Cotswold Line redoubling: 2008 - 2011

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

No noticable signs at Evesham or west of Evesham of ANY work over the last three weeks, be it ballast, track, signals, lineside equipment, or cables.

[willc]

It's only a mile or so to tackle there, so maybe that's coming at the end of the month. Nothing has happened in Moreton station either, so I assume the station resignalling will be among the last jobs to be tackled next year

The big effort now is focused on the section that's still closed, so I assume east of Evesham things are happening, certainly there were a lot of people at work on lineside kit on that section the last week the trains were running.

There was a ballast train top-and-tailed by EWS^▸ (English Welsh & Scottish Railway Ltd, now known as DB Schenker Rail (UK^▸ (United Kingdom))) 66s at Moreton this morning, which set off north at about 9.45 and the currently resident tamper was not in the goods shed siding, so I assume it was at work up the line somewhere.

And in case anyone wonders why the 9.47 from Moreton was 10 late leaving Oxford today - it was nothing to do with the redoubling work, but a combination of a 15-late southbound XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)), a detour by an on time Turbo into the goods loop from Wolvercote and some fairly leisurely shunt moves at Oxford before the Turbos coupled. Would the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) train have been held back had it been an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and not needed coupling up? I wonder. Instead of one delayed XC train incurring a couple more minutes delay, you got two late-running services with double-digit delays.

[IndustryInsider]

It's only a mile or so to tackle there, so maybe that's coming at the end of the month.

You're probably right. Seems a bit strange to make the commuters from Evesham and Pershore to Worcester incur buses for three weeks for no apparent reason though?

[Oxman]

Worcester to Evesham was closed to allow signalling equipment etc to be moved clear of the formation and new cabling to be laid. The signalling between Evesham and Norton Junction had to be disconnected to do this. So, probably explains why there is little evidence of work west of Evesham.

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks, Oxman - that does indeed make sense.

[willc]

Some pictures here of ballast trains at work on track renewals between Evesham and Aldington, which is just east of the Evesham bypass.

http://petertandy.co.uk/Recentpics.html

And ballast workings near Charlbury here, though ignore the comment in one caption about the track being centred in 1971. That didn't happen until later.

http://www.hondawanderer.com/Recent_Additions.htm

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks, Willl. This picture: http://petertandy.co.uk/66051_6W37_Aldington_050080.jpg shows an original footbridge, complete with date plate (1853 I think), and shows how structures were originally built for broad gauge width as was being discussed in this thread a few months back.

[willc]

And speaking of broad gauge, I have been doing a little detective work since my visit to Chipping Campden tunnel and discovered that you can actually see the extra brickwork on the outside too - those bricks inside the decorative stonework (where it survives) of the arches at the portals are not original.

They don't appear on an original design drawing from Network Rail's archive and I have now seen a photo of workmen standing outside the Campden portal in the early 1900s and the brickwork is not there, just the stone arch. I suspect the men were actually the ones who added the bricks as it appears there was single line working in the tunnel for a period around 1903. I'm guessing the brick course is about 10-12in, so clearances are now a bit tighter than Brunel intended.

It's a pity the vegetation has been allowed to get out of control around the portals in recent decades. They looked quite striking in the 1960s, particularly at the Campden end, with the pale stone arch (more intact back then, without brick infilling) standing out against the dark brickwork of the wings holding up the cutting, with just grass and a few small shrubs around, presumably the effect Brunel intended.

[willc]

Was over in Evesham this morning, so came back following the line through the Vale as best I could on the side roads. There are a few new pictures here http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009/.

As well as what you can see, there were what looked like foundations for a new level crossing equipment cabin going in at the side of the trackbed at Littleton and Badsey level crossing but, in common with the other level crossings, no sign of the barriers being moved off the trackbed yet. Also evidence of cable renewal in various places.

There was a tamper working between Honeybourne and Mickleton, though it was just poking its cab out of a shallow cutting away across a field, so not worth a photo.

[Mookiemoo]

Was over in Evesham this morning, so came back following the line through the Vale as best I could on the side roads. There are a few new pictures here http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009/.

As well as what you can see, there were what looked like foundations for a new level crossing equipment cabin going in at the side of the trackbed at Littleton and Badsey level crossing but, in common with the other level crossings, no sign of the barriers being moved off the trackbed yet. Also evidence of cable renewal in various places.

There was a tamper working between Honeybourne and Mickleton, though it was just poking its cab out of a shallow cutting away across a field, so not worth a photo.

Looks like they are only running four carriages?

In self interest - are any first?

[willc]

Not sure I'm with you there. Do you mean the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) at Moreton this evening? One was a 2+7 and the other a 2+8.

[Mookiemoo]

Not sure I'm with you there. Do you mean the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) at Moreton this evening? One was a 2+7 and the other a 2+8.

I was looking at your pics.....I counted 4 or five carriages!

[Exeter]

Perhaps the others were behind the bush!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[IndustryInsider]

An interesting snippet in this fortnights RAIL magazine, saying that they might not shift all the signalling control to the new Signalling Centre at Didcot, and if so will retain Absolute Block signalling (and therefore the boxes) as it might be cheaper to do so.

The cost of axle counter installation and so on might come at a hefty initial price, but aside from their maintenance costs, they are then in place for a good deal of time. Keeping the boxes open means retaining all the staff with their wages, as well as the other costs of operating several signalboxes rather than one controlling centre.

Perhaps the first sign that the total scheme costing has fallen significantly short, and corners are having to be cut as a result?

[willc]

Seemed to be problems squeezing the trains through the single line this morning so the 8.13 from Moreton to London departed from platform 1, using the shunting crossover - presumably clipped - but we were then held as Ascott for getting on for 10 minutes waiting for the Turbo going up to Moreton to appear