The Oxford-Bletchley Up Line was named due to the south facing junction at Bletchely towards London. That hasn't existed for almost half a century. Why would the new railway need to use 'Up' when they head north at Bletchley or east towards Bedford? Even at Bedford they have to curve northwards (Down) to enter the station.
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Chiltern Oxford Link completed
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Buttsy
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I though the Jericho line was already bi-di as I've seen Bicester services leave Oxford on it.
starlightEXPRESS
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I'm not sure, but I though the Jericho line was northbound passenger (towards Bicester) and southbound freight (towards Didcot) only.
Buttsy
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The notice by the Trap Ground allotments does state that trains run both ways on that line, but doesn't specify what sort of trains
The Planner
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Pretty sure it is down only.
swt_passenger
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Don't forget the Chiltern sketches (linked to earlier) reflect the design pre EWR being given the go-ahead. Their original proposal was for an operationally completely separate railway controlled by Marylebone, at which time making the up and down reflect Chiltern's operations made a certain amount of sense.
East West Rail has gone from 'well into the future' to 'DfT sponsored' during the time Evergreen 3 has been in the planning, what with all the delays due to objectors and stuff.
The Planner is correct. As currently signalled, the Jericho line is for down passenger trains (ie Bicester-bound) only. Freights put into the up loop at Wolvercot junction cross back on to the main line at Oxford North junction to pass through the station.
Until the Jericho line was set up in this way, so Bicester-bound services did not have to weave across the entire station layout and then back again at Oxford North, up freights were able to use the loop line down to the station.
The Planner
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And laughably I remember them trying to justify not making it bi-di from the start.... ££££ always win.
midlandred
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http://cliffjones.zenfolio.com/p805856856/h37f27868#h37f27868
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I see that the existing route (via Oxford) has been extended to 30 May 2014, and the Claydon route starts 2 June 2014
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I see that the existing route (via Oxford) has been extended to 30 May 2014, and the Claydon route starts 2 June 2014
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midlandred
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Bicester Advertiser article re Tubbs Crossing footbridge, 29 May 14
L&Y Robert
Member
Swift site visit at lunch-time today (Friday 30th) I found the Tubbs Crossing BRIDGE to be open, traffic using ramps only, stairs fenced off. They are still wiring up the lights, the man said. The lights! Every ten foot or so, all the way up, round the corners, over the bridge, down the other side. Wow! A Christmas Tree! And there are two handrails, a low down one and a normal height one. But you can't see the line from the bridge - the sides are too high, but you can from the ramps.
And what we see is this: Up Bletchley in place, aligned, and tamped. Facing crossover in place, and both turnouts for the chord also, but no more track to speak of.
Down at the London Road Crossing, the Up Bletchley is in place, but hasn't been aligned yet. It extends through the site of Bicester Town station (no sign of that, old or new) and on to a buffer stop, seperating (I think) the running line to Oxford from "The Works" site. The Down is in place through the crossing, and extends far enough north to admit a crossover, but only one length on the south side.
I noticed several sleepers in the crossing area to be hollow steel box section, and used as cable ducts. Never seen this before.
And what we see is this: Up Bletchley in place, aligned, and tamped. Facing crossover in place, and both turnouts for the chord also, but no more track to speak of.
Down at the London Road Crossing, the Up Bletchley is in place, but hasn't been aligned yet. It extends through the site of Bicester Town station (no sign of that, old or new) and on to a buffer stop, seperating (I think) the running line to Oxford from "The Works" site. The Down is in place through the crossing, and extends far enough north to admit a crossover, but only one length on the south side.
I noticed several sleepers in the crossing area to be hollow steel box section, and used as cable ducts. Never seen this before.
route:oxford
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Was it safe crossing the bridge?
My understanding is that you can't move for perverts there.
dysonsphere
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swt_passenger
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They are still all acting surprised, but as I posted a few pages ago the footbridge details were all discussed during the TWA Order inquiry, leading the inspector to report that there would definitely be loss of 'local visual amenity" or some such wording.
Presumably none of the local politicians read any of the written evidence or drawings at the time, preferring to jump on various local bandwagons when it is too late...
route:oxford
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It takes charisma, not brains, to get into politics.
ironstone11
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The planning inspector's report can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ster-to-oxford-improvements-inspectors-report.
There are several references to Tubbs Lane crossing, but this paragraph summarises the position:-
The appearance of the bridge should be no surprise!
midlandred
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My photos from today at Bicester
davetheguard
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Thanks again Cliff for the update; things seem to be making really good progress now after all the bat + NIMBY delays......
midlandred
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Today saw the first running of the Bicester COD Stores train from Didcot to run into Bicester from the north, having travelled via Reading, West Drayton and Aylesbury to achieve the route. Planned timings were 07.32 off Didcot, 12.15 into Bicester COD. Having departed Didcot 3 min early, it arrived Bicester some 105 late, having been held at Aylesbury.
The planned timetable for the journey is 283 minutes, compared with the previous route, via Oxford, which was scheduled for 52 minutes!
Running a hour and three quarters late outwards makes it a long day for this return service.
London Road crossing, Bicester, looked busy so I returned to Tubbs Crossing footbridge for this set of photos
PS Can SKS advise me when the last scheduled train travelled this line, please!
The planned timetable for the journey is 283 minutes, compared with the previous route, via Oxford, which was scheduled for 52 minutes!
Running a hour and three quarters late outwards makes it a long day for this return service.
London Road crossing, Bicester, looked busy so I returned to Tubbs Crossing footbridge for this set of photos
PS Can SKS advise me when the last scheduled train travelled this line, please!
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The Planner
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Delayed waiting a driver apparently.
midlandred
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Sensible that! :roll: The cab did look a tad overcrowded!
route:oxford
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Good pics
The bridge (blue) in the background could do with a repaint when the line still has limited traffic...
midlandred
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It's 22.31 and the return train has just passed West Ruislip - 351 minutes late!
L&Y Robert
Member
It's gone very quiet on this thread. Not so on the site, I hope. I can't get over there this week, so any up-to-date local info would be welcome.
route:oxford
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Well, following on from the E-W improvements resulting in a link to Heathrow.
Gatwick Airport have advised their intention to run trains direct to Oxford.
Not sure which way they are going though!
Oxford-Bletchley-Gatwick
or
Bletchley-Oxford-Reading-Gatwick
tripleseis
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Thames Trains used to run trains from Oxford to Gatwick via Reading (via the North Downs Line with a reversal at Redhill) during the 90's. Surely that way again makes more logical sense.
I remember the odd Banbury too!
I think Gatwick have announced their intention to pester the industry to run trains from Oxford-Gatwick. They won't be running them themselves, and I don't suppose they will help to pay for them. If they do happen, it will be via reading as an extension of the existing North downs service.
tsr
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Yes, I think that is almost certainly correct. Rumours have been going around in certain circles for some time, but I've yet to see any definite ideas about formal public proposals or any mention of a hoped-for timescale, unless I've missed something really obvious somewhere. As far as I know, there is little in the way of appetite for extending WLL services, especially given this would be a pretty long way round and essentially mean more overcrowding in the Clapham Junction area.
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