Chiltern plan Oxford to Cowley service

[whole diary]

[Oxman]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-29752056

"Chiltern Railways has revealed plans for a passenger service to run on the Cowley branch in Oxfordshire.

The line, currently only used for freight, would see two new stations on the route at Oxford Science Park and Oxford Business Park.

The train operator said the plans would bring "significant economic benefits" to local businesses and "improve connectivity" among local communities.

If plans are approved the passenger service would operate from 2020.

Chiltern Railways is running a charter train for business leaders and stakeholders on 5 November to show how the service would work."

[ChrisB]

With the additional through up platform only passively allowed for in the new Oxford station plan, won't this proposal simply cause operational risk of delay to the Oxford-Marylebone service, assuming through trains?

[ChrisB]

Also, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are already looking at this. I wonder who wins out?....

[Electric train]

Number of options here -

Chiltern to run a Cowley - London (Marylebone) service, this would negate the need for Chiltern to occupy space at for turn rounds.  Could this lead to an Evergreen 4 rebuild the line from Cowley to Princes Risborough vis Tame Junction!

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to run a Banbury (and or Cotswold stoppers) - Cowley service, this would enhance the service to Banbury (and or Cotswolds)

Eastwest Rail to run Cowley to Aylesbury, Milton Keynes Etc this would negate the need for EW rail to occupy Oxford station for turn rounds

[ChrisB]

Chiltern (still) have no interest in Thame Junction route - they wouldn't have come via Bicester Town if thery had....

FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/County Council are looking at a Park & Ride option with Hanborough & Cowley at each end via Oxford....

EW are far more likely to head West & Heathrow than bother with Cowley.

[Oxonhutch]

Pity the Abingdon branch has gone.  That would have made a more attractive reversing point IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion).

[Puffing Billy]

The line, currently only used for freight, would see two new stations on the route at Oxford Science Park and Oxford Business Park.

Could see good business on Oxford United/London Welsh match days.

[paul7575]

Might make more sense in the overall scheme of things to run an independent hourly Cowley - Banbury DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) stopping service.   Given that the Oxford - Banbury stopper will have to remain a DMU while Oxford is the end of the wires?   Whether it is better being run by Chiltern or FGW^▸ (First Great Western) I really don't know...

Paul

[eightf48544]

Interesting idea Paul but it would require 2 Units which have probably been promised for several other services.

[grahame]

How do Oxford science and business parks compare to the parks with similar names at Cambridge?

The Cambridge station is planning for

a new station building, platforms, and other rail infrastructure to be used by around 3,000 passengers a day
public space, pedestrian and cycle access routes
cycle parking for 1000 cycles
a taxi drop-off and pick-up area
a 450 space car park with disabled and short stay parking

http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/info/20051/transport_projects/62/cambridge_science_park_station

and from a completely unscientific survey (especially ironic for a science park) the majority of people I've spoken to who work at the Cambridge parks feel the London services if more important for them that anything local.  On that basis, extending Marylebones would be much more popular that running to Milton Keynes, Banbury or Evesham - picking up both long distance business traffic and commuters from South Oxford to London.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

Chiltern (still) have no interest in Thame Junction route - they wouldn't have come via Bicester Town if thery had....

I attended a presentation by Chiltern concerning the Evergreen project about 3 years ago at an IMechE meeting. The Chiltern people said that they had initially compared the two possible routes to Oxford, that is via Thame and Cowley or via Bicester and Islip. The Thame route would have been shorter and quicker, but the costs of re-instating the bridges for the M40 and A40 between Great Milton and Wheatley, and making Wheatley tunnel usable, put it out of contention.

So they certainly had an interest, but the Bicester route gave the better business case.

If a way could be found to fund the reinstatement of these bridges then I could see that a Marylebone-Thame-Cowley-Oxford-Bicester-Marylebone (and vice-versa) service would be operationally, and possibly commercially, interesting. If the proposed extra 'up' platform at Oxford were to be constructed then it could be run without affecting and GW^▸ (Great Western) or XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services at all.

Since these studies were done by Chiltern some six or eight years ago, things have changed. So possibly starting Cowley-Oxford-<wherever> service(s) could have its/their attractions, then to use the undoubted success(!) of the new services to push for re-opening to Thame and Princes Risborough.

[Oxonhutch]

The curve onto the Thame branch at Princes Risborough is also very tight, with a current speed restriction of 15 mph.  I heard that a new high speed layout between PR^▸ (Public Relations) and Bledlow Crossing would be required to be built in order to provide a viable high-speed service on the route.  That would add considerable cost to the project.

[FremlinsMan]

The line, currently only used for freight, would see two new stations on the route at Oxford Science Park and Oxford Business Park.

Could see good business on Oxford United/London Welsh match days.

Yes, I like the ida of a stop near the Oxford Science Park / Kassam Stadium. The stop for the Oxford Business Park could be by the Oxford Greyhound Stadium. I've tried to show the rough locations of what I mean on the map https://goo.gl/maps/REmoh (gold stars).

[Puffing Billy]

Yes, I like the ida of a stop near the Oxford Science Park / Kassam Stadium. The stop for the Oxford Business Park could be by the Oxford Greyhound Stadium.

The Greyhound Stadium would also be a good location for a Bark and Ride scheme.

[grahame]

I am ... delighted ... to see that the greyhound stadium closed in 2012 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Stadium. Normally I would not wish a business ill, but greyhound racing isn't good for the dogs - see http://www.rdpa.org.uk/cruelty.html .   I would love to see some sort of memorial plaque at the new station - but naming after the cruel sport that used to take part there - no!

Post dictated by Billy the greyhound ... pictured running for fun as he should be!