Cotswold Line redoubling: 2008 - 2011

[whole diary]

[willc]

Took a trip over to the Gloucestershire-Worcestershire boundary area earlier to check on progress. Still no sign of anything more happening at Honeybourne sidings. Compacted ballast on the main line is now well past the 100 miles marker, so a mile-and-a-half or so to go to reach Honeybourne station. Sleepers have been dropped and rails clipped on to them from Chipping Campden tunnel as far as the road bridge over the B4632 west of Mickleton, which is just over 99 miles out from Paddington but sleepers have yet to arrive past this point. Some pictures now online.

[IndustryInsider]

New signal bases are going in on the approach to Ascott-under-Wychwood from Charlbury. Base for the home signal looks ready, with the distant's being worked on today.

AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) magnets have also been fitted to the track where the new signals are going in.  Also, there's two AWS magnets that have appeared either side of Bruern LC^▸ (Level Crossing) for the two stop signals there - perhaps a sign that they will become proper signal sections so that two trains could be between Ascott and Moreton in both directions, rather than just the one at present?

Also, I know Charlbury's new platform has been cut back from HST^▸ (High Speed Train) length to 5-car length to save costs, but does anyone know whether that's 5-car length as in 23m carriages, or IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) length 26m carriages?  I'd have thought it would be a good idea to add a few metres given that 26m length carriages look likely to use the station in the not-too-distant future.  Charlbury is a tight squeeze for a 5-car Adelante unlike the majority of platforms at Kingham, Moreton and Evesham which could fit a 5-car IEP.  Also, those few extra metres would enable the TM^‡(resolve) to open all 5 standard class carriages on a HST rather than the current 4.

[ChrisB]

Well, the project is coming in under-budget we were told at the recent meeting with Oxfordshire CC. unfortunately, this money must return to NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s pot - the local project team are unable to extend the agreed project themselves.

[IndustryInsider]

Well, the project is coming in under-budget we were told at the recent meeting with Oxfordshire CC.

Good news.

unfortunately, this money must return to NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s pot - the local project team are unable to extend the agreed project themselves.

Not so good news, but not in the slightest bit surprising.  A shame that the money saved can't be channelled into useful, and relatively cheap, additions to the scheme such as Charlbury and Shipton's platforms at the discretion of the project manager.

[willc]

New signal bases are going in on the approach to Ascott-under-Wychwood from Charlbury. Base for the home signal looks ready, with the distant's being worked on today.

AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) magnets have also been fitted to the track where the new signals are going in.  Also, there's two AWS magnets that have appeared either side of Bruern LC^▸ (Level Crossing) for the two stop signals there - perhaps a sign that they will become proper signal sections so that two trains could be between Ascott and Moreton in both directions, rather than just the one at present?

Also, I know Charlbury's new platform has been cut back from HST^▸ (High Speed Train) length to 5-car length to save costs, but does anyone know whether that's 5-car length as in 23m carriages, or IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) length 26m carriages?  I'd have thought it would be a good idea to add a few metres given that 26m length carriages look likely to use the station in the not-too-distant future.  Charlbury is a tight squeeze for a 5-car Adelante unlike the majority of platforms at Kingham, Moreton and Evesham which could fit a 5-car IEP.  Also, those few extra metres would enable the TM^‡(resolve) to open all 5 standard class carriages on a HST rather than the current 4.

Not sure Bruern would necessarily be a massively useful intermediate block post, as it's only two miles from Ascott and nine from Moreton-in-Marsh, so wouldn't do a great deal to space trains out along the line.

At Charlbury, it's probably a close call. They are now essentially reinstating the length of platform that used to be there from the 1920s until the 1970s, with the southern end lining up with the existing platform ramp and the northern end next to the road bridge, so there are a good few metres extra. Having looked at some photos and trying to extrapolate visually, I think there's going to be about the length of an HST power car of extra platform on the down side, perhaps a bit more.

While any savings go back to Network Rail and the project team can't just spend the money as they might like, they can ask to use some of it, so long as there is a sound business and operating case for what they want to do and it is signed off after going through the normal spending approval procedure. And extending the up platform at Shipton to three-car length would be a more desirable option, given that IEP will have to have selective door operating to work on the Cotswold Line anyway.

[ChrisB]

They intimated that this wasn't on the cards. Seems as though NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are stretched on other projects and going over their overall budget is something they need to avoid....

[IndustryInsider]

Not sure Bruern would necessarily be a massively useful intermediate block post, as it's only two miles from Ascott and nine from Moreton-in-Marsh, so wouldn't do a great deal to space trains out along the line.

No, not massively useful, but it would be the cheapest option if an intermediate block was required as Bruern is controlled from Ascott Signalbox, so incorporating it into the new panel would be fairly easy.  I don't see any other reason why AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) magnets would be installed, other than a general safety upgrade?

At Charlbury, it's probably a close call. They are now essentially reinstating the length of platform that used to be there from the 1920s until the 1970s, with the southern end lining up with the existing platform ramp and the northern end next to the road bridge, so there are a good few metres extra. Having looked at some photos and trying to extrapolate visually, I think there's going to be about the length of HST^▸ (High Speed Train) power car of extra platform on the down side, perhaps a bit more.

Good.  If that's the case then that would probably just about be enough for both requirements - 5-Car IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) and 5 carriage door release on HST's.

[Electric train]

unfortunately, this money must return to NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s pot - the local project team are unable to extend the agreed project themselves.

Not so good news, but not in the slightest bit surprising.  A shame that the money saved can't be channelled into useful, and relatively cheap, additions to the scheme such as Charlbury and Shipton's platforms at the discretion of the project manager.

NR PM's have to abide by the GRIP^▸ (Guide to Railway Investment Projects) system, remit, option selection, outline design at each of these stages funding is agreed projects are not allowed "mission creep"

[willc]

Thought I had posted the length of the new Charlbury and Honeybourne platforms a while back. Finally found it last September. They will be 135-140m long, so 5x26m coaches will just squeak on, or six Mk3s/Turbo coaches.

[willc]

Reconstituted stone blocks for the new platform wall had arrived at Charlbury this morning and were lined up on pallets along the length ready for laying - and good to see Amey using a local supplier for these from Naunton, near Stow-on-the Wold.

[shaun healey]

As i write, monday at 11.30pm, the ballast train is being unloaded between the station bridge and the pebworth road double bridges, the loco is approx 300m from the station bridge

[shaun healey]

Slight mistake from last nights sighting, it wasnt a ballast train, seems as if it was a spoil collection train. just had a look and tonights work seems to be back about 200m from the new bridge

[willc]

At Ascott-under-Wychwood there has been some excavating at the back of the platform and some cylindrical thing with a lid on has gone into the ground. Not sure if it's drainage related or a duct of some sort. A signal base looks to be going in on the down side (towards Worcester) just up the line towards Charlbury but no sign of a start on the new platform just yet.

At Charlbury there's now what looks like a signal base just west of the road bridge on the up (towards Oxford) side and the platform wall was taking shape at quite a rate yesterday. Few pictures online at the usual place.

[willc]

Took a trip out to the Vale today. Most of the emphasis this week seems to have been on completing trackbed clearance and base ballasting as far as Honeybourne, as observed by Shaun. A bit more track has been laid east of Mickleton but yet to reach the Mickleton-Honeybourne road bridge, while surveyors were out near Clayfield level crossing.

Two quarry lorries were parked at the access to Honeybourne sidings so ballasting may be about to start there.

Pictures at the usual place

[IndustryInsider]

Progress should be fairly swift from Honeybourne onwards as there's the long straight stretch with plenty of room past Clayfield and Littleton & Badsey L/C's, a steady slight decline, and little deviation in the current track alignment.