Lack of a dedicated Chiltern route from Oxford North into the station on the former LNWR formation seems to be a staggering compromise. That was one of the key features of the project. The performance risk it will transfer onto the Chiltern line is very worrying because the post EG3 infrastructure is very unforgiving of disruption, having been pared down to an affordable price.
As I keep saying, NOTHING has been decided. The network Rail diagram of the Oxford area that has been doing the rounds is just that, a diagram that someone at Network Rail likes. I doubt Chiltern like it but until the big picture at Oxford is decided, the details like this will not be decided either.
It was indeed initially planned to be separate, with signals run from Marylebone, because if the Chiltern plan had sailed through the TPWA process smoothly, it would have been open some years before the Oxford resignalling started - and you certainly can't wire anything else into the existing installation at Oxford, which is why it isn't being attempted. With Chiltern's scheme delayed, the intermediate phase of Oxford resignalling in 2015 will allow for all manner of new arrangements, be it a separate line, or bi-directonal working.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
What exactly is happening with the down loop just now? Just surveying? Clearing the formation? Preparing the track base? Laying track? What? Anybody know? If not, I shall have to go and have a look myself.
I remember an incident, about 1973 I should think, rolling into Oxford from Banbury, and chatting to another, equally concerned about the (then) decline of the system. There, trundling along the down loop was the weed-killing train, evidently killing weeds. "Look at that", I said. "Yes - that must mean the down relief can't last much longer" he said. How so? - but we had reached Oxford, I couldn't ask what he meant in the huly burly of arrival, and I didn't see him again. They lifted the track soon after.
And:
Anybody know how the wolvercote junction is to be re-arranged? Both down main and down loop have to connect to the Cotswold line and the Cherwell Valley line. Bit of a tangle, especially as the 'loop' is to become the 'main' with all that means in terms of line speeds. And then there's the 'up' as well . . . .
Apologies for any confusion but I very carefully used the spelling Wolvercote, for the village, not Wolvercot, for the junction, as the railways are still stuck in the 1850s when it comes to the spelling.
The trackbed has been cleared of vegetation, a new fence is being put up along the railway boundary heading north from Oxford and trackbed preparation is taking place alongside Wolvercote Common moving south. Vegetation has been cleared and the old trackbed is being dug out and a base layer of stone ballast laid. Trackwork will follow but I'm not sure of a date for it to become operational, due to the current signalling issues at Oxford I described above. If a way round these can be found, maybe next year. If not, will have to wait for 2015 resignalling
Passive provision will be made for the line to continue to Wolvercot junction and connect direct to the Cotswold Line again in the future, allowing for parallel moves from Oxford towards the Cotswold and Banbury routes but any changes there will have to wait for further redoubling towards Charlbury.
