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East-West Rail (EWR): Consultation updates [not speculation]

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richieb1971

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I'm not so sure. That document you linked went to every home in the form of a leaflet in central and north Bedfordshire. Bedford Midland has had a lot of bad luck with train timetables and OHLE works lately. The station itself is overly congested with trains and has become a bottleneck.

I don't have the answers, but Bedford wants it wants and although funding has been granted to upgrade the station (Abellio report) it doesn't say anything about the lack of platforms available when the THL trains have at least 2 out of 3 of them for the most part of the day. Add EWR there and you have more congestion. If you read back though we did find that a 3 car unit will fit into p1A at Bedford. Which means if it stays that way Bedford Midland can accommodate EWR until the Cambridge section is built.
 
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Neen Sollars

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You can have a cab ride from Fenny Stratford over the Bletchley flyover here. Double track bridge will be needed over a road, and not much room for platforms after the Milton Keynes line runs in from the right. The new platforms really will be "High Level" and curved. Tight curves all round so probably a 15 to 20 mph speed restriction. Chord northbound from WCML running in from the left (as per the fox) looks possible, but no north chords at Bicester or Oxford x2 for strategic network. Edit: Lack of overhead juice would also pose a problem.

"
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The Planner

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You can have a cab ride from Fenny Stratford over the Bletchley flyover here. Double track bridge will be needed over a road, and not much room for platforms after the Milton Keynes line runs in from the right. The new platforms really will be "High Level" and curved. Tight curves all round so probably a 15 to 20 mph speed restriction. Chord northbound from WCML running in from the left (as per the fox) looks possible, but no north chords at Bicester or Oxford x2 for strategic network. Edit: Lack of overhead juice would also pose a problem.
40mph through the platforms (106m long) and realigned Flyover Summit Jn towards Denbigh Hall, 25mph junction towards Fenny Stratford. Line stays single over that bridge. Not sure why Bicester or Oxford needs extra chords for "strategic network" what strategic need is there for them? and don't say diversions as they are worth pennies.
 

swt_passenger

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The Bletchley High Level platform curvature is insignificant as shown in the TWA application drawings, I don’t think it’s a reason for concern.
 

The Planner

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Hmm, interesting. What sort of impact have on capacity? If the flyover was built for double track, what's the good reason?
Probably not a lot, depends on how many tph eventually runs over it as it isn't exactly a long distance. 3tph in each direction should't be a problem whatsoever.
 

Tobbes

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Probably not a lot, depends on how many tph eventually runs over it as it isn't exactly a long distance. 3tph in each direction should't be a problem whatsoever.
Fair enough, I'm just a bit twitchy when I see single line sections a la BordersRail.
 

Neen Sollars

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The single line bridge over the road looks a potential pinch point to me. I don`t like the thought of long freight trains having to wait to pass though it. Lets do the job properly and put a double track bridge in.
 

The Planner

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Fair enough, I'm just a bit twitchy when I see single line sections a la BordersRail.
Slight difference between the lengths of the single line sections between the two schemes!
The single line bridge over the road looks a potential pinch point to me. I don`t like the thought of long freight trains having to wait to pass though it. Lets do the job properly and put a double track bridge in.
Why would any long freight trains (not that there are going to be a cacophony of them going to Bedford) have to wait? that is what a timetable is for.
 

Tobbes

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Slight difference between the lengths of the single line sections between the two schemes!
Agreed, but the cynic in me is ever suspicious of the thin-edge of the wedge argument - obviously I'd prefer it to be twin-track electrified 100mph from day one throughout, but clearly that's not going to happen.
 

Bletchleyite

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You know what, I was there last week and I didn't even notice!

Why is it being removed, and what if anything will replace it? It will look quite different without this feature.
 
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You know what, I was there last week and I didn't even notice!

Why is it being removed, and what if anything will replace it? It will look quite different without this feature.
Stage one of the deck bearing replacement is to remove the degraded parapets, to be replaced with new at the end. Trail coring has already taken place to a few pier foundations for proposed strengthening works.

However, radically different proposals for the flyover could make this all - well - redundant.
 

Neen Sollars

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Thanks for the info and photos. Preparatory/enabling works really are ongoing. Nothing in public domain about radically different proposals for the flyover afaik so perhaps work-traveller will clarify unless confidential. As HS2 is going to be delayed/scrapped/or modified East West Rail could be fast tracked/upgraded.
 

The Ham

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Thanks for the info and photos. Preparatory/enabling works really are ongoing. Nothing in public domain about radically different proposals for the flyover afaik so perhaps work-traveller will clarify unless confidential. As HS2 is going to be delayed/scrapped/or modified East West Rail could be fast tracked/upgraded.

Fast tracking East West Rail would be a good thing, however I doubt it would do much to relieve capacity constraints on the WCML or others.

Anyway the current evidence is that HS2 hasn't reduced spending on the rest of the network and given that East West Rail also sits outside of Network Rail spending (and there's no suggestions that it's seen spending cuts either, unless someone has evidence to that fact) then a change to HS2 spending wouldn't equate a change in other rail spending.

View media item 3339
 

Tobbes

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Apparently E-W Rail has been declared a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, allowing the use of Development Consent Orders (DCOs). Can anyone translate what this means into an impact on the project and its delivery, please?
 

Bald Rick

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Apparently E-W Rail has been declared a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, allowing the use of Development Consent Orders (DCOs). Can anyone translate what this means into an impact on the project and its delivery, please?

Nothing really, it was always expected to be that and AIUI built into the schedule. A DCO is just a more meaty version of an Order under the Transport and Works Act (TWA). You need to have a pretty detailed level of design completed, along with an Environmental Statement and Statutory consultation, before you can start the process.
 

Tobbes

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Nothing really, it was always expected to be that and AIUI built into the schedule. A DCO is just a more meaty version of an Order under the Transport and Works Act (TWA). You need to have a pretty detailed level of design completed, along with an Environmental Statement and Statutory consultation, before you can start the process.
Thanks very much @Bald Rick
 

petersi

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Nothing really, it was always expected to be that and AIUI built into the schedule. A DCO is just a more meaty version of an Order under the Transport and Works Act (TWA). You need to have a pretty detailed level of design completed, along with an Environmental Statement and Statutory consultation, before you can start the process.
Does it reset the current TWA Process and public enquiry. Or only effect future stages ?
 

Chonner

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Does it reset the current TWA Process and public enquiry. Or only effect future stages ?

Reading the article closely, the NSIP Status seems to be for the Central Bedford to Cambridge section, while the current TWAO process is for the Western (Phase 2) Bicester to Bedford section, so should be unrelated.
 
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Update: Inspector's report (TWAO EWR Phase 2) submitted to the DfT last week. That's over a month late, for an inquiry that only needed to sit for half of it's allotted time.
 
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hooverboy

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Had this in my news feed today.
https://www.biggleswadetoday.co.uk/...-after-inspectors-list-100-concerns-1-9133070
The map shows a northerly route only.
nothing new to see here.

it was always going to be an act of "environmental vandalism",as they wish to call it.

beside the point that it's very much the lesser of two evils.
failure to have some kind of link means endlessly worse traffic jams with more and more static cars in traffic jams pumping out more and more noxious substances.
 

option

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nothing new to see here.

it was always going to be an act of "environmental vandalism",as they wish to call it.

beside the point that it's very much the lesser of two evils.
failure to have some kind of link means endlessly worse traffic jams with more and more static cars in traffic jams pumping out more and more noxious substances.

It's the link road that's called that

The council approved the controversial M1/A6 link road in September, despite vocal opposition from campaigners and independent councillors, who considered the scheme inappropriate and premature.

The Beds branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) this week labelled it “environmental vandalism on a large scale”.

The inspectors said despite asking for a comment from CBC on this planning decision, they are still waiting to hear back.
 

Oxfordblues

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I went out for a bike ride round Bicester yesterday. I was impressed by the new East-West Consortium construction base but it didn't appear to be anywhere near the railway, unless they're using the formation of the Bicester Airfield Branch to access the line. There's been some vegetation clearance but precious little evidence of construction work. The track has been removed in places but the platforms at Launton Station are still there 52 years after closure!
 

alexx

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I went out for a bike ride round Bicester yesterday. I was impressed by the new East-West Consortium construction base but it didn't appear to be anywhere near the railway, unless they're using the formation of the Bicester Airfield Branch to access the line. There's been some vegetation clearance but precious little evidence of construction work. The track has been removed in places but the platforms at Launton Station are still there 52 years after closure!

Unless it's moved recently, the compound is next to the roundabout at Charbridge Lane and Bicester Road, just before you go over the bridge into Launton. I understood that there wouldn't be much to see until the TWAO gets signed off.
 
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