Chiltern Evergreen 3 project - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

All steam ahead for Chiltern after the new accommodation block at Oxford was finally approved in a West Area Planning Committee meeting last night:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-33880512

This now means the new bay platform can be built and the current bay platform extended to allow for Chiltern's 30-minute frequency service to Marylebone to start (hopefully) next spring.

Last minute changes were made to try to ensure the notification of works was approved which involved reducing the 1st floor to increase the amount of sunlight to the residents of Stable Close.  That reduces the size of the building, but was probably a sensible step to make sure approval was given!

[IndustryInsider]

This now means the new bay platform can be built and the current bay platform extended to allow for Chiltern's 30-minute frequency service to Marylebone to start (hopefully) next spring.

I did say 'hopefully'

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/13635720.Opening_of_new_rail_link_could_be_delayed_until_next_summer/

Looks like a couple of months delay is on the cards.

[ChrisB]

Not really a surprise. Gives NR^» (Network Rail - home page) longer for the Oxford works too

[IndustryInsider]

If anything, I was expecting a longer delay.  A couple of months isn't too bad - let's hope that's all it is.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

Judging from the Oxford Mail article (and subsequent Googling) it looks as if the gentleman making most of the fuss lives in a flat some 15 or 20 metres from the railway line. The block looks to be purpose built in the 60s or 70s, or thereabouts, but is closer to the line than the houses with gardens in the immediate area. He is also objecting to the flyover proposed for the Oxford North junction.

Apparently the vibration of the passing trains has damaged the building structure over the years and he, and other inhabitants of the block are concerned that the increase in traffic due to East-West Rail will cause further damage.

Having due sympathy with the gentleman, one has to wonder why he lives so close to the railway if he doesn't like the noise and if vibrations from the railway have damaged the structure it says more about the quality of the build than the vibrations caused by the stone trains to which he refers. They can't have been moving at more than about 40-45mph at that spot anyway.

Maybe it would be quicker and cheaper for NR^» (Network Rail - home page) to rehouse the inhabitants further away from the line...?

[IndustryInsider]

They can't have been moving at more than about 40-45mph at that spot anyway.

30mph would have been the maximum at that location.  There are many thousands of properties that lie a lot closer to railway lines and busy roads that haven't been turned into rubble.  In fact I spent many years living that close to a railway line myself and it's true there were a few hairline cracks in the wall which may possibly have been caused by vibration from the trains, but equally might well have been due to the usual settlement cracks virtually every property gets.  The home isn't 'damaged' as such, and it certainly isn't about to fall down.

My guess is that a 30mph stone train rumbling past on old jointed track, worn out concrete sleepers and poorly maintained ballast would create much more vibration than a modern unit at 75mph on new rails, steel sleepers and fresh properly maintained ballast.

It's been said before, but the delays and extra costs that these lone objectors can cause to a relatively simple project like this is pretty depressing!

[Red Squirrel]

My guess is that a 30mph stone train rumbling past on old jointed track, worn out concrete sleepers and poorly maintained ballast would create much more vibration than a modern unit at 75mph on new rails, steel sleepers and fresh properly maintained ballast.

I agree. Whilst out cycling the other day, we stopped on the hump-back bridge near the site of Clifton Bridge station. It was only after stopping that we noticed a long and fully-laden coal train was passing a two metres below us. There was no perceptible vibration, and the noise was almost drowned out by the sound of traffic on the Cumberland Basin flyover system, 100m away.

[IndustryInsider]

Work continues to get the Oxford Parkway to Marylebone service ready to commence later in the month.  Here's some pictures from yesterday:

Finishes touches to Oxford Parkway station:


Driver training has commenced with these two views taken at the new overbridge just to the north of Oxford Parkway - a cracking location for pictures though it's on a bridleway leading to a farm, not a public road.  They feature one of the 168/3 units freshly converted from 170 units that were in use with TransPennine Express.  The first is a zoom shot over a distance of almost a mile of straight track with Mill Lane, Islip in the distance.  This used to be single track and 20/30mph!


The second shows the relocated Banbury Road Stone Terminal, with Oxford Parkway visible in the distance:


With work as far as Oxford Parkway virtually complete, the heavy machinery has now moved on to the stretch through to the main station at Oxford.  Viewed here is progress from just south of Oxford Parkway, where the current end of the line is:


And here is a view north from the end of Wolvercote tunnel:

[paul7575]

Geoff Plumb has put a load of pictures up today on his site here:

https://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains/October-2015/i-7gbJx3P

Some nice coincidences caught on camera, such as the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) test train waiting on the chord just as two service trains cross on the mainline;   and some busy looking movements involving Chiltern units in the COD Bicester reception lines...

Hope this is of interest

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

Hope this is of interest

Indeed it is.  The reception lines for the COD at Bicester have been very busy over the last few days as the driver training programme continues.  http://railcam.uk/site/ has added the new layout to its 'Chiltern's' map and I've been watching the moves with interest.  Also interesting to see the revised layout for the COD. 

Unless they've added a new footbridge, Geoff Plumb had to take a rather hazardous walk along the verges of the A41 to get those pictures.  I did it myself a while back and will visit again in the near future so I can show everyone some before/after photos at that and many other locations along the route.

[Puffing Billy]

It looks like the hitherto COD exchange sidings may now be redundant. Presumably the train in the picture has started its journey from the main yard at Graven Hill?

[bobm]

I did it myself a while back and will visit again in the near future so I can show everyone some before/after photos at that and many other locations along the route.

We commend your dedication! 

[Richard Fairhurst]

FGWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are running an email survey to find out people's reactions to Oxford Parkway opening. A friend forwarded one to me - it starts with a bunch of "behaviour" questions (where do you live, how often do you travel to London, what for) then presents you with this rather curious matrix:



It appears to randomly mix up the composition of the grid, so Scenario 1 is a Chiltern 'Silver Train' exterior, a Turbo interior, the GWR name and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) punctuality. I can see what they're trying to achieve but my reaction, to be honest, was a bit "well... I can't really answer that because it's not going to happen".

[eightf48544]

Presumably some marketing company has been paid a small fortune to come up with this nonsense.

It all goes to re-enforce a thought I've been having for long time.

"We've all stopped thinking!"

[macbrains]

There's not just one but about 20 of these pages in the survey - actually it seemed like 200 - and I had the same thought about the relative likelihood of each one happening.  I'm afraid I rather lost the will to live by the end....

Anyway I'm booked on one of the first trains on October 26th - not actually the first passenger train as that leaves Oxford Parkway at something like 05:40, and that seemed rather like hard work.