Cotswold Line redoubling: 2008 - 2011

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

No problem. 

I think the point you're making is that it is now costing ten times the amount (allowing for inflation) that it cost then, to reverse it now. 

[ChrisB]

As part of my researches into the history of singling, I have just acquired a 1981 issue of Modern Railways Insight which includes a feature about the line's then very uncertain future and the plans to route Worcester expresses via Stroud and Swindon. That old favourite Worcester Parkway inevitably puts in an appearance.

AS inaccurate as ever.....

[Weston-Sub-Edge]

The cost saving of maintaining only a single line must also be taken into account. However, in the case of the Cotswold line this must be neglible as no maintenance went on at all between 1971-1983.

I am still coming to terms with new track layout for Honeybourne. Would I be right in assuming there will in effect be a loop passing through the now redundant platforms with a spur onto the East Loop to Long Marston and a turnaout to access the rehabilitated sidings? This set up would require crossovers at both Honeybourne Station North and Honeybourne Station South Junctions.

The loop would make sense as it could allow freight trains to pause to allow passengers trains to pass.

I seem to remeber there was access from the Stratford platforms back on to the mainline in the Oxford direction pre 1971.

Anyway, all will become clear shortly.

[willc]

I am still coming to terms with new track layout for Honeybourne. Would I be right in assuming there will in effect be a loop passing through the now redundant platforms with a spur onto the East Loop to Long Marston and a turnaout to access the rehabilitated sidings? This set up would require crossovers at both Honeybourne Station North and Honeybourne Station South Junctions.

As best as I understand it, the layout will be along these lines:

Double track running lines between the existing platform and repaired southern face of the island platform.

A crossover for trains approaching from Oxford to allow them to pass into the sidings west of the station.

A crossover in the running lines at the far end of the sidings to allow trains to depart towards Worcester.

A loco runround facility within the sidings.

The Long Marston connection would run from the sidings along the northernmost line through the station, with the northern face of the island platform left clear for use by trains operating on any future connection from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

So in theory you could loop a freight at Honeybourne's new sidings, but given that there are no firm plans for freight use other than Long Marston workings and a fair degree of spare capacity off-peak post redoubling, not sure you would need to loop things anyway.

[Don]

It's a couple of years since I last saw a version of the plans, but I believe that the track plan was by then final.  At that time there was only one link between the running lines and the Long Marston branch, like today, but that this point (and associated crossover) was at the western end of the station rather than at the eastern end as today.  In that plan trains to and from Long Marston would only be able to work from Worcester as it is today, there being no need to run trains to Long Marston from the East.  The idea at that time being that a ground frame would remain for access to Long Marston allowing Long Marston traffic (including the shuttle service from the proposed new town) to be locked in and work as one engine in steam.

The bay platform for the preserved GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) was also shown on this plan with being accessed from it's own ground frame roughly where the ground frame is now.

The are no actual plans to run freight over this line except for diversion reasons, remember that the redoubling is being funded purely to reduce passenger train congestion.

[willc]

there being no need to run trains to Long Marston from the East

I think you'll find people might quite like to do that on occasion, it's just that at present it's simply not possible due to lack of capacity on the line towards Oxford, though an odd train or two has been squeezed through. Some of the trains can take pretty convoluted routes via Worcester in order to approach from that direction, or make journeys in the opposite direction, such as these ferrywagons, which left Long Marston last month heading for Sheerness, in Kent, see http://www.petertandy.co.uk/37604_3_6Z80_Ald_111010.jpg

Amey surveyors were out at Ascott-uner-Wychwood this morning, west of the signalbox. Looked as though they could have been working out the position for a colour-light to replace the last semaphore, which protects the section towards Moreton-in-Marsh.

[Weston-Sub-Edge]

So the single crossover at the former Honeybourne North Junction will be a ground frame operated by a token rather than controlled from Evesham and a color light with feather/remotely operated points? I really thought tokens wee being abolished.

All access to Long Marston will be from Worcester only? I thought the idea was to allow trains to run from Oxford to Long Marston direct via an engine run around at Honeybourne?

[super tm]

So the single crossover at the former Honeybourne North Junction will be a ground frame operated by a token rather than controlled from Evesham and a color light with feather/remotely operated points? I really thought tokens wee being abolished.

All access to Long Marston will be from Worcester only? I thought the idea was to allow trains to run from Oxford to Long Marston direct via an engine run around at Honeybourne?

Yes it will be much cheaper to have a ground frame operation. 

Also Network Rail do not like adding more point work at it is very expensive to install and maintain.  I did see a figure some years ago that each point costs about ^200,000 a year to maintain.  If you are going to have run round facilites at Honeybourne that would require 4 extra points so the thick end of ^1,000,000 in maintainence.  Not really cost effective for the limited amount of traffic that goes to Long Marston.  So there will only be one point as now and access to Long Marston will only be from the Worcester direction.

[IndustryInsider]

I did see a figure some years ago that each point costs about ^200,000 a year to maintain.  If you are going to have run round facilites at Honeybourne that would require 4 extra points so the thick end of ^1,000,000 in maintainence.

Not very cost effective, no, but hand points cost a fraction of that to maintain - a bit of grease every few weeks does the trick - and you wouldn't necessarily need motored points for a run-round facility.

[willc]

Before I begin I had better issue a health warning for those obsessed about things written by journalists. The following details are taken from Rail magazine issue 644, dated May 19, 2010. The article was based on information given during the press launch event in April following the final sign-off for the project. I had better add that I was also on the high-speed inspection train for part of the said event, just to add to the uncertainty in certain minds.

Rail reported that the following arrangements will apply at Honeybourne:

The existing Long Marston branch access east of the station, ie the point, groundframe and token machine for working to and from Evesham (in the hut next to the points) will be removed.

The branch line will be slewed east of the station during the redoubling work to clear the trackbed to allow a straight run into the north side of the island platform for any future GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) connection.

Access from the main line to the sidings will be by points (the plural was used in the article) and signals controlled from Evesham.
The train staff for the branch will, as I suggested above, be kept in a hut at Honeybourne.

The branch connection will run from the sidings west of the station along the northernmost track through the station.

Honeybourne will mark the end of the absolute block signal section from Moreton-in-Marsh, with axle counters being used to let the signallers know that westbound trains have cleared the section and track circuit block will apply from there to Evesham (ie a variation from the traditional 'see the tail-lamp' method used with AB or CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) cameras that are used in some places.

The article does not clear up the issue of access to the sidings from the Oxford direction. When I get the chance I will investigate and let people know here.

And I can assure you that a run-round facility in the sidings at Honeybourne was specifically mentioned in April. As well as branch workings, the sidings are also intended for use by track maintenance plant and engineering trains, so the ability to run round will come in handy. And I am sure this will be done, as Insider suggests, with nice basic hand points.

In addition, this article I recently pointed people in the direction of also refers to a crossover at Honeybourne (as well as the mystery one at Campden tunnel)  http://www.railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/bridge-launches-redoubling-phase-1983.html

As for

the limited amount of traffic that goes to Long Marston

more probably would be coming in and out, if only there were more than two paths per day available, which is the current situation, and even those are at risk the minute the passenger service hits problems.

[Adrian the Rock]

From my (somewhat scratchy) memory, the plans I saw (also some months ago) had a crossover between the branch/sidings line and the Up Cotswolds line, north of the station, and a trailing crossover between the main lines immediately north of that.  The latter is required anyway to enable trains from Long Marston to reach the Down Cotswolds line to continue their journies towards Worcester.

On the Down Cotswold line a GPL^▸ (Ground Position Light) shunt signal was shown immediately beyond (in advance of) the trailing crossover.  This will presumably allow trains from the Oxford direction to reverse onto the branch at that point.

That would allow multiple-unit or top-and-tailed trains to reach the branch with only a single reversal.  Non-top-and-tailed freights would presumably have to propel across the two crossovers then reverse again into the sidings before running round there.

[JayMac]

On the Down Cotswold line a GPL^▸ (Ground Position Light) shunt signal was shown immediately beyond....

GPL??

[Chris from Nailsea]

Ground Position Light - I'll add it to our 'acronyms & abbreviations' page.

CfN. 

[willc]

Since it was a nice dry afternoon, although conditions underfoot weren't so favourable, I decided to venture out into the fields west of Honeybourne to observe developments from the foot crossings over the line there, though taking the usual long way round. Since Tuesday, rails have been dropped either side of Blockley level crossing and on to Chipping Campden, also at Honeybourne and at least as far west as Clayfield level crossing. There did seem to be a bit of gap east of Honeybourne, but as there is no public access near the line most of the way towards Mickleton I don't know how far it goes. Pictures are in the usual place http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009/

And if you want an idea of the state of the Honeybourne sidings area at the moment, there are some pictures here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/22084-return-to-honeybourne-the-new-bridge-is-in-position/ taken by someone who must work for Network Rail, also on-site pictures taken during the bridge replacement work.

Adrian, thanks for clearing up the access from the Oxford direction. Thought that if it wasn't a facing crossover then it would have to be something like that, with a relatively simple reversing arrangement, as it was said in April that they envisaged trains from Oxford going on to the branch in future. I will still investigate and see if what you describe is the final design.

[Don]

Are the comments about using a token system or absolute block between Honeybourne and Moreton correct?  I though that the whole line was going to be worked as track circuit block with panels at Evesham and Ascot replacing the lever frames and with Moreton retaining the lever frame to control points and signals but working somehow as track circuit block.