Interesting track south of Leamington Spa.

[peteb]

Travelling south on Chiltern between Leamington and Banbury there's a long embankment with a 75mph restriction just north of Fenny Compton. Train lurched and swayed quite noticeably on it yesterday. Is this the bit of line in engineers possession today?

 

[The Planner]

Knightcote embankment. It is blocked today for track renewal near Harbury tunnel. Blocked all weekend next week for another track job at Banbury.

 

[peteb]

Ok thanks! The huge jolt and swaying was some way after the tunnel not far from the northbound 75mph restriction sign. Train wasn't going that fast so I guess this section will also be due renewal before too long?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I believe the Knightcote embankment north of Fenny Compton has been troublesome in terms of subsidence since it was built (that's the reason for the 75mph limit - it used to be 60mph).
At the northern end it also marks the point where the original Oxford & Rugby Railway planned alignment switched towards Birmingham (for the GWR's Birmingham & Oxford Junction Railway) - you can still see some never-finished earthworks heading off towards Rugby.
It's certainly an "interesting" stretch.

 

[The Planner]

Ok thanks! The huge jolt and swaying was some way after the tunnel not far from the northbound 75mph restriction sign. Train wasn't going that fast so I guess this section will also be due renewal before too long?

Doubt there will be many, if any, blocks along there until 23.

 

[peteb]

I believe the Knightcote embankment north of Fenny Compton has been troublesome in terms of subsidence since it was built (that's the reason for the 75mph limit - it used to be 60mph).
At the northern end it also marks the point where the original Oxford & Rugby Railway planned alignment switched towards Birmingham (for the GWR's Birmingham & Oxford Junction Railway) - you can still see some never-finished earthworks heading off towards Rugby.
It's certainly an "interesting" stretch.

Thanks for that info. I do recall the old 60mph stretch back in the 80s.

Doubt there will be many, if any, blocks along there until 23.

Well I'm quite pleased about that as a) makes for an interesting ride and b) fed up of blockages at weekends causing great difficulty in getting up to London and back. Saturday nights in particular seem awkward for northbound from London but maybe that's for another thread?

 

[The Planner]

Well I'm quite pleased about that as a) makes for an interesting ride and b) fed up of blockages at weekends causing great difficulty in getting up to London and back. Saturday nights in particular seem awkward for northbound from London but maybe that's for another thread?

Probably is another thread (as has been done many times before) but if we cannot maintain etc at the weekend, when can we do it? Things may change once the fallout is understood on passenger numbers but it won't be a short term initiative.

 

[peteb]

Probably is another thread (as has been done many times before) but if we cannot maintain etc at the weekend, when can we do it? Things may change once the fallout is understood on passenger numbers but it won't be a short term initiative.

Take your point, it's just that some weekends it seems all routes north are shut meaning very early last Saturday return trains. Makes going to London for a long day trip nigh on impossible!