Cotswold Line redoubling: 2008 - 2011

[whole diary]

[pbc2520]

It's on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website, but you have to click on the 'Timetable Supplements' tab.  Given that the whole timetable has been altered and the old timetable is now completely invalid, I would have thought the link on the main timetable page should now be changed?

I agree.  Generally, documents that have been entirely superseded should no longer be available*.  They can only cause confusion.

*Unless they are clearly in the 'History' section

[signalandtelegraph]

Depends how much the investment would be I guess.  There would be little or no signalling alterations needed, and the track is probably pretty much up to the task in most locations already, so it might not cost that much?  Depends on the cost of modifying/closing all those crossings I suppose.

100mph max line speed for AHB crossings

[IndustryInsider]

There's only the one AHB on the route - at Clayfield - where the linespeed is currently 75mph.

[IndustryInsider]

As mentioned previously the car parks at Charlbury and Pershore are to be expanded (along with Kemble and Radley amongst others).  The press are running the story:

http://www.eveshamjournal.co.uk/news/9254353.More_space_to_park_at_Pershore_train_station/

200 extra spaces for Charlbury, Pershore and Kemble combined.  Anyone know what the split for each station is?  And the number of extra spaces at Radley for that matter?

The 09:21 Paddington to Worcester F. St. is to call additonally at Pershore from December providing a useful late morning train from Pershore into Worcester.

Also, the long awaited opening of the Platform 2 footbridge steps at Charlbury has finally happened!

[IanL]

Also, the long awaited opening of the Platform 2 footbridge steps at Charlbury has finally happened!

Was on the 1732 train from Oxford last night and noticed this, a new barrier at the top of the steps stops runaway wheelchairs/strollers running
down the ramp and off the steps.

[Moreton134]

Okay, I know this topic has really been finished back in September 2011.

But a very large stack of steel sleepers has appeared in the car park at Moreton-in-Marsh possibly for final work through the station area shortly, however no welded rail yet so possibly they may use the flat bottom stack of rails which was by the Network rail depot -not sure if this rail is still there though, I will check.   However the sleepers may be for use elsewhere to the eastern side of Moreton.

I didn't want to start a fresh post for such a small topic as this track renewal was part of the original plan with the redoubling project.  The  renewal just got postponed because of the costs and time I guess.

[ChrisB]

Going i on January 29 when line closed @ Charlbury & Evesham...

[Moreton134]

Thanks Chris.  I see its noted to be closed on National Rail Enquiries website. Couldn't see anything at first on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) site, but have now found the info.

No sign today of that large pile of flat bottom rail which was stacked by the depot fencing in late August - maybe welded rail will soon be dropped through the station.

[Moreton134]

With regard to the engineering possession on Sunday.
I'm not sure if the track to be replaced is just for the small area between the station and the crossovers as at present there does not seem to be enough sleepers deposited by the down line to cover the whole station area. 
However there may be more on the engineering trains-if any, I heard ages ago that the old track on the up line just before the crossover is particularly bad.
Also short sections of rail have been deposited in the middle of the down line between station and crossover, no other rails have been dropped so far. 

So not entirely sure if this will be a small or large area of track replacement.

[Moreton134]

After chatting to a member of Network Rail at moreton today, one or possibly both lines through the station area to be replaced on Sunday.  i.e. they may replace the other line at a later date, depending on time and or finance I guess.

[IndustryInsider]

Yeah, those stacks of steel sleepers cover a fair bit of ground when laid out on the formation, at least when compared with concrete sleepers laid trackside.  Easily enough to do at least one of the tracks I'd have thought.

[Moreton134]

Well just the up line renewed and a new point into the down refuge siding.    I'm wondering when the down line (station area) will be renewed as this looks in quite poor state also it has a clamp on a rail by the station canopy area.   

I suppose it's got a year or two left, shame they couldn't have renewed the area in one go like they did at Evesham station as at present it looks rather messy with all the different types of track in a small area.   I think Moreton must now possibly be the only location left on the mainline with older track (1950-60's) in some areas.

Thanks Willc for the recent photos.

[IndustryInsider]

At least that'll be 50% of the weeds (a.k.a. bushes) growing in the trackbed gone this summer.

[Moreton134]

More steel sleepers and welded rail dropped at Moreton-in-Marsh station for relaying the down line.   Does anyone know when this is scheduled for?

[IndustryInsider]

As a fitting tribute to our biggest ever thread, I've put together some video footage of the redoubled sections of the Cotswold Line showing 'before' and 'after' footage of the route from the cab perspective, along with some notes explaining some of the changes.

All sections where anything has been altered have been included on a station-by-station basis, and as such I've split the footage into nine different sections.  Click on the HD option to view the footage in HD at a crisp 720p.  Given the differing speeds that trains now travel over some of the sections, I found it impossible to match the clips exactly at all points, but a bit of playing around with the frame rates (originally recorded at 50fps) means that they rarely differ by more than a second or two.  To view the video, click on one of the following links:

Part 1:  Combe to Finstock:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrcqne_cotswold-line-redoubling-part-1-of-9-combe-to-finstock_travel

Part 2:  Finstock to Charlbury:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrcx14_cotswold-line-redoubling-part-2-of-9-finstock-to-charlbury_travel

Part 3:  Charlbury to Ascott-Under-Wychwood:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrcxk6_cotswold-line-redoubling-part-3-of-9-charlbury-to-ascott-under-wychwood_travel

Part 4:  Ascott-Under-Wychwood to Shipton:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrcyao_cotswold-line-redoubling-part-4-of-9-ascott-under-wychwood-to-shipton_travel

Part 5:  Shipton to Kingham:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrcyow_cotswold-line-redoubling-part-5-of-9-shipton-to-kingham_travel

Part 6:  Kingham to Moreton-In-Marsh:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrczh4_cotswold-line-redoubling-part-6-of-9-kingham-to-moreton-in-marsh_travel

Part 7:  Moreton-In-Marsh to Honeybourne:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrcruj_cotswold-line-redoubling-part-7-of-9-moreton-in-marsh-to-honeybourne_travel

Part 8:  Honeybourne to Evesham:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrd0nc_cotswold-line-redoubling-part-8-of-9-honeybourne-to-evesham_travel

Part 9:  Evesham to Pershore:  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrd1c1_cotswold-line-redoubling-part-9-of-9-evesham-to-pershore_travel

I hope you find this footage interesting.