East - West Rail update (Oxford to Bedford) - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Do you honestly think ANY Government would have that kind of vision? And if so, who?

How about the Government's of most other countries across the world? 

[grandsire]

Its interesting that both the East-West consortium and the preferred line of HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) both want to use the old Great Central track bed between Aylesbury and Calvert Jcn.  Can both be accomodated ( my recollection is it was only ever a double track line).

[paul7575]

I looked at this a while ago, and one of the significant points not shown on the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) published maps is that there will be loops either side of the HS^▸ (High Speed (short for HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) High Speed Services)) line past Calvert, with a connection via a 'SE/NE' curve to the Bicester/Bletchley route for engineering train access to the HS line. This curve already exists but will also be needed by Chiltern to Milton Keynes as proposed by East West rail.  I think there are many details off the main HS route yet to become clear, these quotes are from the HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) engineering report:

"In the Calvert area, an HS2 infrastructure maintenance depot is
proposed. The depot would be alongside the existing East - West Rail
route between Bicester and Bletchley, near Steeple Claydon. Placing the
depot here would allow maintenance trains and on-track plant (for
example ballast trains) use the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) at Bletchley to gain access to HS2.
There would be a link connecting HS2 to East ^ West Rail, which itself
would need to be grade-separated over HS2, potentially involving
re-alignment and raising over a distance of up to 3km. The critical
distance associated with the design on HS2 is the loop lines adjacent to
the main line. There would need to be provision for locomotives to run
round their engineering trains. Turnouts to and from HS2 and East ^ West
rail would be needed, and 80kph switches were assumed. The link to and
from East ^ West rail would need to be capable of bi-directional
operation. The depot itself was modelled on the Singlewell Depot on HS1^▸ (High Speed line 1 - St Pancras to Channel Tunnel)." 

"Further investigation is needed to devise an optimum layout accommodating
the existing lines, the HS2 line, and the spur to the maintenance depot."

Paul

[Electric train]

Its interesting that both the East-West consortium and the preferred line of HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) both want to use the old Great Central track bed between Aylesbury and Calvert Jcn.  Can both be accomodated ( my recollection is it was only ever a double track line).

My guess is there will be stations along the HS2 route to appease the natives allowing something similar to SE Trains HS1^▸ (High Speed line 1 - St Pancras to Channel Tunnel) service, Calvert Jcn are could be an ideal location E-W and HS2 meeting point and not far from the M40 etc

[Adrian the Rock]

Its interesting that both the East-West consortium and the preferred line of HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) both want to use the old Great Central track bed between Aylesbury and Calvert Jcn.  Can both be accomodated ( my recollection is it was only ever a double track line).

I'm sure I've read somewhere that when the GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line) (MS&L^▸ (Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway) London Extension) was built, the formation was made wide enough everywhere so that 4-tracking would be readily possible if needed.  As it turned out, of course, the need never arose.

[willc]

Not judging by the pictures in this fascinating gallery of photos taken during the construction of the GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line) which are now in the Leicestershire county archive, although they cover the full route through other counties as well.

http://prints.leics.gov.uk/prints-7469/the-last-main-line-gallery.html

[Electric train]

Another document published by East West Rail Consortium  Grip 4 Outline Business Case - Final Report Non Technical Summary

http://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/reports/documents/EWRGRIP4BusinessCaseNon-TechnicalSummaryJuly2010.pdf

[IndustryInsider]

An update on the project, with news that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) has agreed that the East West Rail (Western section) should be assessed for inclusion in the next HLOS^▸ (High Level Output Specification - the DfT's High Level Output Specification, which has specified to Network Rail the outputs that need to be delivered within a Control Period (CP)) covering 2014-2019.

The consortium hopes to have the Western Section up and running by 2017.  We will see...

http://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/news/documents/EWRCInformationBulletin_Nov2010w.pdf

[IndustryInsider]

A 5-minute video, which to be honest is full of flashy graphics and little new information, has been released summarising the project.  Useful for those that know little about the scheme.

http://eastwestrail.org.uk/video/

[Electric train]

A 5-minute video, which to be honest is full of flashy graphics and little new information, has been released summarising the project.  Useful for those that know little about the scheme.

http://eastwestrail.org.uk/video/

This could be classed as progress, and they have snazzed up the website.

Looks like the project still has legs

[IndustryInsider]

Oxford Economics have produced a report summarising the wider economic case for investment in the Western Section of the East West Rail project.  There's a summary on the following link together with a link to download the full document.

http://eastwestrail.org.uk/the_project/the-economic-case-for-investment/

[Electric train]

Oxford Economics have produced a report summarising the wider economic case for investment in the Western Section of the East West Rail project.  There's a summary on the following link together with a link to download the full document.

http://eastwestrail.org.uk/the_project/the-economic-case-for-investment/

Also a Progress Report http://eastwestrail.org.uk/progress-report-august-2011/ and "East West Rail can help economic development" http://eastwestrail.org.uk/east-west-rail-can-help-economic-development/

[anthony215]

Just read this online:

http://www.transportxtra.com/magazines/local_transport_today/news/?id=28284

[ChrisB]

I didn't think I saw it on that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) document on CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019)....but it was so large, I expected to have missed it

[John R]

Though in discussion of the need for further capacity enhancements to the Southampton - West Coast ML freight corridor, the following bullet is listed:-

* possible use of the East / West (Oxford / Bletchley) link to be used as a
capacity/diversionary opportunity between Oxford ^ Leamington;
* Melksham ^ possible enhancements to an existing gauge clearance scheme; and...

So clearly the EW route is still on the radar. (Second bullet point shown as it may be of interest to certain people.)

It had previously occurred to me that if Reading to Basingstoke is wired, which seems quite likely in the next ten years, then an electrified EW Rail link would enable fully electric freight haulage between Southampton and Birmingham, as well as an alternative route as traffic grows rapidly (which is already happening).