Cotswold Line redoubling: 2008 - 2011

[whole diary]

[willc]

Not much sign of progress in Oxfordshire since Wednesday but ballasting has started beyond Moreton-in-Marsh as I could see it beyond the bridge this morning.

[IndustryInsider]

One point of interest with the new track is that nothing but concrete sleepers have been delivered so far and all the renewals, including Evesham station, were with concrete, so looks like the steel sleepers used on the line in recent years, especially around Kingham, may have fallen out of favour.

Good point that.  You'd have certainly expected steel sleepers to have been used in the confines of Evesham station with the low line speeds.

[willc]

Reason probably has a lot to do with the price of concrete. A Modern Railways' article about the East London Line extension says this has come down by 10 per cent recently, so the 20 miles of cable troughs may well have come in cheaper than estimated as well.

Trackbed clearance has reached Blockley, while ballasting is now just north of Dorn. Some pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009/

[willc]

Ballasting now out to Aston Magna curve, while sleepers have been dropped from Moreton-in-Marsh out to the middle of the curve approaching the straight track through the cutting at Dorn. Surverying team was out at Aston Magna this morning.

[willc]

Some pictures from Gloucestershire this morning now online.

[IanL]

Thanks for the updates Will, havent posted recently as I have been travelling, will be another 10 days before back at CBY. Good to see progress on the line in general even when sitting at 14000ft and 10hrs time difference.

[willc]

Just back from a night-time press visit to see work going on near Moreton-in-Marsh. Sleepers were being dropped at Dorn, just north of the bridge, and rail clips were being inspected and manually tightened, if required, just outside Moreton station. Didn't get to see it but more rails were being clipped on by machine further towards Dorn and ballasting was taking place between Aston Magna and Blockley level crossing.

Lots more detail but I'll have to keep you in suspense, as work has first claim. Stories will appear next week.

[willc]

Some pictures taken in Gloucestershire this morning, plus one from Thursday night's press visit (the only one of mine I liked, that's why I took a professional photographer along with me), now online at the usual place, showing track complete just outside Moreton-in-Marsh and ready for final ballasting at Dorn, plus initial ballasting complete out to Blockley.

[willc]

Having written up now, there's a few details that didn't make the cut as they probably aren't of that much interest to a general audience and I only get so many words to work with:

Tracklaying machines were ruled out due to the lack of easy access for them and the various track slews and level crossings breaking up the sections being relaid

It is hoped to replace the bullhead track through Moreton-in-Marsh, perhaps on steel sleepers.

Trains which turn back to Worcester at Evesham will use the island platform, not the platform adjacent to the main building.

Platform designs for Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood are complete, with work set to start soon. New signals will also start to appear shortly as well.

[Lee]

Platform designs for Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood are complete, with work set to start soon.

willc - Are these designs publicly available anywhere?

[IanL]

Platform designs for Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood are complete, with work set to start soon.

willc - Are these designs publicly available anywhere?

Lee,

there are drawings and plans posted on the wall at Charlbury ticket office.

Ian

[willc]

Platform designs for Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood are complete, with work set to start soon.

willc - Are these designs publicly available anywhere?

Not that I'm aware of, beyond what is in the booking hall at Charlbury, as there was no legal requirement to seek planning consent due to the powers the railway has over its own land. These are basically the detailed plans the construction team will use. As I understand it, the Charlbury platform will be set back into the bank to the rear of the platform, with a brick front wall, while at Ascott it will be brick walls front and back with infilling between.

[willc]

First version of my report on the lineside visit last Thursday night is online here:

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/8837854.Night_shift_drives_Cotswold_Line_rail_upgrade/

[willc]

Couple of pictures from Aston Magna this morning, with new sleepers in place up to and around the curve.

A few more sleepers have been laid at Charlbury up to Walcot but I think that's pretty much it on the Oxfordshire section for a couple of months now.

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks, Will.