Chiltern Oxford Link completed

[BRX]

So will tomorrow (ie Sunday) be all DMUs?

NRE showing through services Marylebone-Oxford Parkway-Oxford throughout the day.

 

[berneyarms]

So will tomorrow (ie Sunday) be all DMUs?

NRE showing through services Marylebone-Oxford Parkway-Oxford throughout the day.

The new timetable starts tomorrow - it's a soft launch. The razzamataz will be on Monday.

There are loco hauled workings only on Monday to Friday to and from Oxford.

06:26 Bicester Village-Oxford
07:20 Oxford-Marylebone
18:18 Marylebone-Oxford
20:00 Oxford-Marylebone

Everything else is DMU operated

The PDF timetable indicates what train type operates each train.

https://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/sites/default/files/files/timetables/CR1612_ROUTECARD_7.pdf

 

[CyrusWuff]

So will tomorrow (ie Sunday) be all DMUs?

Looking at the Working Timetable, all of the Oxford services on Sunday apart from the 22:15 and 23:15 from Marylebone are timed for 168s, with the 22:15 and 23:15 being timed for 165s.

 

[BRX]

The new timetable starts tomorrow - it's a soft launch. The razzamataz will be on Monday.

There are loco hauled workings only on Monday to Friday to and from Oxford.

06:26 Bicester Village-Oxford
07:20 Oxford-Marylebone
18:18 Marylebone-Oxford
20:00 Oxford-Marylebone

Everything else is DMU operated

The PDF timetable indicates what train type operates each train.

https://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/sites/default/files/files/timetables/CR1612_ROUTECARD_7.pdf

Thanks.

 

[JonathanH]

Looks like the units for the first service this morning made it from Wembley LMD via Bicester North last night.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/S00242/2016/12/10/advanced

First train from Oxford to Marylebone at 0743:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P20419/2016/12/11/advanced

 

[absolutelymilk]

I hope someone from RailUK Forums is currently on the first train ready to depart!

 

[t_star2001uk]

i dont get there until wednesday, got a double Oxford to do...

 

[ctyerkes]

I was on the 7.43 and took it as far as Haddenham, where I changed for the first train back to Oxford (running five minutes late). Good turnout by Chiltern staff and other interested parties, and a real sense of occasion (including spontaneous applause as we departed platform 1 at Oxford). I'll post a few pictures when I get a chance.

More razzmatazz tomorrow, no doubt.

 

[Andyjs247]

Took a trip to Oxford this morning. My train was busier than I expected; plenty of people stayed on the train at Bicester for the run to Oxford rather than just a mass exodus. Next arrivals in Oxford were busy too. All seems to be running without fuss.

 

[ctyerkes]

A few photos here:

https://goo.gl/photos/HHVBXYW8xvvnzux9A

And a video from Oxford Parkway to Oxford, showing some of the infrastructure on the section, e.g. soundproof fencing at Wolvercote, Oxford North Junction, approach to new platforms (apologies for the mediocre quality):

https://youtu.be/KMLIu7ApgZg

 

[TheKnightWho]

Took it from Marylebone to Oxford today - decent amount of people on the train, and quite a number got on at Bicester Village for the through-run to Oxford.

I did notice most of the people who got on in London got off at Oxford Parkway though, so it might take a bit more time for word to filter through to those who want the city centre that they can get the train from Marylebone as well as Paddington.

 

[berneyarms]

Took it from Marylebone to Oxford today - decent amount of people on the train, and quite a number got on at Bicester Village for the through-run to Oxford.

I did notice most of the people who got on in London got off at Oxford Parkway though, so it might take a bit more time for word to filter through to those who want the city centre that they can get the train from Marylebone as well as Paddington.

I would imagine that Chiltern will not be going lightly on the publicity tomorrow morning and that it will get a lot of local coverage.

 

[MK Tom]

The new timetable starts tomorrow - it's a soft launch. The razzamataz will be on Monday.

When is said razzmataz? Want to try to see it if possible.

 

[berneyarms]

When is said razzmataz? Want to try to see it if possible.

The 07:20 loco hauled service from Oxford is apparently when the official launch will take place!

 

[Cletus]

Diamond Geezer has been to Oxford today, so expect a blog post soon.
https://twitter.com/diamondgeezer/status/807890135543115776

 

[Class 170101]

It shouldnt have even been offered and uploaded if there was one road, let alone re-timed.

Well re-timed in such away that it wasn't foul of existing trains if you prefer

 

[Dampflok]

I wasn't able to get to Oxford for the first train this morning but saw it through Haddenham & Thame. Quite a few Chiltern staff (and others) got off it to take the first train from Marylebone to Oxford and joined by others including myself.

"Little Italy" coffee shop at Haddenham somewhat surprised to find plenty of customers at 08:15!

A few pictures on my site starting with this one, followed by a few more:



"Clickable" image to take you to the full size photo on my site. More to follow.

There are also shots on my site in the same gallery and in the "November 2016" gallery from the driver training runs.

I returned from Oxford to Haddenham on the 10:11 train, 1Y15, this was 13 minutes late departing due to the arriving train, 1T17, being 15 minutes late - a potential bottleneck on the single track in use from Oxford North Junction to Woodstock Road Junction?

Cheers, Geoff

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The new platforms at Oxford look fairly bleak.
Presumably there are plans for canopies?

 

[swt_passenger]

The new platforms at Oxford look fairly bleak.
Presumably there are plans for canopies?

Definitely are canopies shown on the planning drawings. I think the main reason the existing has been removed is that the new platform 2 is much wider, i.e. the edge is further away from P3 than before - so a full rebuild with repositioned supports was probably essential.

 

[midlandred]

I made a return trip from Bicester Village to Oxford, catching the 08.35 from Marylebone (I believe this was the second train into Oxford)

My humble collection of photos can be viewed here - thanks for looking

I returned from Oxford to Haddenham on the 10:11 train, 1Y15, this was 13 minutes late departing due to the arriving train, 1T17, being 15 minutes late - a potential bottleneck on the single track in use from Oxford North Junction to Woodstock Road Junction?

Cheers, Geoff

Part of the delay, Geoff, was also that the driver couldn't see the right-away signal because of the sun (he sought advice before departing)

 

[168lover]

I wasn't able to get to Oxford for the first train this morning but saw it through Haddenham & Thame. Quite a few Chiltern staff (and others) got off it to take the first train from Marylebone to Oxford and joined by others including myself.

"Little Italy" coffee shop at Haddenham somewhat surprised to find plenty of customers at 08:15!

A few pictures on my site starting with this one, followed by a few more:



"Clickable" image to take you to the full size photo on my site. More to follow.

There are also shots on my site in the same gallery and in the "November 2016" gallery from the driver training runs.

I returned from Oxford to Haddenham on the 10:11 train, 1Y15, this was 13 minutes late departing due to the arriving train, 1T17, being 15 minutes late - a potential bottleneck on the single track in use from Oxford North Junction to Woodstock Road Junction?

Cheers, Geoff

Had a work colleague end up on the first oxford train this morning between Marylebone and Wycombe this morning without realizing it's significance. Once I pointed it out to him he twas a little shocked.

 

[adrock1976]

Thinking about how Chiltern Railways could promote the Oxford General services, they could while engineering works are ongoing via Reading, print out some A5 leaflets to be handed out at stations.

The leaflet could be kept simple and have the following 3 questions:

Travelling between London and Oxford (also add x dates if need be)?

Dislike rail replacement buses?

Why not try the Alternative Route?

The final question above is a clever use of wordplay, as the route via High Wycombe is often referred to the GWR/Great Central Railway Alternative Route.

Any thoughts?

 

[The Planner]

Does anyone call it Oxford General? And I would seriously expect people to glaze over or give blank looks if they were told the High Wycombe route was the GWR.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Does anyone call it Oxford General? And I would seriously expect people to glaze over or give blank looks if they were told the High Wycombe route was the GWR.

Seconded...Only ever heard of it referred to as the Joint Line (and yes, I know the Amersham line was originally the Great Central and Metropolitan Joint Railway) or Western.

 

[ctyerkes]

On the 'flagship' 7.20 from Oxford this morning, with 68011 doing the honours at the back. The service was branded 'The Oxford Flyer' on the passenger information displays at Oxford. The service was lightly loaded leaving Oxford, with a posse of Chiltern staff on board giving everyone a free weekend pass on Chiltern, and reporters from BBC Radio Oxford and ITN News attempting to interview willing people. We were held up waiting for a path across Oxford North Junction so arrival at a very busy Oxford Parkway was seven late. Passengers crowded on; I heard one complain that 'I might as well have travelled with First Great Western if I knew I was going to have to stand all the way to London'. But he got a seat; passengers boarding at Bicester Village were far less fortunate, I suspect, but I alighted here to take the next train back to Parkway.

Sent from my SM-T520 using Tapatalk

 

[DarloRich]

Thinking about how Chiltern Railways could promote the Oxford General services, they could while engineering works are ongoing via Reading, print out some A5 leaflets to be handed out at stations.

The leaflet could be kept simple and have the following 3 questions:

Travelling between London and Oxford (also add x dates if need be)?

Dislike rail replacement buses?

Why not try the Alternative Route?

The final question above is a clever use of wordplay, as the route via High Wycombe is often referred to the GWR/Great Central Railway Alternative Route.

Any thoughts?

I bet Chiltern try something like that but no one in the real world will care if it is a GWR alternative route. The key is that it is an alternative Chiltern route not requiring a bus journey

 

[berneyarms]

Thinking about how Chiltern Railways could promote the Oxford General services, they could while engineering works are ongoing via Reading, print out some A5 leaflets to be handed out at stations.

The leaflet could be kept simple and have the following 3 questions:

Travelling between London and Oxford (also add x dates if need be)?

Dislike rail replacement buses?

Why not try the Alternative Route?

The final question above is a clever use of wordplay, as the route via High Wycombe is often referred to the GWR/Great Central Railway Alternative Route.

Any thoughts?

I think that rather than using historical names that no one uses or anyone under 30 (or possibly 40) recognises, Chiltern will market it using modern terminology.

The railway station name is simply Oxford - Oxford General has long been dispatched to history.

And for the route - well how about the Chiltern route to Oxford?

Simple, easy and manages to incorporate the company name as well!

 

[doa46231]

Perhaps I've missed something.
Why the need for the yellow railings along the middle of the platform?

 

[shredder1]

Looking forward to my first ride on saturday from Oxford to Oxford Parkway, I wonder if the Oxford Day Rover covers this?

 

[swt_passenger]

Perhaps I've missed something.
Why the need for the yellow railings along the middle of the platform?

There's a slight step, because the new P2 is built to current height and cross level standards and is higher than the existing P3. It is a similar problem to the new platform at Banbury IIRC.