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

[12LDA28C]

Shed 84C was Banbury, so perhaps a reference to which depot's drivers got the honour of the first train over the line? And at the very end of the video you can see 'Banbury Drivers' on the plate.

The stock to form the test train originated at Banbury but had drivers from various depots on board.

 

[zwk500]

Strange, as the length of Platform 2A is 124m, which should be able to accommodate a 5-car train.

not my pic but: https://www.flickr.com/photos/darlo2009/8991017292/ appears to show 5 cars (or nearly) of an 8-car formation within the signal at platform 2A.

 

[DarloRich]

Strange, as the length of Platform 2A is 124m, which should be able to accommodate a 5-car train.

You know when I said 4 car class 377 I actually meant a 5 car 377/7

not my pic but: https://www.flickr.com/photos/darlo2009/8991017292/ appears to show 5 cars (or nearly) of an 8-car formation within the signal at platform 2A.

that is my picture ( i meant a 5 car train!)

 

[eastdyke]

Strange, as the length of Platform 2A is 124m, which should be able to accommodate a 5-car train.

But also!
Note in the Sectional Appendix for P2A:
'Operational length for electric traction arriving with pantograph leading is 104m'

 

[zwk500]

that is my picture ( i meant a 5 car train!)

Thought the handle was familiar... Great set of shots!

But also!
Note in the Sectional Appendix for P2A:
'Operational length for electric traction arriving with pantograph leading is 104m'

A 377 has the pantograph in a middle vehicle rather than the leading one, though.

 

[The Planner]

(or indeed divert actual XC that way for engineering works, which I would be surprised not to see at some point)

I would

 

[DarloRich]

Thought the handle was familiar... Great set of shots!

most kind.

of course, Platform 2a only needs to hold the 2 car Marston Vale service

 

[cle]

Though if you did run an MKC-Bristol via Oxford XC-a-like service (or indeed divert actual XC that way for engineering works, which I would be surprised not to see at some point) I doubt it would call at Bletchley or Winslow, so it probably doesn't matter.

Good point. Bicester would be fine, which I think might be the only call between Oxford and MKC. But then this would be a net new service, vs an extension of the 2tph base service. In that case, I'd expect it would need to go somewhere else. Or maybe 1tph redirects to Bedford and this is the second to MKC.

In time Bletchley's profile / purpose might change - they should build a ton of housing nearby.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Good point. Bicester would be fine, which I think might be the only call between Oxford and MKC. But then this would be a net new service, vs an extension of the 2tph base service. In that case, I'd expect it would need to go somewhere else. Or maybe 1tph redirects to Bedford and this is the second to MKC.

In time Bletchley's profile / purpose might change - they should build a ton of housing nearby.

Speculative thread to continue this line of discussion: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/east-west-rail-possible-future-service-patterns.275956/

 

[Tilting007]

indeed - just interested they are using the Cambridge flyover at this early stage. There is a lot of local chatter that it is, erm, chuffed ( it isn't obviously)

It currently can’t take anything above RA2 so you will likely no see anything more than a sprinter type unit for the foreseeable future…

a 4 car 377 just fits in MKC 2A

5 car Southern units fit too…
Oops seen this was answered up thread. Apologies

 

[DarloRich]

It currently can’t take anything above RA2 so you will likely no see anything more than a sprinter type unit for the foreseeable future…

that is good. Not caused by the fact i still need that small section of track!

 

[sqwizz]

A tiny clip of the 168 using the Cambridge flyover an hour or so ago, the first time I've ever seen it used. It was hard to hear or see it coming so I almost missed it in both directions. Also got some pics of the mad sight of a Chiltern train at Fenny Stratford Station.

 

[Neen Sollars]

There is a freeze frame at 6.44 minutes. To me its evidence a 5 car 80x does not fit Bletchley HL platforms? Plus Bi directional running.
Thanks Purple & Co

 

[12LDA28C]

There is a freeze frame at 6.44 minutes. To me its evidence a 5 car 80x does not fit Bletchley HL platforms? Plus Bi directional running.
Thanks Purple & Co

Hardly surprising as BLU has been built as a 4-car platform, same as Winslow. However, I assume the GWR IETs have SDO.

 

[zwk500]

There is a freeze frame at 6.44 minutes. To me its evidence a 5 car 80x does not fit Bletchley HL platforms? Plus Bi directional running.
Thanks Purple & Co

Bletchley High Level has turnback facility for trains from Oxford in either platform. AIUI there is no bi-di facility to the east.

 

[pjanvil]

Can someone explain why Bletchley High Level has a new code BLU instead of just using its existing code BLY since its just new platforms at the same station?

 

[12LDA28C]

Bletchley High Level has turnback facility for trains from Oxford in either platform. AIUI there is no bi-di facility to the east.

That's correct, apart from of course the Up Slow (reversible) from Denbigh Hall South Junction to MKC.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Are any other workings - of any kind - planned (or envisaged) prior to Christmas?

 

[Robin Edwards]

that is good. Not caused by the fact i still need that small section of track!

Prompted me to think what was the last passenger train to navigate flyover junction from the west? 17th March 2018 UK Railtours "The Missing Link" perhaps?

 

[12LDA28C]

Are any other workings - of any kind - planned (or envisaged) prior to Christmas?

There are rumours of at least one charter operator doing some route learning along EWR, possibly in November, and I suspect the FOCs will be doing the same.

 

[Sun Chariot]

There are rumours of at least one charter operator doing some route learning along EWR, possibly in November, and I suspect the FOCs will be doing the same.

Thanks for that. It'll be good to see a bit more activity before next February's Crompton hauled tour.

 

[RT4038]

Can someone explain why Bletchley High Level has a new code BLU instead of just using its existing code BLY since its just new platforms at the same station?

I would imagine it is to distinguish these platforms, some way away from the others, so minimum connection times between them etc can be different?

 

[swt_passenger]

Can someone explain why Bletchley High Level has a new code BLU instead of just using its existing code BLY since its just new platforms at the same station?

There are other stations with more than one code, eg St Pancras, Tamworth, Lichfield; but customer facing information systems usually combine them into one public version. That hasn’t been done yet for Bletchley, I think it might have been mentioned somewhere before, possibly in the RTT thread.

 

[DarloRich]

Prompted me to think what was the last passenger train to navigate flyover junction from the west? 17th March 2018 UK Railtours "The Missing Link" perhaps?

i believe that is correct - i was away fir that one also!

 

[frediculous]

Are any other workings - of any kind - planned (or envisaged) prior to Christmas?

It looks like Chiltern will be running a 2tph test service the week before Christmas: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...24-12-16/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

 

[Sun Chariot]

It looks like Chiltern will be running a 2tph test service the week before Christmas: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...24-12-16/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Nice find - many thanks.

 

[DavidGrain]

It looks like Chiltern will be running a 2tph test service the week before Christmas: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...24-12-16/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Actually that has been known for some time starting 16/12/2024 and running to May 2025 (SSuX) up to the start of the May timetable change. This was discussed in the construction thread before this thread was set up. It would be the provisional training programme and is almost certainly the ghost timetable as paths need to be set up as the trains will be running mixing with other trains between Bicester and Oxford and between Bletchley and MKC. I think it is unlikely that all paths will be used from day one but as more drivers get the route knowledge, I expect it will build up with the full timetable until the time when they can confidently announce the start of public service.

What interests me is that in the early hours of the morning, there is a path for a train to run from Reading to MKC and return to Reading. This could be On Track maintenance or other departmental working.

 

[12LDA28C]

It looks like Chiltern will be running a 2tph test service the week before Christmas: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...24-12-16/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Just because paths are in the system from December this doesn’t mean all or even any of them will be used. I believe driver training on the route will commence in January 2025.

 

[PLY2AYS]

Thought the handle was familiar... Great set of shots!

A 377 has the pantograph in a middle vehicle rather than the leading one, though.

Is that traction specific? I always thought trains had to run pantographs in the first two or last two vehicles… but that could just be traction/TOC specific.

Hardly surprising as BLU has been built as a 4-car platform, same as Winslow. However, I assume the GWR IETs have SDO.

Absolutely, runs off GPS and in theory, platform recognition incase they’re longer at multiple/different locations within the same station.

 

[Forty29]

Thanks for that. It'll be good to see a bit more activity before next February's Crompton hauled tour.

Yes just noticed the Verney Crompton railtour on 16 November cancelled because line not ready, sorry if mentioned before.