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

[zwk500]

Is it as simple as driver recruitment, often is. Especially requiring a 2tph service all week, even Sundays.

It’s pretty weird though, admittedly.

Out of interest, is there any public statement of this from DfT/EWR co/Chiltern?

 

[Nottingham59]

Out of interest, is there any public statement of this from DfT/EWR co/Chiltern?

I'm not surprised. It took ORR around six months after completion to allow the perfectly workable and safe new platform at Market Harborough to be brought into service when the line was straightened there.

If there's not enough drivers for a 2tph service, then start with a 1tph weekday service tomorrow instead.

 

[zwk500]

I'm not surprised. It took ORR around six months after completion to allow the perfectly workable and safe new platform at Market Harborough to be brought into service when the line was straightened there.

I'm not surprised either, but there's an accountability principle here given the scale of public investment. One obvious question is 'were Chiltern able to begin recruitment of drivers in a timely manner, and if not why not?'.

The obfuscation around the delay in operation suggests that the DfT would really rather not have to answer such questions, which makes it all the more important that they are made to do so.

If there's not enough drivers for a 2tph service, then start with a 1tph weekday service tomorrow instead.

That depends if there's enough drivers for a 1tph service all-day, and whether doing so would further slow down the introduction of the 2tph service as there's now a service to run instead of training all the drivers. But yes, if a 1tph trial service could be run, it is very much getting into the stage of get on with it!

 

[Bletchleyite]

That depends if there's enough drivers for a 1tph service all-day, and whether doing so would further slow down the introduction of the 2tph service as there's now a service to run instead of training all the drivers. But yes, if a 1tph trial service could be run, it is very much getting into the stage of get on with it!

Similarly if any stations aren't ready, just miss them out.

Even a couple of train pairs a day would be a good start.

I fear one of the issues may be the need to have a DOO debate with the unions - I don't think that has been had yet but it is notable that the new Chiltern Bletchley train crew depot has no guards...

 

[CyrusWuff]

Similarly if any stations aren't ready, just miss them out.

There's effectively only one new station, which is Winslow.

Bletchley High Level is connected to the rest of the station by an extension to the footbridge and EWR trains will use Platform 2a at Milton Keynes Central.

 

[Sun Chariot]

There's effectively only one new station, which is Winslow.

Is Newton Longville's construction off the agenda indefinitely now? Or merely kicked into "very long grass"
The sight of skewed eastbound track and the island platform "footprint", looks so incongruous.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is Newton Longville's construction off the agenda indefinitely now? Or merely kicked into "very long grass"
The sight of skewed eastbound track and the island platform "footprint", looks so incongruous.

Aside from as a park and ride into Milton Keynes (for which 2tph isn't going to be a lot of use, really) I'm not sure what purpose it would serve, being a good kilometre from the nearest point of the village and on an unlit rural road with no pavement on which it would be absolutely horrible to walk. Anyone getting in the car (or on their e-bike*) to go there could just as easily go to Bletchley.

Do we know the splaying of the lines is for an island platform and not just because of how the bridge supports are located? Surely the station would have had side platforms as per Winslow.

Was NL ever even part of the proposals?

* There's a whacking great hill between there and Bletchley station, on Buckingham Road, which I have cycled up a few times but never enjoyed it!

 

[DavidGrain]

We were told in August last year that drivers were being recruited and trained. The trains have been ready, I think, since the end of last year.
This thread

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

was started in October last year

 

[zwk500]

Do we know the splaying of the lines is for an island platform and not just because of how the bridge supports are located? Surely the station would have had side platforms as per Winslow.

There was certainly one bridge where the tracks splayed to take advantage of a second arch for gauge clearance purposes. Is it this one?

 

[Bletchleyite]

There was certainly one bridge where the tracks splayed to take advantage of a second arch for gauge clearance purposes. Is it this one?

I guess it must be.

It's not even a logical location for a NL station - the road leading to Bletchley would be better as it would also serve west Bletchley and has a pavement on the road between there and NL. But I'm not aware of it having ever been proposed to build one for NL other than in very early discussions. In the end due to the railway's distance to the village it's little more use than Swanbourne (about a mile from the village) would have been.

 

[swt_passenger]

Aside from as a park and ride into Milton Keynes (for which 2tph isn't going to be a lot of use, really) I'm not sure what purpose it would serve, being a good kilometre from the nearest point of the village. Anyone getting in the car (or on their e-bike*) to go there could just as easily go to Bletchley.

Do we know the splaying of the lines is for an island platform and not just because of how the bridge supports are located? Surely the station would have had side platforms as per Winslow.

* There's a whacking great hill between there and Bletchley station, on Buckingham Road, which I have cycled up a few times but never enjoyed it!

IIRC by the time of the TWA order application there was no mention of a station at Newton Longville, I reckon it’s one of those suggestions that didn’t make it through the early sift of options.

I think a discussion in the construction thread a couple of years ago agreed the site of the obvious track splay is definitely to make use of the additional arch, that had been modified years ago for entry into the adjacent WW2 Swanbourne sidings.

 

[Sun Chariot]

There was certainly one bridge where the tracks splayed to take advantage of a second arch for gauge clearance purposes. Is it this one?

Probably, becuase it has the three full arches (legacy of WW2 sidings?) and each running line passes through the middle of a single arch.
@Bletchleyite the attached photo shows what I inferred as a "platform footprint". It might of course be pure coincidence.

Edit: @swt_passenger has replied already.

 

[swt_passenger]

Probably, becuase it has the three full arches (legacy of WW2 sidings?) and each running line passes through the middle of a single arch.
@Bletchleyite the attached photo shows what I inferred as a "platform footprint". It might of course be pure coincidence.

Edit: @swt_passenger has replied already.

There were only two fully usable arches, the two tracks of the line used the centre arch as is typical elsewhere. @Nottingham59 linked to a 1950s OS Map here:

East-West Rail (EWR): Oxford-Bletchley construction progress

I'm conscious the EWR route construction topic has finished. This post is actually a question to the wise, as I haven't found an answer via Internet searches. A couple of days ago, I scouted out a road overbridge just north of Whaddon village, about 2 miles west of Bletchley. I'd missed that...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[norbitonflyer]

This is of course the issue - no one is actually being caused any inconvenience by the continued lack of something that hasn’t existed for 60-odd years, other , I suppose than anyone who has moved or changed jobs of the basis that trains would be running by now. That’ll be a fairly small cohort.

Plus anyone who, for any reason, needs to travel between Oxford and Milton Keynes - even once- between now and when the line opens.
Or Northampton to Bicester
Or Winslow to anywhere

 

[cle]

I suppose Winslow people (all three of them) must be chomping at the bit. But it's a fair position - nobody uses EWR for their daily life as yet.

But yes, I think we can all agree we want to see it start up asap, and grow.

 

[A S Leib]

Hopefully they'll be busy enough from Winslow, Bletchley and Milton Keynes, but passengers between Oxford, Parkway, Islip and Bicester would presumably appreciate the extra 2tph.

 

[Sun Chariot]

There were only two fully usable arches, the two tracks of the line used the centre arch.

In the 1950s, yes, but not in its remodelled form. Post #552 photo taken April this year - and forum member Sqwizz has posted at least one photo of the bridge that shows each line passing under separate arches.

 

[Farigiraf]

Hopefully they'll be busy enough from Winslow, Bletchley and Milton Keynes, but passengers between Oxford, Parkway, Islip and Bicester would presumably appreciate the extra 2tph.

Besides possibly a few peak time calls, Islip won't receive any EWR services. If a service increase is wanted, then calling the 2nd Marylebone-Oxford there every hour rather than every 2 hours would be the obvious decision rather than EWR, so I doubt it will get any regular trains towards Bletchley in the future either. Oxford-Bicester increasing to 4tph will certainly be useful for many people including tourists. With only 2 car trains however, I doubt the Oxford-MKs will be able to carry much more than just Oxford-MK passengers most of the time.

 

[swt_passenger]

In the 1950s, yes, but not in its remodelled form. Post #552 photo taken April this year - and forum member Sqwizz has posted at least one photo of the bridge that shows each line passing under separate arches.

I know, and if you go back to the infrastructure thread via the earlier link, and read on therein, I posted the TWA drawing showing that the intention was to use the two separate arches. My intention above was only to note that the third arch on the south side was not actually usable (we had assumed that only the north side arch had been modified to full depth and possibly underpinned.

 

[The Planner]

I suppose Winslow people (all three of them) must be chomping at the bit. But it's a fair position - nobody uses EWR for their daily life as yet.

But yes, I think we can all agree we want to see it start up asap, and grow.

Winslow will be a park and ride in effect, especially for Buckingham. It will attract decent usage.

 

[LordFlashheart]

I suppose Winslow people (all three of them) must be chomping at the bit. But it's a fair position - nobody uses EWR for their daily life as yet.

But yes, I think we can all agree we want to see it start up asap, and grow.

Lot more than three! The concern is that a two carriage train will not be sufficient. Much local debate about car parking costs and the town being gridlocked by parking in side streets. Everyone wondering why its taking so long to get it opened. But as Chiltern are involved it shouldn't have come as a surprise

 

[DarloRich]

I've just emailed mine, Emily Darlington MP for Central MK, to ask what she can find out.

I have contacted my MP, Callum Anderson, to ask the same question.

Emily used to be my local councillor and was always very responsive.

I suppose Winslow people (all three of them) must be chomping at the bit.

Hmmmmmm. I think you might want to count again. it is a very popular and affluent village/small town for MK commuters and for the Buckingham area and will only get bigger with all of the building work going on there.

I know several people who have moved there because of the station. They currently drive to MK and might not move to the train due to the delays.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Hmmmmmm. I think you might want to count again. it is a very popular and affluent village/small town for MK commuters and for the Buckingham area and will only get bigger with all of the building work going on there.

I know several people who have moved there because of the station. They currently drive to MK and might not move to the train due to the delays.

My expectation is that Winslow will become another Bicester and effectively be completely transformed* into a sort of new town with significant building and expansion, primarily aimed at Oxford commuters but also some to MK. The station is presently on its northern edge, I'd see it likely as being more in the middle of town before very long. (It doesn't have much of a town centre but I'd expect one to be developed). After all, Bicester was a fairly small market town (maybe Newport Pagnell sized at most) until perhaps 25 years ago and is now pretty big.

My suspicion is that they're going to have to go looking for some more units to make everything 4 car before very long, and that before much longer after that there will be huge regret at not having built it all to 8 car or even 12.

I would think the effect on Buckingham will be smaller - there may be a switch from using the X5 (grim now it's just used urban buses) to driving to Winslow and going by train, but I suspect a lot of people who already go to Oxford will just continue driving to Peartree Park and Ride as the best value option. I can't see very many driving to Winslow to get to MK, though no doubt some will as A421 traffic can be a bit unpleasant in the peaks.

* Not necessarily in a good way; it's a bit run down in the centre these days and has lost most of its charm.

 

[A S Leib]

My suspicion is that they're going to have to go looking for some more units to make everything 4 car before very long,

The Northumberland line took less than eight months to more or less reach that stage, and I'd be surprised if EWR passenger numbers are much lower.

 

[DarloRich]

My expectation is that Winslow will become another Bicester and effectively be completely transformed* into a sort of new town with significant building and expansion, primarily aimed at Oxford commuters but also some to MK

agreed - however there are quite a few people I know moving out that way from MK - they are at a stage in life where they are moving from perhaps thier first home/first married home to a family home in a nice area.

I might join them! ( but cant really afford Winslow!)

 

[zwk500]

My expectation is that Winslow will become another Bicester and effectively be completely transformed* into a sort of new town with significant building and expansion, primarily aimed at Oxford commuters but also some to MK. The station is presently on its northern edge, I'd see it likely as being more in the middle of town before very long. (It doesn't have much of a town centre but I'd expect one to be developed). After all, Bicester was a fairly small market town (maybe Newport Pagnell sized at most) until perhaps 25 years ago and is now pretty big.

My suspicion is that they're going to have to go looking for some more units to make everything 4 car before very long, and that before much longer after that there will be huge regret at not having built it all to 8 car or even 12.

I would think the effect on Buckingham will be smaller - there may be a switch from using the X5 (grim now it's just used urban buses) to driving to Winslow and going by train, but I suspect a lot of people who already go to Oxford will just continue driving to Peartree Park and Ride as the best value option. I can't see very many driving to Winslow to get to MK, though no doubt some will as A421 traffic can be a bit unpleasant in the peaks.

* Not necessarily in a good way; it's a bit run down in the centre these days and has lost most of its charm.

Agree with all of this, although I think 4/5 car will be fine until the Marston Vale upgrades have been completed, and beyond that there's a limit from platform 2A and MKC. By the time extensions to 8- or 12-cars are needed, it'll be sufficiently far down the line that it wouldn't have saved much to have built longer platforms from the off.

I suspect the bit they will regret the most is not making sure the line was fully electrification-ready from the off.

 

[djox]

although I think 4/5 car will be fine until the Marston Vale upgrades have been completed

You maybe disappointed as I don't think they'll even be 4 cars, the plan is 6x 2car Class 196 to run Oxford to MK.

First passenger train covers East West Rail as'196' tests also get under way

A charter train has run along EWR which is due to open to regular traffic later this year.

www.railmagazine.com

Extract from Rail magazine about Class 196 from WMT
".... for use by Chiltern Railways on the route have also appeared as part of the driver training programme.
Three two-car units,.....
.... A total of six units are being sub-leased..."

 

[swt_passenger]

The Northumberland line took less than eight months to more or less reach that stage, and I'd be surprised if EWR passenger numbers are much lower.

I appreciate numbers there are up on predictions, but I don’t think that alone guarantees they’ll be able to suddenly increase to four cars. Politicians saying they’re needed doesn’t seem to have a strong track record in changing allocations or leases.

AIUI they’ve used 4 cars on some Sundays, but with only an hourly timetable that doesn’t need extra rolling stock, just more use of what stock they have.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The problem with EWR is that the only stock that is suitable (assuming it is run DOO) is the 196.

If guards are or can be used (perhaps from Chiltern's existing pool) then 168s become an option (they are certainly cleared for it - they were used on the early test runs). Chiltern has a fairly large DMU fleet and scope to shuffle it about as they need to, but with there being no DOO mirrors or platform screens it can't just drop in directly.

 

[zwk500]

You maybe disappointed as I don't think they'll even be 4 cars, the plan is 6x 2car Class 196 to run Oxford to MK.

First passenger train covers East West Rail as'196' tests also get under way

A charter train has run along EWR which is due to open to regular traffic later this year.

www.railmagazine.com

Extract from Rail magazine about Class 196 from WMT
".... for use by Chiltern Railways on the route have also appeared as part of the driver training programme.
Three two-car units,.....
.... A total of six units are being sub-leased..."

I knew they were starting as 2-car, I was talking about even when they're first lengthened, they'll be fine at 4/5 cars for a while.