East-West Rail (EWR) countdown to entry into service

[DarloRich]

"Highly Shortened Train"

If you get the chance of a shot this eve, I'd love to see it.

Best I can do

 

[Sun Chariot]

Best I can do

Nice one.

Only caught the front car 43257

Great capture

 

[Class15]

Best I can do

Forgive my ignorance but is that MKC or Bletchley?

 

[duffield]

Forgive my ignorance but is that MKC or Bletchley?

Looks like MK to me! Distinctive footbridge, buildings in background.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Forgive my ignorance but is that MKC or Bletchley?

It's definitely MKC. My 1980s were (mis)spent on Bletchley station platforms (and taking a 104 or 105 DMU to Bedford, now and then). I also endured Milton Keynes shopping; and that glass office block is certainly MK.

 

[DarloRich]

Forgive my ignorance but is that MKC or Bletchley?

Looks like MK to me! Distinctive footbridge, buildings in background.

It's definitely MKC. My 1980s were (mis)spent on Bletchley station platforms (and taking a 104 or 105 DMU to Bedford, now and then). I also endured Milton Keynes shopping; and that glass office block is certainly MK.

Milton Keynes - platform 2A

 

[12LDA28C]

Milton Keynes - platform 2A

Which is of course where the vast majority of EWR trains will terminate.

 

[Class15]

Looks like MK to me! Distinctive footbridge, buildings in background.

It's definitely MKC. My 1980s were (mis)spent on Bletchley station platforms (and taking a 104 or 105 DMU to Bedford, now and then). I also endured Milton Keynes shopping; and that glass office block is certainly MK.

Milton Keynes - platform 2A

Thank you all. Don’t know that area very well!

 

[BlueLeanie]

Rail Advent is reporting:-

Although the line is not yet used by freight traffic, freight operators can now use the line when needed.

New Oxfordshire railway line to use 'first of a kind' signalling system

Train services on the new East West Rail route between Oxford and Milton Keynes will be controlled by an Advanced Signalling Method.

www.railadvent.co.uk

 

[Sun Chariot]

Did any forum reader see and photograph yesterday's 1Z96 WCRC path?

Realtime Trains | 1Z96 1250 South Marston Euro Terminl to Milton Keynes Central | 07/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 1Z96 1250 departure from South Marston Euro Terminl to Milton Keynes Central on 07/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Rail Advent is reporting

I read the link but I didn't realise it has included user-targeted advertising. I was genuinely flummoxed to read (screen shot is attached) that: "The new signalling infrastructure includes: new homes in Whiteley" so I was stumped how EWR enabled additional housing stock in south Hampshire...

 

[12LDA28C]

Rail Advent is reporting:-

New Oxfordshire railway line to use 'first of a kind' signalling system

Train services on the new East West Rail route between Oxford and Milton Keynes will be controlled by an Advanced Signalling Method.

www.railadvent.co.uk

Hardly surprising as the line has been completed and fully commissioned for some time. Any operator, passenger or freight could run trains over the route if they so desire and they can find the paths.

 

[DavidGrain]

Did any forum reader see and photograph yesterday's 1Z96 WCRC path?

Realtime Trains | 1Z96 1250 South Marston Euro Terminl to Milton Keynes Central | 07/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 1Z96 1250 departure from South Marston Euro Terminl to Milton Keynes Central on 07/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

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The poster of this Facebook item says it is the first passenger train but I would question if it qualifies as a fare paying passenger train

Sorry, I had forgotten that not everyone might be able to access Facebook but I do not feel that I should copy all 8 photos. However this is one photo acknowledging copyright Keith Ward

.

 

[zwk500]

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The poster of this Facebook item says it is the first passenger train but I would question if it qualifies as a fare paying passenger train.

It's a train with passengers on board who have purchased tickets to travel on board that train, so I don't see why it shouldn't count. There's more debate about whether it's a 'public' or 'in service' train.

Charters can often be the first over new lines, partly because that's what a significant customer base will want and partly because they are able to get route learning organised much quicker and can accept 'worse' paths. IIRC the Northern Belle was the first train with passengers on board over the Halton curve (Chester-bound) after the then-recent works to reinstate the curve. However that was more accidental than planned if memory serves.

 

[The Planner]

It's a train with passengers on board who have purchased tickets to travel on board that train, so I don't see why it shouldn't count. There's more debate about whether it's a 'public' or 'in service' train.

Charters can often be the first over new lines, partly because that's what a significant customer base will want and partly because they are able to get route learning organised much quicker and can accept 'worse' paths. IIRC the Northern Belle was the first train with passengers on board over the Halton curve (Chester-bound) after the then-recent works to reinstate the curve. However that was more accidental than planned if memory serves.

I thought this was a great and good from the industry train, not a charter people paid for?

 

[zwk500]

I thought this was a great and good from the industry train, not a charter people paid for?

Was it? You're closer to that info to me so I'll happily defer to you. I thought there was a BLS tour over the line, or did that get canned and replaced with this jolly?

 

[swt_passenger]

Was it? You're closer to that info to me so I'll happily defer to you. I thought there was a BLS tour over the line, or did that get canned and replaced with this jolly?

There’s a pathfinder tour next Saturday, that’s the one that’s been delayed a few months and has been discussed earlier. Eg post #184

 

[12LDA28C]

It's a train with passengers on board who have purchased tickets to travel on board that train, so I don't see why it shouldn't count. There's more debate about whether it's a 'public' or 'in service' train.

Charters can often be the first over new lines, partly because that's what a significant customer base will want and partly because they are able to get route learning organised much quicker and can accept 'worse' paths. IIRC the Northern Belle was the first train with passengers on board over the Halton curve (Chester-bound) after the then-recent works to reinstate the curve. However that was more accidental than planned if memory serves.

Passengers on board were invited guests from the industry, mostly EWR Alliance staff I believe, so no tickets were sold. The first passenger train over EWR that members of the public can buy a ticket for is the forthcoming Pathfinder tour next Saturday.

I thought this was a great and good from the industry train, not a charter people paid for?

Correct. Staff from Network Rail and the EWR Alliance mostly.

 

[zwk500]

There’s a pathfinder tour next Saturday, that’s the one that’s been delayed a few months and has been discussed earlier. Eg post #184

Passengers on board were invited guests from the industry, mostly EWR Alliance staff I believe, so no tickets were sold. The first passenger train over EWR that members of the public can buy a ticket for is the forthcoming Pathfinder tour next Saturday.



Correct. Staff from Network Rail and the EWR Alliance mostly.

thanks both

 

[Mag_seven]

Just a gentle reminder that this thread is for the specific discussion of East-West Rail (EWR) Driver Training and Route Learning.

If anyone wants to discuss anything else such as Railtours over the line etc then they are welcome to start a new thread in the appropriate forum section.

thanks

 

[DarloRich]

training runs were on the cards for today but haven't operated for a few days. The Colas HST runs last ran on Thursday.

Is training and learning therefore complete?

 

[12LDA28C]

training runs were on the cards for today but haven't operated for a few days. The Colas HST runs last ran on Thursday.

Is training and learning therefore complete?

Nowhere near complete, no. The running of Chiltern route learning trains depends entirely on availability of Instructors, a spare unit to operate the train and Drivers needing to learn the route. If training were already complete, drivers would probably need a refresher on the route by the time passenger trains start running as their competence would have lapsed.

 

[RIP Class 319s]

Any ideas as to when we’ll begin to see class 196s rolling out on the line, and when timetabled passenger service will start?

 

[12LDA28C]

Any ideas as to when we’ll begin to see class 196s rolling out on the line, and when timetabled passenger service will start?

As three 196s are now at Bletchley then it shouldn’t be long before they start appearing on EWR on training runs although only a small handful of Chiltern drivers currently sign them. There is no official date yet for commencement of passenger services and there are several issues still to overcome before any kind of start date can be predicted.

 

[CR165022]

Test runs are happening again after being cancelled all last week. 165026 allocated today.

 

[12LDA28C]

Test runs are happening again after being cancelled all last week. 165026 allocated today.

They ran on Friday last week with 165023. They are not 'test runs' but driver training / route learning trips.

 

[12LDA28C]

Today marked the first time that a Class 196 traversed EWR with two return trips from Bletchley to Bicester Village being made by 196012.

 

[RGM654]

This may be a silly question but: I presume that most route learning is with someone in the cab who already signs the route, but how does the first person learn it?

 

[12LDA28C]

This may be a silly question but: I presume that most route learning is with someone in the cab who already signs the route, but how does the first person learn it?

Route maps and videos (often computer-generated before the line is actually open for filming).

 

[BlueLeanie]

Today marked the first time that a Class 196 traversed EWR with two return trips from Bletchley to Bicester Village being made by 196012.

Great news.

Just another little step forward on the pathway to reopening.

 

[sqwizz]

Thanks for the heads up 12LDA28C. I was able to see one at Fenny Stratford just now - I wonder when we'll see them in Chiltern livery?