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

[Robin Edwards]

Railway Touring Company advertising two steam charters over the new stretch - on 25th October and 1st November. Maybe we need the media to use the story that we can operate Steam between Oxford and Bletchley but not the 'new trains' sat in Tyseley

 

[Nicholas43]

That isn't comparable, they will just be running along there without any stops fitting in between whatever else is around.

I bet GWR (or, by then, GBR western division?) will be glad to have a train manager / guard on board if Bicester London Road level crossing is having another sulk, and they get held outside the station

 

[gallafent]

Railway Touring Company advertising two steam charters over the new stretch - on 25th October and 1st November. Maybe we need the media to use the story that we can operate Steam between Oxford and Bletchley but not the 'new trains' sat in Tyseley

Reminds me of what ASLEF stands for! Edit: (and indeed what continues to be displayed in its logo ...)

Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen

 

[williamn]

That isn't comparable, they will just be running along there without any stops fitting in between whatever else is around.

The amount of planning that’s gone into it (sufficient / clearly not enough) is what’s comparable, not the minutiae of what the activity is.

 

[DarloRich]

There should be a class 37 ( perhaps the 37/9) along E-W this afternoon working between Kidderminster & Leicester

 

[norbitonflyer]

That isn't comparable, they will just be running along there without any stops fitting in between whatever else is around.

There is only one stop on the new section anyway

 

[The Planner]

There is only one stop on the new section anyway

Two. Bletchley High Level.

 

[Mark24]

Are there any updates on when this line might open? December 2025 had been the suggested date for some time, but you still can’t book a ticket on this route yet.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are there any updates on when this line might open? December 2025 had been the suggested date for some time, but you still can’t book a ticket on this route yet.

I have seen rumours elsewhere (on a FB group primarily populated by staff and ex-staff) that it might be 6 months off. No word on whether they've agreed DOO, though they apparently have not yet looked at recruiting guards.

Maybe we need a speculative thread on when it might open as it looks like anyone's guess! What a spectacular waste of money.

 

[zwk500]

I have seen rumours elsewhere (on a FB group primarily populated by staff and ex-staff) that it might be 6 months off. No word on whether they've agreed DOO, though they apparently have not yet looked at recruiting guards.

Maybe we need a speculative thread on when it might open as it looks like anyone's guess! What a spectacular waste of money.

(Quote from the consultation thread but replied to in here for relevant content)

How much of this is the result of the Government's (or Governments'?) decision to delay naming the TOC? Were Chiltern notified much earlier than the official announcement so that they could begin looking at operation and staff recruitment, or were they forced to sit on their hands until the minister had made up their mind?

 

[The Planner]

(Quote from the consultation thread but replied to in here for relevant content)

How much of this is the result of the Government's (or Governments'?) decision to delay naming the TOC? Were Chiltern notified much earlier than the official announcement so that they could begin looking at operation and staff recruitment, or were they forced to sit on their hands until the minister had made up their mind?

They knew, it was one of the worst kept secrets ever, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had to wait.

 

[DavidGrain]

Back when the contract was last let, 2 or 3 years, ago Oxford - MKC was included in the Chiltern service specification.

 

[Robin Edwards]

196012 was doing runs between Oxford and MKC last week - fyi

 

[PLY2AYS]

196012 was doing runs between Oxford and MKC last week - fyi

Driver training is only being allowed by project management on the route Monday-Wednesday mornings, to allow a test train to run through on a Thursday and Friday morning.

When asked why driver training can’t occur in the same morning, the response was ‘that is too many trains and too much wear & tear/overuse of infrastructure on the line’ (paraphrased but that was the gist of their response) which seems ridiculous given their aspiration to run 2 tph in service.

 

[Bishopstone]

Driver training is only being allowed by project management on the route Monday-Wednesday mornings, to allow a test train to run through on a Thursday and Friday morning.

What runs on the line in the afternoons and evenings?

 

[PLY2AYS]

What runs on the line in the afternoons and evenings?

Great question… unaware of pathings for afternoons and evenings, but most likely freight. However, I imagine others will be able to provide more of an insight.

 

[DavidGrain]

This was the list of booked trains last Tuesday. I have shown the trains passing Winslow as it is a central point on the core of the route. I have no idea why the 196 ran in the dark but I assume that drivers have to pass out both in the dark and in daylight. You will notice several cancelations usually because there may not have been a need for the train that day. .

Realtime Trains | Departures from Winslow all day on 21/10/2025

Train information at Winslow all day on 21/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

and for last Thursday. This time Chiltern ran a 165

Realtime Trains | Departures from Winslow all day on 23/10/2025

Train information at Winslow all day on 23/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[BlueLeanie]

This was the list of booked trains last Tuesday. I have shown the trains passing Winslow as it is a central point on the core of the route. I have no idea why the 196 ran in the dark but I assume that drivers have to pass out both in the dark and in daylight. You will notice several cancelations usually because there may not have been a need for the train that day. .

Realtime Trains | Departures from Winslow all day on 21/10/2025

Train information at Winslow all day on 21/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

and for last Thursday. This time Chiltern ran a 165

Realtime Trains | Departures from Winslow all day on 23/10/2025

Train information at Winslow all day on 23/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

That's fascinating really.

So eight freight services using it on a single day, with paths for around 50% more.

Has this made a considerable difference to freight operators (and network planners), and with the benefit of hindsight, was it a massive mistake not to keep the section between Calvert and Bletchley open as a key freight route in the 1990s when it was mothballed?

 

[87015]

That's fascinating really.

So eight freight services using it on a single day, with paths for around 50% more.

Has this made a considerable difference to freight operators (and network planners), and with the benefit of hindsight, was it a massive mistake not to keep the section between Calvert and Bletchley open as a key freight route in the 1990s when it was mothballed?

Isn't that artifically inflated by overnight possessions between Oxford and Banbury this week, so its just a different workaround to previous. Daventry and Northampton Gateway for the actual traffic didn't exist when it was mothballed!

 

[The Planner]

That's fascinating really.

So eight freight services using it on a single day, with paths for around 50% more.

Has this made a considerable difference to freight operators (and network planners), and with the benefit of hindsight, was it a massive mistake not to keep the section between Calvert and Bletchley open as a key freight route in the 1990s when it was mothballed?

Its allowed possessions to be taken on the Oxford Leamington corridor on an increased basis. Access was limited before East West opened.

 

[Robin Edwards]

Most recent Bletchley (not MKC) - Oxford ecs shuttles have used Chiltern 165027

 

[cle]

It’s good for options, but isn't there a fair time penalty on what is a mostly 100mph railway? If 165s were used with passenger stops…

 

[andyjhatton]

I notice that Eddystone ran a charter through the line today. She looked to be steaming well.
Still no regular passenger service though.

 

[DavidGrain]

It’s good for options, but isn't there a fair time penalty on what is a mostly 100mph railway? If 165s were used with passenger stops…

The 165s are doing training runs. When we finally get a public service, it will be with 196s which should run at 100 mph.

 

[Nicholas43]

Maybe this thread could be retitled 'North-South freight-only line Bletchley-Gavray: speculation about passenger services' ?

 

[BlueLeanie]

Maybe this thread could be retitled 'North-South freight-only line Bletchley-Gavray: speculation about passenger services' ?

Two months until the Boxing Day sales at Bicester Village and Two months and one week to the first working day of 2026. It's a very poor show for the government and industry.

If the Government start negotiating now, they may come to some kind of arrangement as to who opens the doors at Littlemore and Blackbird Leys stations by 2033. The stations should be built and line upgraded by 2029.

 

[Class15]

Maybe this thread could be retitled 'North-South freight-only line Bletchley-Gavray: speculation about passenger services' ?

Inclined to agree with this actually! The lack of the ‘countdown’ is very noticeable!

 

[Robin Edwards]

Inclined to agree with this actually! The lack of the ‘countdown’ is very noticeable!

I think that Countdown Clock has been off-leased. Probably in a siding at Bicester or Long Marston..........

 

[fishwomp]

I think that Countdown Clock has been off-leased. Probably in a siding at Bicester or Long Marston..........

It's faulty - it's counting upwards.

This is one of those where the Transport Minister needs to knock heads, or preferably reads the riot act to the union (_if_ they are the only block now) and tells them who runs the railway. There will be compromises elsewhere to soften the feelings, that's how it always goes.. Right now, no-one is losing their job from this proposed DOO - just no-one is gaining a job.

If she can't do that, she should resign and let Starmer find someone who can.

 

[PLY2AYS]

It's faulty - it's counting upwards.

This is one of those where the Transport Minister needs to knock heads, or preferably reads the riot act to the union (_if_ they are the only block now) and tells them who runs the railway. There will be compromises elsewhere to soften the feelings, that's how it always goes.. Right now, no-one is losing their job from this proposed DOO - just no-one is gaining a job.

If she can't do that, she should resign and let Starmer find someone who can.

How do you propose to run DOO without trains capable of DOO and no supporting infrastructure?

Perhaps speaking to project management of EWR would be more beneficial since they’re saying that running test trains and route learning trains on the same day is ‘too much’