Chiltern Evergreen 3 project - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

Chiltern are opening the railway to Oxford in order to become more profitable. It is a lucrative market (especially Water Eaton Parkway).

I thought they were doing it because they had a franchise commitment to do it.

[paul7575]

Of course.  They were the first and only TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) to be given their particular type of franchise, before the SRA^» (Strategic Rail Authority - about) got cold feet.  Although usually described as a twenty year franchise, according to the online versions of their franchise spec it was always a ten year franchise with an almost guaranteed extension to twenty if certain infrastructure proposals were carried out by certain due dates. 

The idea that they are doing all the Evergreen stuff because they are 'more successful' than the others just doesn't really stand up to the slightest scrutiny, especially as no one else has been given such franchise terms...

Paul

[ChrisB]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have improved travel in the South West overall, but let's not forget the infamous "Son of Beeching" scandal, when massive service cuts were planned at the beginning of the franchise, the appalling conditions in the Bristol area which provoked two "Fare strikes"

Nowt to do with FGW. Their original franchise held the TT that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) wanted them to run, and also specified the stock they could hire in. You can't blame them for not wanting to have to hire additional stock at their own expense? It's a commercial contract that the DfT let.

Chiltern are opening the railway to Oxford in order to become more profitable. It is a lucrative market (especially Water Eaton Parkway).

I thought they were doing it because they had a franchise commitment to do it.

No, their franchise simply specified that certain sums were to be spent on "services & stations" in their franchise, by certain dates. The projects that Chiltern wanted to do had to be approved by the DfT.

Just how they got the sign-off on Oxford (which isn't part of their original route), I doubt we shall ever know. Agreed it was chosen for the new profit stream - someone managed to persuade them that competition on the Oxford route was a good thing (or else good as a diversionary route when the PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) route is shut)....

Lastly, in my view, Chiltern IS profitable. As some may know, TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) hire trains from ROSCOEs. Chiltern have admitted in a Passenger Board meeting that they 'hire' the silver sets to themselves (Arriva/DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about))! Stop doing that and I suspect Chiltern would a) make a profit and b) pay taxes on that profit to the Govt. Instead, Arriva/DB take the profit out gross rather than after tax.

Remember Starbucks and their taxes? This is DB/Chiltern's. The press got close a while back to this story, but didn't quite make it.

[TonyK]

Meanwhile, from yesterday's Oxford Times:

Work begins on cities' new railway link

7:00am Monday 5th August 2013 in News

 WORK is under way on the Oxford to Marylebone railway line with eight miles of vegetation already cleared.

 Environment teams have been clearing embankments around Bicester as part of Chiltern Railways^ Evergreen 3 project.

 Residents of Gavray Drive in Bicester spotted fencing had been put up and yesterday Chiltern Railways confirmed it was pushing ahead.

 It is the first scheme to link two major British cities for 100 years.

 A new section of track is to be built connecting Bicester Town station with the Chiltern mainline. It will enable fast services to run from London Marylebone to Oxford via Bicester, and double the track between Oxford and Bicester.

 Graham Cross, business development director at Chiltern Railways, said: ^Every day we get a step closer to giving Oxford a new rail link supporting economic growth in the region.^

 Chiltern Railways says construction of the Bicester segment will take about six months and station upgrading will take about a year.

 The next stage will be the extension of services to Oxford in spring 2016

We're off!

[ellendune]

I thought they were doing it because they had a franchise commitment to do it.

No, their franchise simply specified that certain sums were to be spent on "services & stations" in their franchise, by certain dates. The projects that Chiltern wanted to do had to be approved by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).

Just how they got the sign-off on Oxford (which isn't part of their original route), I doubt we shall ever know. Agreed it was chosen for the new profit stream - someone managed to persuade them that competition on the Oxford route was a good thing (or else good as a diversionary route when the PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) route is shut)....

I am sure that their bid had a commitment to investigate the reopening the line from Princess Risborough through to Cowley and Oxford.  When they found this to be too costly they proposed the Bicester route instead. So a route to Oxford was in a list of projects for consideration, just not via Bicester.

[IndustryInsider]

I am sure that their bid had a commitment to investigate the reopening the line from Princess Risborough through to Cowley and Oxford.  When they found this to be too costly they proposed the Bicester route instead. So a route to Oxford was in a list of projects for consideration, just not via Bicester.

That's what I thought.  Their franchise agreement states:

'The Franchise Operator proposes to open a new route to Oxford, either
between Princes Risborough and Oxford via Wheatley, with new stations at
M40 Junction and South Oxford; or via a new south to east curve at Bicester,
with new stations at Bicester Village and Water Eaton Parkway.'

The Wheatley route was deemed too expensive as there were significant structures on the old alignment, though it would have potentially been quicker than the route via Bicester and would have been useful for the communities of south-east Oxford, Wheatley, and Thame.

[ChrisB]

Thanks for the memory jog, both.

[IndustryInsider]

Here's a snap of the work starting near Gavray Drive, Bicester which will eventually become the new 40mph curve leading to the new Bicester South Junction which will be about 1/4 mile to the left of this picture:



Taken from the Chiiltern main line, the line in view is the current freight only branch looking towards Bicester Town.

[James]

Nice photo industry insider
I thought that Chiltern were also building a link between Princes Risborough through to Radley and Oxford, do you know if that will still happen?

[paul7575]

Nice photo industry insider
I thought that Chiltern were also building a link between Princes Risborough through to Radley and Oxford, do you know if that will still happen?

Dropped at a fairly early stage in favour of what they are building.  They were only ever going to re-open the one route, as per the quoted paragraph in post #260 above.

There were other options looked at and decided against, have a look in this evidence to the TWA^▸ (Transport and Works Act 1992) enquiry, section 8.4 etc:

http://www.chiltern-evergreen3.co.uk/uploads/04Oct2010/LON_LIB1-4419611-v1-PoE%20Allan%20Dare%20Final%20%20270910.pdf

Paul

[James]

Interesting document, although to long to read it all tho
If there is major disruption between Bicester and Oxford, how then would chiltern cope if the route between Princes Risborough and Oxford is not reopened? Will be interesting to see how both Chiltern and East West Rail will channel through the single line at that one tunnel but don't know what its called.

[paul7575]

Interesting document, although to long to read it all tho
If there is major disruption between Bicester and Oxford, how then would chiltern cope if the route between Princes Risborough and Oxford is not reopened? Will be interesting to see how both Chiltern and East West Rail will channel through the single line at that one tunnel but don't know what its called.

The tunnel (Wolvercot) is being double tracked for EWR^▸ (East West Railway (Oxford to Bedford), or possibly East Worthing station, depending on context) now.   Don't forget that Chiltern's TWA^▸ (Transport and Works Act 1992) evidence (of which the above link is part) pre-dates the final decision to go ahead with EWR.  So although under EG3 the tunnel was going to be left with a single track moved to one side to allow for future doubling, (done in conjunction with alterations for W10 freight clearance) it will now be doubled throughout in one go.  Making the tunnel suitable for double tracking was being funded by DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) in addition to EG3, but that's overtaken by subsequent events now.

If there is disruption preventing Chiltern running long the route they'll always be able to recover their trains via Banbury anyway...

Paul 

[James]

Of course, forgot about the route via Banbury... woops
Thankyou

[James]

To add, its interesting that its now being doubled tracked, and i am surprised Chiltern got that order from the High Court to continue its work. Its all too easy for even one person to derail the project. Just hope it won't happen again to Chiltern, after all there are the best rail company in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)...

[ellendune]

i am surprised Chiltern got that order from the High Court to continue its work. Its all too easy for even one person to derail the project.

I thought it was more a matter that they did not get an order to tell them to stop.