Platform 2.
The published intention was to future-proof the replacement footbridge so that it could, at some unspecified distant date, carry rails serving a new through track on the east side of the station. That in turn would depend on Oxford City Council finding a developer willing to throw money at expensive flats or labs or things-not-yet dreamt-of to be built instead of the present depressing big draughty shed. Discussion of all that belongs better in the speculative section.
The published plans for Oxford Phase 2 envisage
Surely nothing to do with the City Council. This must be all railway owned.. and developers are always willing to throw money at somewhere like that, and the railway to take it. The challenge is ensuring the planning/design is appropriate - that's the council's job, at first, then higher powers when they get the wrong answer.
It's off topic, and all about dreams for 2035 or later, but Oxford City Council has an 'Oxford station master plan', which "aims to transform Oxford Train Station to create a new transport interchange and a distinctive gateway to the city of Oxford."
https://www.oxford.gov.uk/building-projects/oxford-station-masterplan is the page from which that quote is taken.
Thanks - was thinking more beyond and into the 'through road' era of p2 and what that would entail for platforms and running.
Ah yes - of course. A masterplan - what else could we expect
I bet they only own the road ...Not even that. It’s the County Council who are the highways authority.Ah yes - of course. A masterplan - what else could we expect
Hmm, maybe the seats in Frideswide Square? Or how about the bins?
Given how it's gone so far, I wouldn't be surprised if they're waiting for a solid completion date from Thames Water before announcing any further work.
What's the point of publishing a date when the current works haven't completed yet?
I suspect the residents will at least enjoythe respite from Westgate Centre Christmas car park traffic.. it makes Botley Road utter deadlock this time of year!
Given the problems so far why would they announce a date until Thames Water have completed the works? (other utilities works appear to be more progressed).
There are ways it can be done. Many years ago (around 1990) I was heavily involved in a job to put a second span alongside an existing road under bridge, to enable the road through it to be dualled. This was below six tracks of the Brighton main line. There was no blockade, from memory we had quite a number of maximum ~52 hour possessions (about 0100 Saturday to 0500 Monday) and those were on no more than four tracks at a time, with trains running on the other two throughout. The possession times including lifting tracks and later replacing them ready for use on Monday morning. It was a complex sequence and needed a lot of temporary works, but it all went well. Unfortunately it was before the days of digital cameras, and I have no idea where my photos ended up. I kept my temporary works design calc's and drawings until I retired, but then they all went into the paper recycling skip.
Many thanks for this, and apologies if it was already explained somewhere I ought to have read. Have I now got it right that the concrete square-cross-section tubes will rest only on the piles at their extremities, and thus, in a sense, will be bridges under [and at right angles to] a rail bridge, and over whatever Victorian-era detritus remains under them? And have I got it right that the tubes will be about 50 metres long? And therefore not the sort of thing you just order from the Travis Perkins website?
The new P2 bridge deck location will be the new footbridge across Botley Road location till that point years ahead. Describing it as P2 hopefully makes the location clear to everyone as it isn't the same alignment as the existing footbridge.
It hasn't really been explained so far
The extremities being east and west of the current bridge deck. At least 45% of the width will be supported (20+% at either end).
yes the new P5 (and P2/new footbridge) bridges will be directly supported underneath the tubes, just the replacement for the existing 4track deck won't be.
no detritus in the piled area and most of the problems are off the tube alignments.
Probably around 45m.
Correct you want to be sure of the design before placing the final order.
Because there’s not enough space under the current bridge. The work will allow a full height double decker to get under which it can’t currently, and provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists.
Whilst that's true, it's unclear why Network Rail should care - put like that it sounds like a local council project which Network Rail should be treating with the same level of urgency as Thames Water are.
Because if NR put in more bridge spans without any road alterations they’ll reduce the road height clearance even further. The existing road has/had a steep slope down either side, it’s not level.
Because, to be given the necessary Order under the Transport Works Act which authorized the whole scheme, Network Rail had to show that the scheme would be in the wider public interest.