Chiltern Oxford Link completed

[jimm]

In response to points in the three posts above (excluding The Planner's):

As an intermediate stage, linked to the 2015 Oxford area pre-electification intermediate resignalling, pending East-West opening and major alterations to track around Oxford in connection with the rebuilding of the station towards the end of the decade, I think the idea is there will be a short section of single track south of the Water Eaton station (now to be branded Oxford Parkway by Chiltern, according to a BBC Oxford report last week) to Oxford North Junction - which is actually the place where the line joins the Oxford-Banbury route (as noted above by The Planner).

Woodstock Road Junction would be the place where the Bicester line switches from single to double track during the lifetime of this single track section.

 

[Tobbes]

But cometh EWR, presumably the whole thing will be double tracked (as well as electrified)?

Confused...

Tobbes

 

[jimm]

But cometh EWR, presumably the whole thing will be double tracked (as well as electrified)?

Confused...

Tobbes

Yes, these things will be done eventually, that's why I said an intermediate stage, pending East West.

 

[MK Tom]

So some time between Evergreen 3 opening and EWR opening, which is about two-three years, they're going to have to re-do Wolvercote Tunnel to permit double track running? I was under the impression something to do with the bat thing meant it could only be single through there.

Also does Evergreen 3 still include doubling and rebuilding Islip?

 

[ironstone11]

So some time between Evergreen 3 opening and EWR opening, which is about two-three years, they're going to have to re-do Wolvercote Tunnel to permit double track running? I was under the impression something to do with the bat thing meant it could only be single through there.

My understanding from an ORR document is that Wolvercot Tunnel is to be re-doubled with both W12 gauge and OLE clearance during the forthcoming line closure. This is to be completed by Spring 2016.

Where the interim? Woodstock Road Junction is located remains a mystery, but from what others have indicated above it is the transition from double to single track somewhere between the Wolvercot tunnel and Oxford North Junction. My guess would be that it will be near the curve adjacent to the main line about 900m south of the tunnel.

The document I refer to above also confirms that the line will be double track from Bicester to Water Eaton Parkway. This will be completed by Summer 2015 when Water Eaton - Marylebone services are due to start.

 

[The Planner]

Having looked at some plans, Woodstock Rd Jn is at the 29 mile post just south of the tunnel.

 

[ironstone11]

Having looked at some plans, Woodstock Rd Jn is at the 29 mile post just south of the tunnel.

Thanks.

Are these new plans or has there been a previous junction at this location?

 

[Clip]

Walking from Marylebone to Baker Street or Edgware Road is not far, the difference is that at Paddington (or Kings Cross/St Pancras for that matter), you don't get rained on or run over, or have to negotiate piles of rubbish waiting for collection, three lots of pavement tables, a discarded pallet and a crate of melons!

Dont walk down Melcombe st then, go via the Euston road to Baker street, its the same muchness and not much of that infuriating street furniture and coffee shop tables to get in your way

 

[HowardGWR]

Having looked at some plans, Woodstock Rd Jn is at the 29 mile post just south of the tunnel.

Just for averting confusion, I cannot believe that the new Electric Spine route will be anything less than double at any point. Is that right? We are surely not contemplating single lead junctions in 2013 are we?

 

[The Planner]

It will be double at some point as will Oxford North, but Electric Spine is a concept not a single infrastructure project. Chiltern do not need the double track initially to provide that service, E-W phase 2 will and that is technically seperate.

 

[Eagle]

Just for averting confusion, I cannot believe that the new Electric Spine route will be anything less than double at any point.

Unless I'm mistaken, there are no plans for Leamington to Coventry to ever become completely double track.

 

[The Planner]

It may eventually get to the point of "if we are doing Milverton to Kenilworth, lets just finish the job off to Gibbet Hill", it certainly isn't off the agenda.

 

[HowardGWR]

It may eventually get to the point of "if we are doing Milverton to Kenilworth, lets just finish the job off to Gibbet Hill", it certainly isn't off the agenda.

On this and the Oxford point about E-W being separate, I have been reading recently about how our fragmented planning is so disadvantageous. I can believe that easily now but thanks for your points.

 

[mr_jrt]

Oh, I was under the impression that since the EWR announcement that the works done for the Chiltern project would be installing the double track from the get-go to save money. Surely that makes more sense than having to close the line again to take out the points fitted only a few years prior?

 

[ironstone11]

Having looked at some plans, Woodstock Rd Jn is at the 29 mile post just south of the tunnel.

Based on your input I have done some more digging.

Woodstock Road Jn. arises from Chiltern's Phase 1 & 2A schemes in which the double track through Water Eaton reduced to single track at Peartree Jnc. north of Wolvercot tunnel and then back to double track just south of the tunnel to continue to Oxford North Jn. and the former LNWR trackbed.

Phase 2B shows the tunnel widened to double track, but with Woodstock Road Jn. retained as a crossover. Peartree Jnc. is removed.

It now appears that Woodstock Road Jn. is to be used the opposite way round relative to schemes 1 & 2A with double track through the tunnel and single track continuing to Oxford North Jn.

The LNWR trackbed south of Oxford North Jn. is not to be used, but the Jericho line is to be bi-directionally signalled and with increased line speed.

No doubt this will change when EastWest gets underway.

 

[swt_passenger]

My understanding from an ORR document is that Wolvercot Tunnel is to be re-doubled with both W12 gauge and OLE clearance during the forthcoming line closure. This is to be completed by Spring 2016.

One of the previously announced decisions was that DfT would pay the extra costs of 'readying' the tunnel for gauge clearance and OHL, but initially with only a single track laid to one side, so that the second track could be laid alongside it without major disruption. In other words Chiltern did not need anything done to the tunnel for their own requirements, it was all about avoiding a further closure once EG3 was up and running.

But as I posted earlier, there's a lot of info online that's been overtaken by more recent decisions, and as you say this full doubling appears to be a typical example...

 

[IrishDave]

It may eventually get to the point of "if we are doing Milverton to Kenilworth, lets just finish the job off to Gibbet Hill", it certainly isn't off the agenda.

The difference is that Milverton-Kenilworth is a redoubling, but Kenilworth-Gibbet Hill was never double track in the first place AFAIK - the "main line" was in fact the now-closed line from Kenilworth to Berkswell, which was double track. Double-tracking the viaduct at Crackley (just north of Kenilworth) in particular looks a bit tricky - the viaduct doesn't look all that wide.

 

[HowardGWR]

The difference is that Milverton-Kenilworth is a redoubling, but Kenilworth-Gibbet Hill was never double track in the first place AFAIK - the "main line" was in fact the now-closed line from Kenilworth to Berkswell, which was double track. Double-tracking the viaduct at Crackley (just north of Kenilworth) in particular looks a bit tricky - the viaduct doesn't look all that wide.

Poring over the Crackley stretch with Google Earth (and Street View where possible) it looks as though all the road bridges over the line northwards were made with double track in mind. I assume the viaducts and the bridge near the farm, NE of Common Lane, could be doubled with a new piece or an extra piece laid alongside? Do you have the local knowledge on this?

 

[Eagle]

I'm not sure if that's possible or not, but you'd need to bear in mind that that viaduct is pretty much exactly on the line of HS2, so you'd have to be careful what you built there.

 

[HowardGWR]

I'm not sure if that's possible or not, but you'd need to bear in mind that that viaduct is pretty much exactly on the line of HS2, so you'd have to be careful what you built there.

Indeed. I forgot to mention that, and I have KML file of HS2 Phase 1 on my Google Earth which shews HS2 in cutting and crossed by a new bridge carrying the Kenilworth -Coventry line, north of the farm I mentioned.

This map shews it better.

http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/hs2-maps-20120110/hs2arp00drrw05023issue3.pdf

I wonder how it will all be phased?

 

[jimm]

On this and the Oxford point about E-W being separate, I have been reading recently about how our fragmented planning is so disadvantageous. I can believe that easily now but thanks for your points.

I'm sorry, but in the case of Oxford, all the parties concerned are doing their level best, but when we have gone in the space of just five years from Chiltern announcing its plan to build a London route via Bicester, through the GW electrification announcement, to the East-West and Electric Spine go-ahead, and now moves to rebuild Oxford station, it's hardly surprising that things are not all happening at once - it simply wouldn't be possible, indeed it will take most of the rest of the decade to do them all.

Chiltern wants to crack on with its project as fast as it can - its initial financial projections are now out of line due to the various delays, however those delays mean that much of the work needed for East West can be carried out at the same time, which is exactly what Chiltern and Network Rail are doing. As noted above, the Government was going to give money to Chiltern to get Wolvercote Tunnel into shape for East West anyway, before that scheme was authorised as well.

But the Chiltern scheme does not need full double track throughout when it gets running, indeed far from it - if East-West had not been signed off, there would still have been a lot of single track on the way to Bicester under a standalone Chiltern project.

For those bleating about single-lead junctions, as I said above, there has to be an intermediate resignalling scheme around Oxford in 2015 to replace life-expired, non-immunised signals ahead of electrification - this is non-negotiable. No new signals, no electric trains - end of story.

in large part this will be a like-for-like renewal scheme (though with some bonuses, such as the extended loop from Oxford to Wolvercot junction for Banbury and Cotswold Line services), because they are still working out what capacity will be needed to handle East West services (both passenger and freight), including potentially a full double junction at Oxford North, plus growth on the other routes serving the city and the rebuilt station - the design and track layout of which is quite a way off being firmed up, not surprising when you have three passenger operators, the freight operators, Network Rail, DfT and the city and county councils all involved one way and another and other issues around regeneration of the area around the station and potential road improvements in the mix as well.

 

[RPM]

In other news, Chiltern Railways has made the (IMHO) very sensible decision to rename Water Eaton Parkway "Oxford Parkway":

http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/n...-names-new-oxfordshire-station-oxford-parkway

Chiltern Railways names new Oxfordshire station Oxford Parkway

Date:20 Sep 2013 17:41

• Station will be first to open in Oxfordshire since 1935

• 20th parkway train station in UK to provide 1000s of Oxford residents new travel opportunities

• Journey times from Oxford Parkway to London Marylebone expected to be under an hour.

Chiltern Railways have announced Oxford Parkway as the name of the station at the heart of their new line between Oxford and London. The station, located north of Oxford close to Water Eaton, will be the 20th parkway train station to be built in the UK and will be the first new station to be built in Oxfordshire for 78 years when it opens in summer 2015.

Once completed, Oxford Parkway will be one of the best located stations in the county due to its positioning adjacent to the existing Water Eaton park and ride site just off the A34 and close to the A44. The station and its 800+ space station car park will provide fast trains to London for thousands of Oxfordshire residents travelling to London and more local services to Oxford and Bicester. By allowing passengers to park and ride for long distance journeys as well the bus, it will release pressure on Oxford’s congested city centre.

Thomas Ableman, Commercial Director at Chiltern Railways said: “The name Oxford Parkway reflects the fact that this station will serve the entire city and much of the surrounding countryside. Once opened in summer 2015, the new line will allow those travelling to London to avoid the congested city centre, park easily and get there faster. This is going to be a real asset to the local people and businesses in and around Oxford.”

The line between Bicester and Oxford is due to close in February 2014 and is planned to reopen in summer 2015 when the first trains will run from the station.

 

[Eagle]

Could be worse. They could have gone for Kidlington and Oxford Parkway.

It's easy to see why they've changed the name, given that this station is going to be their temporary terminus for about a year.

 

[jimm]

In other news, Chiltern Railways has made the (IMHO) very sensible decision to rename Water Eaton Parkway "Oxford Parkway":

http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/n...-names-new-oxfordshire-station-oxford-parkway

Do keep up, I pointed this out five days ago, post 451 on the top of the previous page.

Sensible? Depends on your point of view. And quite probably not if lots of confused tourists find themselves dumped at a great big car park nowhere near the bits of Oxford they have come to visit until the route into the city is complete.

 

[tripleseis]

Perhaps, FGW should rename Oxford, "Oxford Central" then. (makes Oxford sound a lot bigger now!)

 

[TheKnightWho]

In other news, Chiltern Railways has made the (IMHO) very sensible decision to rename Water Eaton Parkway "Oxford Parkway":

http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/n...-names-new-oxfordshire-station-oxford-parkway

Not massively keen on this decision, actually, as Water Eaton Park and Ride already exists and is one of several parkways around Oxford. Considering the number of bus services in and around Oxford that serve them one way or another, you may well get people getting the train out to 'Oxford Parkway' only to find they wanted somewhere completely on the other side of the city.

 

[swt_passenger]

...not surprising when you have three passenger operators, the freight operators, Network Rail, DfT and the city and county councils all involved one way and another and other issues around regeneration of the area around the station and potential road improvements in the mix as well.

I also think there have been a few 'cloud cuckoo land' proposals clouding the ideas of local politicians, such as the idea of having a completely new terminus station at Oxpens, which always seemed to disregard the fact that quite a few trains actually headed further north, and the railway doesn't actually revolve around services to Paddington...

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Perhaps, FGW should rename Oxford, "Oxford Central" then. (makes Oxford sound a lot bigger now!)

lol, considering the distance from the town centre, that could be misleading too.

Oxford West?

 

[HowardGWR]

I'm sorry, but in the case of Oxford, all the parties concerned are doing their level best, but when we have gone in the space of just five years from Chiltern announcing its plan to build a London route via Bicester, through the GW electrification announcement, to the East-West and Electric Spine go-ahead, and now moves to rebuild Oxford station, it's hardly surprising that things are not all happening at once - it simply wouldn't be possible, indeed it will take most of the rest of the decade to do them all.

Appreciated and I understand a joint team is now working on the whole thing. Sounds as though you are involved, so all the best with the work.

 

[route:oxford]

Do keep up, I pointed this out five days ago, post 451 on the top of the previous page.

Sensible? Depends on your point of view. And quite probably not if lots of confused tourists find themselves dumped at a great big car park nowhere near the bits of Oxford they have come to visit until the route into the city is complete.

No different to the position that many tourists currently find themselves in...