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Author Topic: East - West Rail update (Oxford to Bedford) - ongoing discussion  (Read 180407 times)
ray951
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« Reply #330 on: March 07, 2024, 11:49:21 »

Apparently the section to Bedford mentioned in yesterday's budget https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-68491452

I am not convinced that £240m is enough to actually do all the required work, and would like to see more detail about the funding, but it does say that trains will be running from Oxford to Bedford by 2030
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« Reply #331 on: March 08, 2024, 13:17:10 »

Apparently the section to Bedford mentioned in yesterday's budget https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-68491452

I am not convinced that £240m is enough to actually do all the required work, and would like to see more detail about the funding, but it does say that trains will be running from Oxford to Bedford by 2030

I think the £240m is money towards works rather than the full scope.

If I understand correctly, it's been descoped considerably since the 2021 consultation and it's now more of an upgrade of the Marston Vale line than the complete rebuild that was foreseen. Piecemeal track replacement and a single length of redoubling, a sub-100mph line speed (which means the level crossings can stay) giving 3tph and rebuilt Bedford St John's station.

My guess is that they will crack on with the Marston Vale line, but leave the redevelopment of Bedford Station for now. Given that Cambridge South is costing £180m, it must be in the same ballpark, with the various CPOs around the station and to the north inevitably controversial, whereas the existing line is more along the lines of "permitted development"
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« Reply #332 on: October 21, 2024, 11:56:54 »

Test/training with real trains started today between Bicester and Bletchley.

You can see the train movements here:  https://signalmaps.co.uk/#claydon:1806

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To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
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« Reply #333 on: October 21, 2024, 12:13:06 »

Thanks for that. Realtimetrains has more too. e.g. Bletchley has seen a train from London Paddington.

Mark

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:WNO/2024-10-21/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt
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ray951
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« Reply #334 on: October 21, 2024, 12:36:21 »

Thanks for that. Realtimetrains has more too. e.g. Bletchley has seen a train from London Paddington.

Mark

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:WNO/2024-10-21/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

It appears that GWR (Great Western Railway) is operating IETs (Intercity Express Train) along the East/West rail for potential use as a diversionary route.

However, it is unclear to me under what circumstances this route would be utilized, especially considering there is an existing route into London from Oxford via Bicester that is not currently employed as a diversionary route.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #335 on: October 21, 2024, 12:53:11 »

Indeed - which is why I think the ROSCO» (Rolling Stock Owning Company - about) has simply won the contract to test & that chiltern don't have the spare stock to run all these services. It appears it is just today & tomorrow on RTT» (Real Time Trains - website)
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grahame
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« Reply #336 on: October 21, 2024, 13:01:01 »

It appears that GWR (Great Western Railway) is operating IETs (Intercity Express Train) along the East/West rail for potential use as a diversionary route.

However, it is unclear to me under what circumstances this route would be utilized, especially considering there is an existing route into London from Oxford via Bicester that is not currently employed as a diversionary route.

Interesting thought for Christmases future - trains non-stop from Swindon to Euston reversing at Milton Keynes!  Perhaps the problem via Beaconsfield is that it ends up in a London terminus even more constrained than Euston?

I note that this morning there was a direct train through Old Oak Common and Claydon - both on the HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) route.  It took 2 hours  Grin

Edit to correct typos
« Last Edit: October 21, 2024, 13:31:45 by grahame » Logged

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« Reply #337 on: October 21, 2024, 13:18:18 »

Or, even better, a true East West line from Norwich/Ipswich/Cambridge/Milton Keynes via Oxford to Swindon/Batb/Bristol/Cardiff.

But, yes, the use of an IET (Intercity Express Train) today is not in any way connected with GWR (Great Western Railway) aspirations or diversionary knowledge.  Though it will of course prove the route for them.
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To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
Mark A
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« Reply #338 on: October 21, 2024, 14:16:05 »

Thanks for that. Realtimetrains has more too. e.g. Bletchley has seen a train from London Paddington.

Mark

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:WNO/2024-10-21/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

It appears that GWR (Great Western Railway) is operating IETs (Intercity Express Train) along the East/West rail for potential use as a diversionary route.

However, it is unclear to me under what circumstances this route would be utilized, especially considering there is an existing route into London from Oxford via Bicester that is not currently employed as a diversionary route.

Thanks for this. I didn't spot that that train was identified as an IEP (Intercity Express Program / Project.) when it left Paddington.

Is the following the set, having done several runs to Bicester and back, returning from Milton Keynes to Oxford and then back to North Pole perhaps (or maybe it was never a class 80x in the first place...)?

Anyway, for the future: Bristol - Swindon - Oxford - MK (Milton Keynes) - Northampton - Leicester - Nottingham pls. And under the wires too.

Mark

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K21478/2024-10-21/detailed
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ChrisB
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« Reply #339 on: October 21, 2024, 14:34:48 »

Yes, that's the one - 5Q47

But who would want to travel that route? Nottingham is quicker via Birmingham.
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ray951
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« Reply #340 on: October 21, 2024, 16:06:32 »

Thanks for that. Realtimetrains has more too. e.g. Bletchley has seen a train from London Paddington.

Mark

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:WNO/2024-10-21/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

It appears that GWR (Great Western Railway) is operating IETs (Intercity Express Train) along the East/West rail for potential use as a diversionary route.

However, it is unclear to me under what circumstances this route would be utilized, especially considering there is an existing route into London from Oxford via Bicester that is not currently employed as a diversionary route.

Thanks for this. I didn't spot that that train was identified as an IEP (Intercity Express Program / Project.) when it left Paddington.

Is the following the set, having done several runs to Bicester and back, returning from Milton Keynes to Oxford and then back to North Pole perhaps (or maybe it was never a class 80x in the first place...)?

Anyway, for the future: Bristol - Swindon - Oxford - MK (Milton Keynes) - Northampton - Leicester - Nottingham pls. And under the wires too.

Mark

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K21478/2024-10-21/detailed

There is a picture of the IEP at Bicester Village in this very forum http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=29339.0
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eightonedee
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« Reply #341 on: October 21, 2024, 17:01:23 »

Quote
Anyway, for the future: Bristol - Swindon - Oxford - MK (Milton Keynes)▸ - Northampton - Leicester - Nottingham pls. And under the wires too

My vote is for Bournemouth-Southampton-Basingstoke-Reading-Oxford-MK-Bedford-Cambridge-Norwich! - But perhaps we can settle for alternating hourly services.....

(A person can dream.....!)
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Mark A
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« Reply #342 on: October 21, 2024, 18:19:32 »

Yes, that's the one - 5Q47

But who would want to travel that route? Nottingham is quicker via Birmingham.

For the endpoints, ease of travel. Looking at the links provided between intermediate stations, it's often efficient in terms of time, and there's proven unmet demand.

To run this fantasy service, I've just needed to build a new link between Northampton and Market Harborough to replace the one that closed c 1982. The original line was hampered by level crossings but actually saw its few overbridges rebuilt with clearance for electrification. Such an odd history in its last years, between the sixties and the eighties, Northampton to Market Harborough closed and reopened more times than I can shake a stick at.

Mark
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« Reply #343 on: October 21, 2024, 19:50:33 »

It appears that GWR (Great Western Railway) is operating IETs (Intercity Express Train) along the East/West rail for potential use as a diversionary route.

However, it is unclear to me under what circumstances this route would be utilized, especially considering there is an existing route into London from Oxford via Bicester that is not currently employed as a diversionary route.

Interesting thought for Christmases future - trains non-stop from Swindon to Euston reversing at Milton Keynes!  Perhaps the problem via Beaconsfield is that it ends up in a London terminus even more constrained than Euston?

I note that this morning there was a direct train through Old Oak Common and Claydon - both on the HS2 (The next High Speed line(s)) route.  It took 2 hours  Grin

Edit to correct typos

II is more likely to be correct about the 800 being used for EW route commissioning given he is industry insider  Grin

GWML (Great Western Main Line) diversion using that route whilst it would work I guess will not happen while the Ealing Broadway / Popular / NLL route is feasible, however Cotswolds services maybe.

I don't think EW route is not going to be available for passenger train use until the summer posibly spring of 2025 ready for possibly a September 2025 train service
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ChrisB
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« Reply #344 on: October 21, 2024, 20:10:05 »

Supposedly May25 timetable change
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