There is certainly a good-sized Aylesbury-MK commuter flow. How much of that is on flexi-time or WFH post-covid I don't know, but if you then add in potential for Manchester/Scotland traffic avoiding Birmingham, and Aylesbury-West Mids traffic where Avanti is more convenient than changing between Birmingham stations, there's a good passenger base for Aylesbury-MK services.
Testing spring 24, service is meant to start for the Dec 24 timetable change.
Start of service is a manifesto commitment (ditto Project Oval for contactless ticketing) hence the Dec 2024 deadline for both to meet nominal next election timing.
That’s right, it’s known as “connection stage 1” on the NR project page. Though services to Bedford come “later”, which is not defined anywhere. IIRC this has been the case since about summer 2021
The Bedford services will likely be waiting to work out what, if anything, is to be done with the Marston Vale line. No point rebuilding platforms at stations you intend to demolish, and that sort of thing.
As you say, and it’s noteworthy that no work at all has started on that part of the route, despite the TWA order allowing for quite a few capacity related changes.
Cool. I meant Bedford for the other terminus (assumed Chiltern bays) - but sounds like that is deferred. I can't see why 1tph couldn't run along Marston today, even if fast after Bletchley or with 1-2 stops which definitely won't close. But still exciting to see the 2tph.
The evidence from recent aerial shots and videos in the now closed HS2 thread is that the new chord‘s earthworks are already being built. (It’s basically repositioned slightly to the east compared to its previous location. Posts earlier in this thread suggests HS2 are required to reinstate the link, the freight companies expect it to be available to them, and the only real question is about the passenger service.
With the Marston Vale, the current temporary closure could be used to at least exactly determine what works are needed to increase linespeed to 75-90 mph and begin to action on them
The line isn't closed - freight and departmental trains are still running. There's nothing really that needs to be determined until a decision is made on which options are to be taken. All prep surveys will have been done and detailed work is option-dependent.
That would be scope increase though. There are no plans to increase the line speed on Marston Vale, it was ruled out by DfT prior to the TWA application. Works are required to deal with increased level crossing risks only.
So EWR will be long term limited to 60MPH on the Marston Vale? Seems very weird indeed, especially given that the only major reasons I know of (apart from mantainance) are level crossing risk and the spacing between stations. I had been of the belief that there was going to be a full rebuild of the Marston Vale for EWR but I am wrong.
That’s what DfT have decided for the current project. I expect that may change if or when the full route to Cambridge ever happens, but we’re supposed to be limiting this thread’s discussion to what is currently being constructed.
I have not looked at Oxford Station movements lately but I do know that some Chiltern trains arrive in platform 3 and run to Hinksey to reverse and then come in to platform 4 to head to Marylebone.
Give E-W to Chiltern, interwork the services.
Quainton Road, where the line ends currently, is getting HS2 construction traffic already. Its Quainton Railhead on RTT.
Oh, I'm sure you are correct. I might have gone via the A413 myself one evening (I can't remember if I did two trips or just one.) The point I was trying to make was that in 1969 it was country lanes with a Ford Anglia pottering along once every 4 minutes, while in c 2007, it was a maze of modern-ish A and B roads with 20 Fiestas etc charging past at 60-65 mph per minute. I was amazed at the traffic levels.
The single lead to Platforms 1/2 is not a serious problem though, as it'd be very rare to schedule a departure less than 3 minutes before an arrival.
