midlandred
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So, when does the service start - 25th or 26th?
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Cherry_Picker
Established Member
Tomorrow (Sunday) according to this. There is an 07:13 bus from Oxford to Oxford Parkway which will connect with the 07:49 to Marylebone.
Andyjs247
Member
All the publicity refers to services starting on the 26th, ie Monday.
But, looking at Realtime Trains or Opentraintimes however shows what appears to be a full service running tomorrow, beginning with the 0749 from Oxford Parkway. It could all be a dress rehearsal (at least that was my initial thought) however I now think trains will be in service. Querying the Chiltern Railways App will now sell me a ticket tomorrow for BIT-OXP.
No trains tomorrow between Banbury and Leamington so there's now a special timetable on the website for Sunday 25 covering Marylebone, High Wycombe, Oxford, Banbury, Stratford and Birmingham. Bus connection at Bicester Village
for Banbury and Leamington out of the 0735 MYB-OXP which seems to be the first service in to OXP.Also a note stating on the website that some online systems are showing no trains running. Seems like a cock up somewhere.
All the publicity refers to services starting on the 26th, ie Monday.
But, looking at Realtime Trains or Opentraintimes however shows what appears to be a full service running tomorrow, beginning with the 0749 from Oxford Parkway. It could all be a dress rehearsal (at least that was my initial thought) however I now think trains will be in service. Querying the Chiltern Railways App will now sell me a ticket tomorrow for BIT-OXP.
No trains tomorrow between Banbury and Leamington so there's now a special timetable on the website for Sunday 25 covering Marylebone, High Wycombe, Oxford, Banbury, Stratford and Birmingham. Bus connection at Bicester Village
Also a note stating on the website that some online systems are showing no trains running. Seems like a cock up somewhere.
They are probably hoping to avoid repeat of the Mainline timetable launch day in September 2011, where the signalling did indeed break on the Monday morning, with disruption lasting the rest of the day. So if there are problems, a nice soft launch on a Sunday will allow them to dismiss any issues as teething trouble - and all with the media distracted by previous announcements of the 26th as the big day and the issue of invites for Monday morning.
PS Oxfordblues, things do go wrong in Chilternland. Do the Harbury landslip (six-week closure), Gerrards Cross tunnel collapse (two-month closure), Marylebone relay room fire last year, a total signal failure south of Banbury early one morning in May this year or an inflammable Class 68 yesterday ring any bells? I can't recall any GW signal failure bringing services to a halt for two months...
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All the publicity refers to services starting on the 26th, ie Monday.
But, looking at Realtime Trains or Opentraintimes however shows what appears to be a full service running tomorrow, beginning with the 0749 from Oxford Parkway. It could all be a dress rehearsal (at least that was my initial thought) however I now think trains will be in service. Querying the Chiltern Railways App will now sell me a ticket tomorrow for BIT-OXP.
No trains tomorrow between Banbury and Leamington so there's now a special timetable on the website for Sunday 25 covering Marylebone, High Wycombe, Oxford, Banbury, Stratford and Birmingham. Bus connection at Bicester Village
Also a note stating on the website that some online systems are showing no trains running. Seems like a cock up somewhere.
The reason for the publicity stating that the luanch date is monday 26th is because up till thursday 22nd network rail hadn't givin Chiltern the green light to operate the service on sunday 25th.
julianblack
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On a slightly different topic, does anyone know whether the line up to Bicester Village is to be re-included in the Oxfordshire Day Ranger upon the section to Oxford reopens?
I've always been confused by the omission of Bicester North to Banbury in the day ranger.
I've always been confused by the omission of Bicester North to Banbury in the day ranger.
No idea, but you'd probably need to ask GWR, because it's their ticket. Which is also why it did not include Banbury-Bicester North, as its introduction dates back to the time when FGW operated the Oxford-Bicester Town service. They probably didn't think anyone would be likely to ever use it for Banbury-Bicester, so confining it to their own routes made things neat and tidy.
Chiltern probably didn't see any point altering validity when it ran the Oxford-Bicester trains in the interim period until the branch closed for rebuilding, but it has not allowed this ranger or other GWR offers previously valid to Bicester Town on the replacement buses.
Chiltern don't seem to like rover-type tickets anyway, so I'd be surprised if they are that bothered about reinstatement of acceptance, never mind extending it to Banbury-Bicester North, or even Haddenham & Thame, which is sort of an Oxfordshire station. That said, GWR won't let you use it to reach one of their own Oxfordshire stations, in the shape of Henley...
julianblack
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But Chiltern provide services covered by the West Midlands Day Ranger.
But there is no legislation that states TOCs have to operate logically.
But there is no legislation that states TOCs have to operate logically.
MK Tom
Established Member
Nationalrail are showing a full service tomorrow. I'll be going along to ride it in the mid afternoon, from Oxford Parkway to Haddenham and Thame Parkway and return parkway parkway.
What I was really driving at is that Chiltern does not bother to offer any rover tickets of its own, despite its fairly extensive operating area, and the only ones you can use on its services are longstanding 'legacy' ones, like the national rovers, the Heart of England tickets which also date back to BR and the West Midlands Ranger, which is a Centro product. So I can't see it being too fussed about offering GWR-controlled tickets for what would likely be pretty modest returns.
168218 and 168110 forming the first train from Oxford Parkway this morning - 1Y03 0749 Oxford Parkway to London Marylebone.
Ticket machines set with the wrong fares with regard to Chiltern line destinations for the time being.
Plenty of 'first train' enthusiasts looking for an out and back trip to Haddenham & Thame Parkway.
RobLawrence
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Myself included. Writing this post on board the return trip in fact: the first scheduled arrival from Marylebone to Bicester Village, Islip and Oxford Parkway. And it's much busier than I suspect it will be normally!
Impressive amount of Chiltern staff in attendance on the first train out today, including the Chiltern MD who was very happy to chat. A good day for the railway.
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To add to the issues with ticket machines, there seem to be some problems with information on Chiltern's website. While the online departures board for Bicester 'Village' is working, selecting Oxford Parkway brings up a blank page. And while Bicester 'Village' is used as a headline link, if you call up the running details of an individual train, this is what you get...
Which won't confuse the Chinese shoppers at all...
National Rail, on the other hand, seem to have got everything sorted out, with all the departure boards running and the right station names displayed.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Report on today's start of services and a picture of a Class 68 and Mk3s at Oxford Parkway on the Oxford Mail website.
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/13...ard_the_first_trains_to_leave_Oxford_Parkway/
Which won't confuse the Chinese shoppers at all...
National Rail, on the other hand, seem to have got everything sorted out, with all the departure boards running and the right station names displayed.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Report on today's start of services and a picture of a Class 68 and Mk3s at Oxford Parkway on the Oxford Mail website.
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/13...ard_the_first_trains_to_leave_Oxford_Parkway/
Oxfordblues
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A ride today from Oxford Parkway produced a few minor snagging items. There are three ticket machines on the concourse but no booking office. The ticket machines did not issue privilege-rate tickets (quarter-fare) and the help desk staff did not appear to understand what "privilege" meant. So I paid the full fare!
Our train departed from Platform 2 requiring crossing the bridge even though Platform 1 was unoccupied. But the doors of one of the lifts would not close and on our return both lifts were out of order requiring us to carry our bikes up and down the stairs both times.
But punctuality was good and overall it's a very impressive new railway. How the 07:24 loco-hauled "club-train"runs tomorrow morning will be the crunch!
Our train departed from Platform 2 requiring crossing the bridge even though Platform 1 was unoccupied. But the doors of one of the lifts would not close and on our return both lifts were out of order requiring us to carry our bikes up and down the stairs both times.
But punctuality was good and overall it's a very impressive new railway. How the 07:24 loco-hauled "club-train"runs tomorrow morning will be the crunch!
I also visited today but other commitments ruled out travelling. Very pleasant meet and greet Chiltern staff out early on a Sunday. 168001 formed the 09.04 to Marylebone. I could not see any car parking ticket machines in the car park area. There were a couple adjacent to the station building I think. I may be mistaken but if you are parked at the far end of the car park it could be a trek to get a ticket.
The Planner
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You can't turn back in 1 without going bi di all the way to Bicester I thought?
midlandred
Member
Didn't make it for the first run, but here are my photos from a visit to Bicester Village (ugh) Station and a return trip to Oxford Parkway
route:oxford
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Is Water Eaton different from Thornhill?
At Thornhill, you just go to the machine, type in the last 3 digits of your numberplate, pick the photo of your car from the screen, pay for the required time - then stick the receipt in your pocket and walk away.
Note that none of these staff can actually sell you a ticket. I know this because I was in the assessment for booking office roles elsewhere with Chiltern, at the same time as these roles were being recruited for. And it was made quite clear that ticket selling was not in the job description. So quite why they bother having application forms for railcards they can't sell you on the counter is beyond me. :roll:
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That's correct. I'm told by a reliable correspondent that almost all trains will use platform 2; the only exception being the 0724 M-F departure, which will use platform 1 and run "wrong road" to Gavray Junction.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I'm going down for this tomorrow morning, on the 1208 (or was it 1213?) departure from Oxford Parkway. I assumed Bicester Village was a new station, or at the very least a renamed Bicester Town. I wonder what my ticket will show in the morning when I pick it up at the TVM?
Why pick it up from a TVM? Hereford don't have the best rep for finding what you're actually after, certainly the Arriva Attitude is well in force...
I'm kinda hoping the +3 I was seeing this morning will work at Haddenham and Thame Parkway, otherwise it'll be a long wait at a boring station!
Full comments on the new line will feature in the trip report that I intend to post tomorrow night, but I'll try and post the relevant bit in this thread too.
Why pick it up from a TVM? Hereford don't have the best rep for finding what you're actually after, certainly the Arriva Attitude is well in force...
I'm kinda hoping the +3 I was seeing this morning will work at Haddenham and Thame Parkway, otherwise it'll be a long wait at a boring station!
Full comments on the new line will feature in the trip report that I intend to post tomorrow night, but I'll try and post the relevant bit in this thread too.
Bicester Village is a new station replacing Bicester Town and a little closer to Oxford such that it has an exit straight into the complex from the London-bound platform.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Ahhh, so it will be a brand new shack score! Cheers for the clarification on the situation.
Anyone else on the 1213 off Oxford Parkway (or indeed the 1143 bus from Oxford), feel free to say hi!
Anyone else on the 1213 off Oxford Parkway (or indeed the 1143 bus from Oxford), feel free to say hi!
TheNewNo2
Member
I was unfortunately too ill to go, and more likely I'll do it once they run into Oxford.
As for why it started on Sunday, pretty much everything starts on Sundays, it's the first day of the railway week, we just don't always announce it.
It rather surprises me that the service started today though, rather than last week which would be the start of 2015-P08.
As for why it started on Sunday, pretty much everything starts on Sundays, it's the first day of the railway week, we just don't always announce it.
It rather surprises me that the service started today though, rather than last week which would be the start of 2015-P08.
Andyjs247
Member
Not really. The station is in the same place as it always was. The shopping outlet built a car park in what was railway land, where there was a coal merchant and reclaim yard not so long ago. However, the Down (Marylebone bound) platform of the rebuilt station is now closer to Oxford - due to AIUI the proximity of the level crossing. Unless the platform was moved, current standards would mean a train could not enter the platform without the crossing being closed.
So the new, longer, down platform extends back sufficiently that part is next to the BV outlet car park - they have a separate gate line and entrance to what appears to be a lounge area for "Guest Services".
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swt_passenger
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I doubt there's a TVM anywhere that sells priv discounted tickets, they probably assume it would be too much of a temptation for people not entitled.
It shouldn't be seen as a problem specific to this station.
As far as I am aware no TVMs sell PRIV rate fares.
Cherry_Picker
Established Member
Thanks for those, I really enjoyed looking at them. I'm quite impressed with the new stations, didn't realise you'd be able to walk directly from the platform into the shopping centre at Bicester Village. Those plastic signals make me smile though, I know they are quickly becoming an industry standard but they look so flimsy!
OK - technically Bicester Village station is regarded (in the Engineer's Line Reference) to be six chains nearer Oxford than the former Bicester Town station but that may be simply because of the longer platform and, as you say, the movement of the platform for the crossing. Thank you for the clarification.
http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/ELRs/_mileages/O/OXD.txt
My original comment was based on a recollection that the stopping point for Bicester Town was slightly beyond the car park but I may be wrong. Certainly the place the replacement bus went to was beyond the car park towards the London Road.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...0x4876c32cd3273725:0xb3ce1aea8934b1a1!6m1!1e1
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