Some good points raised there, and I am reminded of Industry Insider's post regarding a more modest Cotswold Line proposal :
I personally think that complete re-doubling of the whole line will not get approved any time soon due to the costs involved, whilst Graham is right in that earthworks are largely in place, the track in many sections has been realigned to allow higher speeds and slews from one side of the former double track to the other, so unfortunately it's not just a case of plonking another track down next to the existing one.
Also, Lee has a valid point regarding Ascott-U-W, Combe and Finstock. As well as those smaller stations, the larger stations at Hanborough, Charlbury, Honeybourne and Pershore would have to have additional platforms added (though the old platforms are substantially complete still at Honeybourne and Pershore).
Personally, I think that a more modest scheme should be called for as (given the current cost or re-instating railway infrastructure) that is much more likely to be funded, and would provide real, tangible improvements that are deperately required so that a punctual, slightly faster, hourly (half-hourly in peak) service can operate.
I would suggest some, if not all, of the following improvements covering the Oxford-Norton Junction section should be included (although many of the problems with capacity are connected with the outdated signalling and track layouts at Worcester and Malvern too of course!)
1) Resignalling with colour-light Track Circuit Block signals throughout, replacing Norton Junction, Evesham, Moreton and Ascott signalboxes and associated token equipment.
2) Redoubling of short sections immediately beyond Wolvercote and Norton Juntions to enable trains waiting to go onto the single line to not have to block the main line whilst they wait.
3) Passing loops to be installed within the single track sections to virtually double capacity for service recovery, one in the Pershore area, one in the Chipping Camden area, and one between Finstock and Hanborough (there are two long straight sections of track which are ideal for this as the track has not been moved from the original days).
4) Line-speed increases from 75 to 90+ on most of the Moreton to Evesham section (with the exception of Aston Magna curve and possibly between Camden Tunnel and Honeybourne where track curvature would prevent this).
5) Upgrade of Switches & Crossings (
S&C▸ ) at Norton Junction in the down directon to increase linespeed from 25mph to 70mph.
6) Upgrade of S&C at Evesham to allow 50mph working throughout station area.
7) Upgrade of S&C at Moreton to increase up direction working off the single line from 15mph to 40mph.
Upgrade of S&C at Ascott so that up trains can enter the single line section at 75mph instead of 40mph.
9) Upgrade of S&C at Wolvercote Junction from 40mph to 60mph both directions.
Apologies if this is a little in-depth, but I believe that a good financial case could be made for the above schemes, and that they would help to vastly reduce delays on the Cotswold Line, give adequate capacity for an hourly off-peak service (with room for extra trains in the peak) and also speed up services so that Worcester is within the important aspirational journey time of 1hour to Oxford and 2hrs to London whilst largely maintaining the current calling patterns.
What do people think?
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