Chiltern Railways officially announced as EWR service operator

[D365]

I wasn’t aware that Chiltern hadn’t been confirmed as the operator. Or maybe this is simply some kind of press release.

From a cursory read, it looks like a lot of PR spin about studies into future use of battery-electric rolling stock, but fails to mention the Class 196 diesel multiple units that will be used for this first phase of operation.

 

[A S Leib]

When did the fare data get uploaded?

Not until the day before or day of opening at the earliest.

It may be that not all the fares have been added yet. BRFares won't let me input Ashington as an origin or destination to search.

 

[Haywain]

the Class 196 diesel multiple units

So not quite the "brand new" trains that the Chiltern spokesman mentioned on local news earlier!

 

[sad1e]

59m53ch via the old chord, but I may be wrong. There’s not a lot in it for sure!

EDIT That's the mileage via High Wycombe, it's 4m49ch shorter via Aylesbury, so that's 55m04ch so is still not the shortest route! But well within 3 miles of it so it'd be a valid route.

What map is that , Must be ancient with the mothballed section to Akeman street and the Luton-Dunstable branch still being shown, i thought those were lifted well over 25 years ago

 

[Haywain]

What map is that , Must be ancient with the mothballed section to Akeman street and the Luton-Dunstable branch still being shown, i thought those were lifted well over 25 years ago

It shows Milton Keynes as 'proposed', and that opened in 1982. It must be a very early 'Baker'!

 

[jfollows]

What map is that , Must be ancient with the mothballed section to Akeman street and the Luton-Dunstable branch still being shown, i thought those were lifted well over 25 years ago

Rail Atlas of Britain, S. K. Baker, Second edition 1978.
It’s the one I use to note lines I’ve been over.
It was new when I started noting these things!

But it also kind of shows the distances if you guess where Winslow station was.

 

[Oxfordblues]

So not quite the "brand new" trains that the Chiltern spokesman mentioned on local news earlier!

What's the difference between "new" and "brand new"? (They're not even very new!)

 

[zwk500]

What's the difference between "new" and "brand new"? (They're not even very new!)

new to the brand?

 

[sad1e]

new to the brand?

Speaking of that I wonder what the livery Chiltern gives them will look like, hopefully it's decent.

 

[Siemens Staines]

So not quite the "brand new" trains that the Chiltern spokesman mentioned on local news earlier!

I assume that this is the local news bulletin referred to? Item on EWR commences at 08:55 (I apologise if this link does not work)

Look East - Evening News: 25/03/2025

The latest news, sport and weather for the East of England.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[mister-sparky]

How is it going to be not until 2030 until Bletchley yo Bedford opens?? It’s open now isn’t it…

 

[dk1]

How is it going to be not until 2030 until Bletchley yo Bedford opens?? It’s open now isn’t it…

It’s not in great shape though. Needs major improvements at the MML end too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Mar 2025 ==

And that’s only 5 years which is nothing in railway time.

 

[zwk500]

How is it going to be not until 2030 until Bletchley yo Bedford opens?? It’s open now isn’t it…

AIUI they still haven't decided what the final form should actually look like. There's lots of level crossings and a station about every mile or so. Once the plan has been chose (there was a consultation last year, I think), then it all needs to be designed and built.

 

[Peter Sarf]

AIUI they still haven't decided what the final form should actually look like. There's lots of level crossings and a station about every mile or so. Once the plan has been chose (there was a consultation last year, I think), then it all needs to be designed and built.

I wonder how long will it take to get the inevitable station closures through !.

 

[tfw756rider]

So not quite the "brand new" trains that the Chiltern spokesman mentioned on local news earlier!

West Midlands Railway still has posters up at stations along their 196 routes referring to "brand new trains" - I mean, railway equipment is so long-term that while not strictly true, they're considered more "brand new" at 3-6 years old (build) / 3 years old (service) than they would be if they were buses, where they'd be a more significant way into their lives.

At the same time, I don't get why he didn't just say "modern trains" like Chiltern Railways did on their web page (perhaps "trains of significantly newer build than even the newest-build trains we have been operating" would've been a bit of a mouthful).

 

[pompeyfan]

I remember reading in the specs years ago that the route would be full DOO.

I assume this will still be the case with the driver using the cameras on the class 196 with station staff at every stop to provide assistance to ramp users? Or will there be OBS type roles and limited station staffing? God forbid “agency man (person) in a van”.

 

[CyrusWuff]

I remember reading in the specs years ago that the route would be full DOO.

I assume this will still be the case with the driver using the cameras on the class 196 with station staff at every stop to provide assistance to ramp users? Or will there be OBS type roles and limited station staffing? God forbid “agency man (person) in a van”.

The only new station between Oxford and Bletchley is Winslow, which is presumably going to be staffed given they've constructed a fairly substantial building for it.

The only unstaffed station on the route is Islip, though that's been the case since at least 1989, when it reopened under Network SouthEast.

 

[ChooChooseMe]

I remember reading in the specs years ago that the route would be full DOO.

I assume this will still be the case with the driver using the cameras on the class 196 with station staff at every stop to provide assistance to ramp users? Or will there be OBS type roles and limited station staffing? God forbid “agency man (person) in a van”.

This hasn't been decided yet, the MD, on a Teams call today stated as much, and that talks about method of operation would be taking place with the relevant unions etc. Stressed that no decision had been made.

 

[RUK]

So not quite the "brand new" trains that the Chiltern spokesman mentioned on local news earlier!

What's the difference between "new" and "brand new"? (They're not even very new!)

West Midlands Railway still has posters up at stations along their 196 routes referring to "brand new trains" - I mean, railway equipment is so long-term that while not strictly true, they're considered more "brand new" at 3-6 years old (build) / 3 years old (service) than they would be if they were buses, where they'd be a more significant way into their lives.

The newest members of the class have been in passenger service for just a few months - there aren’t many newer trains in service in the U.K., and I think none which have every member of the class in service yet. The last Class 196 entered service on I think Saturday 28th September 2024 - or if you want to be even more technical about it, the last 2-car Class 196, Class 196/0, which is what will be used on East-West Rail, entered service on I think Tuesday 27th August 2024, and was 196 012, the last member of the sub-class, which is one of the 6 units which will be used on East-West Rail (which will be the last members of the sub-class, 196 007 to 196 012 inclusive).

 

[Magdalia]

AIUI they still haven't decided what the final form should actually look like. There's lots of level crossings and a station about every mile or so. Once the plan has been chose (there was a consultation last year, I think), then it all needs to be designed and built.

The most recent East West Rail consultation closed in January.

The discussion on this is here, including lots about the Bletchley-Bedford section.

East-West Rail (EWR): Consultation updates [not speculation]

The consultation feedback analysis will normally be dealt with thematically (e.g. ‘trees’, ‘flooding’ and so on) and not by question or group of questions. Thanks, I see what you mean now!

www.railforums.co.uk

If you want more details on what was proposed, then go to chapter 7 of the consultation technical report.

Current plans are for a statutory consultation later this year. That is when there will be a further update, taking account of responses to the previous consultation.

 

[The exile]

I note "forms a critical part of the government’s mission to kickstart economic growth by unleashing the potential of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor", even though getting to Cambridge is many years away and Bicester - Milton Keynes was approaching completion by the time the present government came to power.

Well - it would be even odder if the government’s mission (whichever government) didn’t take into account something that was already committed to and about to come to fruition. Likewise, it would be short termism of the worst sort if a “mission” excluded anything that took more than 1 government term.

 

[RGM654]

Well - it would be even odder if the government’s mission (whichever government) didn’t take into account something that was already committed to and about to come to fruition. Likewise, it would be short termism of the worst sort if a “mission” excluded anything that took more than 1 government term.

True, but this is still the present government seeming to claim credit for one of the few good things the previous government did.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The only new station between Oxford and Bletchley is Winslow, which is presumably going to be staffed given they've constructed a fairly substantial building for it.

The only unstaffed station on the route is Islip, though that's been the case since at least 1989, when it reopened under Network SouthEast.

It isn't going to call at Islip, so that's that one solved.

Winslow is going to be staffed but presumably not 24/7. Bletchley is only staffed for part of the day. I've never seen the ramp used at Bletchley late at night to know who would do it (if anyone). Indeed the one time I can recall seeing it at all was on a Marston Vale train and the guard did it.

Is Chiltern to Oxford DOO? Either way that will give you your precedent I guess.

 

[THC]

True, but this is still the present government seeming to claim credit for one of the few good things the previous government did.

They all do it. Johnson when London Mayor was quick to take credit for the cycle hire scheme ("Boris Bikes") and the LO East London line northern extension, both of which were developed on predecessor Livingstone's watch. In any case, surely the credit for this reopening should be shared with the East West Rail Consortium of local authorities, who kept banging the drum for almost two decades before Government finally took notice.

THC

 

[Bletchleyite]

This hasn't been decided yet, the MD, on a Teams call today stated as much, and that talks about method of operation would be taking place with the relevant unions etc. Stressed that no decision had been made.

Presumably more delays if they find they have to recruit guards?

 

[ChooChooseMe]

Presumably more delays if they find they have to recruit guards?

I'm not sure there would be much of a delay, we've recently taken on quite a few new TM's and we have more coming through training school.

 

[DarloRich]

Winslow is going to be staffed but presumably not 24/7. Bletchley is only staffed for part of the day. I've never seen the ramp used at Bletchley late at night to know who would do it (if anyone). Indeed the one time I can recall seeing it at all was on a Marston Vale train and the guard did it.

i have never seen anyone BUT guards do ramps at Belthcley!

 

[Bletchleyite]

i have never seen anyone BUT guards do ramps at Belthcley!

Thanks. Very rare to see the ramp used there at all. Not sure why - the station has lifts (except P6, but if you request assistance on the Marston Vale they make sure they put the relevant train in 5 instead even if it gets in the way a bit and needs shunting over). Perhaps wheelchair users prefer MKC, though it's odd as to why - the disabled parking at BLY is much closer to the entrance than MKC.

 

[DarloRich]

Thanks. Very rare to see the ramp used there at all. Not sure why - the station has lifts (except P6, but if you request assistance on the Marston Vale they make sure they put the relevant train in 5 instead even if it gets in the way a bit and needs shunting over). Perhaps wheelchair users prefer MKC, though it's odd as to why - the disabled parking at BLY is much closer to the entrance than MKC.

Do/Could assistance/platform staff pop down from MKC to help out if prebooked?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Do/Could assistance/platform staff pop down from MKC to help out if prebooked?

Who does assistance on WMT services at MKC, or is it the guard? Certainly WMT services are guard dispatched, the only dispatchers are Avanti.