey potential - which would result in very poor value for money and almost zero chance of gaining funding.

But deviating the route South of Cheltenham and at Bourton on the Water would avoid disruption and bring the cost down.

Deviated railway South of Cheltenham
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=339271092871536&set=pb.262628167202496.-2207520000.1396898403.&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=340125222786123&set=pb.262628167202496.-2207520000.1396898462.&type=3&theater

Deviated railway West of Bourton on the Water
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=312283648903614&set=pb.262628167202496.-2207520000.1396898660.&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=295147507283895&set=pb.262628167202496.-2207520000.1396898855.&type=3&theater

There is space beside A40 road for a railway at Andoversford, because the A40 road only follows the M&SWJR trackbed for a short distance South of Old Gloucester Road.

Railway at Andoversford
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=283967861735193&set=pb.262628167202496.-2207520000.1396898641.&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=324736567658322&set=pb.262628167202496.-2207520000.1396898618.&type=3&theater

A through service to Oxford would increase potential journey options and new rail schemes serving Oxford would increase opportunities for through running and greatly boost the case for re-opening.

Chiltern Railways already runs services far from it's core network serving the M40 and A41 corridors to Birmingham and Kidderminster.
In a similar vein, through services could operate from Worcester and Ashchurch to Cheltenham - Kingham - Oxford - Bicester - London.

Through services could also run from Cardiff to Oxford via Cheltenham, to link South Wales to the East - West Rail Link.

New rail schemes serving Oxford

The Oxford to Cambridge rail line is re-opening in stages.
http://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/

First will be the Oxford to Bedford service by 2018.
http://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/western-section

Next will be the Bedford to Cambridge service by 2020s.
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/10865563.Government_backs_moves_to_reopen_old_Varsity_Line_link_to_Cambridge/?ref=nt

Chiltern Railways will operate a new railway from Oxford to London via M40 corridor by 2016.
http://www.chiltern-evergreen3.co.uk/

There are other new railway services that could connect with the trains serving Oxford and increase passenger numbers.

Croxley Rail Link
The L.T. Metropolitan line will be linked to the disused railway from Croxley Green to Watford High Street via a new spur, and the disused branch re-opened.
http://www.croxleyraillink.com/
Through trains could run from Watford Junction to Ammersham and Aylesbury.

Wisbech Railway
There is a proposal for the disused railway from March to Wisbech to be re-opened and a new service run from Cambridge.
http://www.railfuture.org.uk/March+-+Wisbech
http://wisbechrail.org.uk/

Haverhill and Sudbury railway
There is a proposal for the dismantled railway from Great Shelford near Cambridge to Haverhill and Sudbury to be reinstated.
http://railhaverhill.net/

[grahame]

There are other new railway services that could connect with the trains serving Oxford and increase passenger numbers.

Wisbech Railway

Haverhill and Sudbury railway

Whilst one of the big attractions of the railway network is the very fact that it's a network of over 2500 stations, I can't help thinking that Wisbech or Mark's Tey to Cheltenham Spa traffic wouldn't have a noticeable effect on passenger numbers between Kingham and Cheltenham.    Perhaps suggesting that these other new lines will make a difference to "yours" may have more of a negative that a positive effect on your case. 

Now - had you suggested that, electrified, you would be providing a Bristol - Cheltenham Spa - Oxford - London line for emergency use if the Swindon -> Didcot or Reading -> Paddington line were to be unavailable for any reason ...

[grahame]

P.S. .... where's my manners?    I should have said "welcome to the forum" ... I hadn't realised these were your first posts!

[ellendune]

There are other new railway services that could connect with the trains serving Oxford and increase passenger numbers.

Wisbech Railway

Haverhill and Sudbury railway

Whilst one of the big attractions of the railway network is the very fact that it's a network of over 2500 stations, I can't help thinking that Wisbech or Mark's Tey to Cheltenham Spa traffic wouldn't have a noticeable effect on passenger numbers between Kingham and Cheltenham.    Perhaps suggesting that these other new lines will make a difference to "yours" may have more of a negative that a positive effect on your case. 

Now - had you suggested that, electrified, you would be providing a Bristol - Cheltenham Spa - Oxford - London line for emergency use if the Swindon -> Didcot or Reading -> Paddington line were to be unavailable for any reason ...

I assume you mean London Marylebone

A Cheltenham - Oxford - High Wycombe - Marylebone service would also parallel/relieve the A40

[Electric train]

Cheltenham Kingham Rail is spamming the site to further their own ends, not seen a intro post to explain who they are its obvious what they want ............. free advertising.

I do welcome groups / individuals who want to build / re-open railways, a hello we are would be nice

[Btline]

Look, I'm sorry but this proposal is a non starter.

If we had a limitless pot of money it would be nice, but there are hundreds of more worthwhile infrastructure projects (including ROADS) that are further up the queue.

Sorry if I'm being harsh, but I think it needs saying.

Why not concentrate on more realistic targets such as electrificatino and 125 mph upgrade of the Bham to Bristol line? You could cut the Cheltenham to Bham journey time to about 30 minutes.

[ChrisB]

The paths to Marylebone are full in the peaks too, so that's a non-starter....

[grahame]

The paths to Marylebone are full in the peaks too, so that's a non-starter....

Signalled to the hilt with the shortest practical sections, all occupied by trains of the maximum length the line can support, and with the very best of performance curves equal to that of an electric unit, I expect.  Ah well ...

I'm somewhat playing Devil's advocate here, but Oxford to London via High Wycombe is a potential diversion / relief route - into London Paddington as well as into Marylebone (there is some remaining capacity from the Chiltern line into Paddington, isn't there  ) - and at the time those diversions or relief is needed, trains might continue west from Oxford

You'll note that my comments / this option does not rely on a re-opening from Kingham to Cheltenham Spa to make it useful - however, it would provide for a route shortening / alternative to Cheltenham, Gloucester and perhaps South Wales if that re-opening was implemented ... which strikes me (I admit) as improbable in the foreseeable future.

[paul7575]

Posting about an obscure potential re-opening near Cambridge as though that has some relevance to something campaigned for near Cheltenham is about as tenuous a connection I have ever seen...

Let's face it there are a few fantastic ideas knocking around on the rail interweb, but that must be a prizewinner...

Paul

[ChrisB]

Signalled to the hilt with the shortest practical sections, all occupied by trains of the maximum length the line can support, and with the very best of performance curves equal to that of an electric unit, I expect.  Ah well ...

:-)

No platform space at Marylebone in the peaks is the real problrm, plus the two tracks through Lords tunnel which see movements every 3 minutes. Hence the Oxford services won't be extra services, but redirected current services.

I'm somewhat playing Devil's advocate here, but Oxford to London via High Wycombe is a potential diversion / relief route - into London Paddington as well as into Marylebone (there is some remaining capacity from the Chiltern line into Paddington, isn't there  )

it'll be interesting to see if that route ever gets used as a diversionary route once constructed - I suspect possible to only PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains), and that's restricted to 2tph each way I believe maximum....if platforms at PAD can be found in the peaks