Chiltern Oxford Link completed

[The Ham]

I think Gatwick have announced their intention to pester the industry to run trains from Oxford-Gatwick. They won't be running them themselves, and I don't suppose they will help to pay for them. If they do happen, it will be via reading as an extension of the existing North downs service.

It then leads to the slightly off topic of does this then make it even more likely that the gaps in the electrification on the North Downs Line will be electrified? As it would remove the need for a lot of under wire running.

 

[tsr]

It then leads to the slightly off topic of does this then make it even more likely that the gaps in the electrification on the North Downs Line will be electrified? As it would remove the need for a lot of under wire running.

Bald Rick will probably have better knowledge of this than I do, but I'd imagine any current ideas might not mandate electrification if they only involve an extension of services from Reading to Oxford (and not beyond), bearing in mind that stretch of line is not electrified yet, and does not constitute the core of either current or short-term future traffic on the NDL, in any case.

 

[davetheguard]

Thames Trains used to run trains from Oxford to Gatwick via Reading (via the North Downs Line with a reversal at Redhill) during the 90's. Surely that way again makes more logical sense.

Yes, they did: very early in the morning & very late at night. There was even a through Turbo to Three Bridges once a day. I think they wanted to run a regular hourly service Oxford - Reading - Gatwick Airport. But the paths weren't available across the Western Main Line to Spur Junction on the Southern, so it didn't happen.

But with Reading station rebuilt and the dive-under from the north side of the formation to the Southern now re-instated, perhaps it would now be possible?

 

[starlightEXPRESS]

But with Reading station rebuilt and the dive-under from the north side of the formation to the Southern now re-instated, perhaps it would now be possible?

I could imagine trains from Gatwick getting as far as Didcot (since the GWML is four tracked between RDG and DID), but surely a continuation to Oxford would involve too much risk of importing delays from Redhill and Guildford into GW territory.

 

[The Ham]

I could imagine trains from Gatwick getting as far as Didcot (since the GWML is four tracked between RDG and DID), but surely a continuation to Oxford would involve too much risk of importing delays from Redhill and Guildford into GW territory.

It depends on how much dwell time they add in at Reading, if it stops at Reading for (say) 5 minutes it still is an improvement on having to change trains but allows for a short delay elsewhere and still be able to leave Reading on time or within a few minutes.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Bald Rick will probably have better knowledge of this than I do, but I'd imagine any current ideas might not mandate electrification if they only involve an extension of services from Reading to Oxford (and not beyond), bearing in mind that stretch of line is not electrified yet, and does not constitute the core of either current or short-term future traffic on the NDL, in any case.

I am aware that it is not planned to be electrified in CP5, it was more a case of if you are running diesel services on already electrified sections (Oxford to Wokingham and Ash to Guildford and Redhill to Gatwick) would that improve the likelihood of electrification by any significant amount.

Presumably it would depend on how frequent such a service was. Once or twice a day and it will have little or no impact, twice and hour and the case would be very strong.

 

[cle]

With two different types of electrification on the route, staying diesel makes the most sense for the time being. Plus they could run longer trains with some of the Turbos to be released.

I'd rather they run a much faster, regular service which was established:
Oxford - Didcot - Reading - Wokingham - Guildford - Redhill - Gatwick

and add an additional frequency to cover dropped calls at Farnborough, North Camp, Dorking etc with the spare Turbos. The line has a lot more potential I think.

 

[edwin_m]

Electrifying the remaining bits of Reading-Gatwick would allow 319s to be used (in current dual-voltage configuration, excuse the pun). Along with the GW branch lines this could make up a worthwhile fleet size of 319s to be based in the Reading area, even though the main line services probably need something faster.

 

[midlandred]

I have put together a gallery of photos taken this morning along the line from Langford Lane crossing to Mill Lane crossing - these photos will be transferred after a couple of weeks into their relative galleries!

Cheers

 

[dysonsphere]

I have put together a gallery of photos taken this morning along the line from Langford Lane crossing to Mill Lane crossing - these photos will be transferred after a couple of weeks into their relative galleries!

Cheers

Nice pix thx a few i didnt get but then I not local.

 

[RobLawrence]

Some pics from the Bicester Chord and its environs taken today and yesterday: Thursday 12 and Friday 13 June. Nothing like the spectacular brilliance of @midlandred's work, but they show some interesting activity and the pace of change nonetheless.

 

[L&Y Robert]

Had a look at Tubbs Lane BRIDGE this afternoon (Wed.18th), now fully open and in use (very busy pedestrian route, I noted). But it has been be-smearched already with grafitti on the nice new paint.
Did they forget to make provision for lighting? There is lighting of course, but the installation looks very much like an after-thought, the entire installation - light fittings and cables - is fixed to the balustrades by means of cable ties! Surely this is just temporary, until proper lights can be installed?

 

[route:oxford]

But it has been be-smearched already with grafitti on the nice new paint.

Is it general grafitti?

or

Anti-bridge activist grafitti?

 

[L&Y Robert]

Is it general grafitti?

or

Anti-bridge activist grafitti?

Well, I dunno, but it looked to be a general "Take that!" sort of daub. There were words, of a kind, not too well daubed tho'. All one Artist, I think.

 

[aylesbury2]

The bridge/walkway has just been featured on tonight's BBC Oxford News. It's definitely been reported on a significant number of times weekly.

 

[ironstone11]

The bridge/walkway has just been featured on tonight's BBC Oxford News. It's definitely been reported on a significant number of times weekly.

The programme can be seen on iPlayer for the next six days at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b046pcb1/bbc-oxford-news-18062014

 

[davetheguard]

Is it just me, or does the reaction by the Bicester nursery seem way over the top?

Network Rail seem to be offering options in an attempt to mitigate the problem, and the nursery are making to be threats to sue.....

Yes, the bridge is overscale and ugly, but has to be to meet the DDA legislation. Yes, people walking past might be able to look down through a fence and be able to see a playground from several meters away. Scarcely the end of the world is it?

 

[ironstone11]

Is it just me, or does the reaction by the Bicester nursery seem way over the top?

Yes, over the top, that was my feeling having heard the comments from the owners of the nursery.

In any case the nursery will probably be closed when the local trouble-makers are around.

 

[aylesbury2]

Yes, over the top, that was my feeling having heard the comments from the owners of the nursery.

In any case the nursery will probably be closed when the local trouble-makers are around.

I don't think it'll even be any sort of problem. Many visitors of Bicester are affluent tourists or visitors heading for Bicester Village.

Bicester is a very nice town and isn't exactly the crime hotspot of the UK!

 

[petersi]

I wander if its attempt for network rail to pay to expand the Business

The nursery preferred option

"The meeting was told the nursery’s favoured option was to build an extension on the other side of the building and change the overlooked area into a car park."

If privacy is so important why have they not put up a fence to stop passers by looking at classrooms nearest pavement (streetview)

 

[Buttsy]

My question is: 'Did they not look at the plans for the bridge?'

 

[FenMan]

With two different types of electrification on the route, staying diesel makes the most sense for the time being. Plus they could run longer trains with some of the Turbos to be released.

I'd rather they run a much faster, regular service which was established:
Oxford - Didcot - Reading - Wokingham - Guildford - Redhill - Gatwick

and add an additional frequency to cover dropped calls at Farnborough, North Camp, Dorking etc with the spare Turbos. The line has a lot more potential I think.

Sorry to continue the digression from the main thread ....

The push by Gatwick Airport for direct services to Oxford is a cheeky attempt to grab holidaymaker traffic away from Birmingham and Southampton Airports, both of which are just over an hour from Oxford by rail.

Even if capacity was available for additional trains to Gatwick via the North Downs - which there isn't at the Redhill end - the journey time would still be 1h 40m at best.

I doubt that users of Blackwater, North Camp and Dorking would take kindly to a service reduction to accommodate possible airport traffic from a small city more than 80 miles from Gatwick.

 

[ironstone11]

Sorry to continue the digression from the main thread ....

The push by Gatwick Airport for direct services to Oxford is a cheeky attempt .

This is definitely the wrong thread for this discussion.

This thread relates to Oxford - Bicester - Marylebone and East-West rail.

It would be better to start a new thread if you wish to duscuss Oxford - Reading - Gatwick.

 

[aylesbury2]

This is definitely the wrong thread for this discussion.

This thread relates to Oxford - Bicester - Marylebone and East-West rail.

It would be better to start a new thread if you wish to duscuss Oxford - Reading - Gatwick.

I'd quite like to know a bit more about the link, a new thread would be a great idea imo!

 

[RobLawrence]

The Colas / Network Rail ballast train has been in the vicinity of the Bicester chord this week. Locomotive 70809, only in the UK three weeks, was immediately visible from the London Road Crossing in Bicester on Wednesday approx 1830.

 

[tsr]

Even if capacity was available for additional trains to Gatwick via the North Downs - which there isn't at the Redhill end - the journey time would still be 1h 40m at best.

At the risk of continuing off-topic, I should briefly add that Redhill should be getting a new platform in the next few years, which is at least partially set to be used by reversing North Downs Line trains. Whether that is any good when combined with the same limited capacity at the junction South of the station is another matter.

 

[L&Y Robert]

I was over there at Bicester again yesterday, having a snoop round. Not a lot to report - they're plodding on with the formation of the new chord - it's all excavators and dumpers at work just now. A major hiccough seems to be a culvert which is having to be extended about half-way up the new ramp. But a new foot-bridge has appeared since my last snoop, although different in form it is certainly out of the same box as the Tubbs Lane bridge. This one carries the formerly severed footpath heading north-east from Gavray drive over the new chord - that's close to the Chiltern Main-line overbridge. It isn't open yet, though (25/09/2014).

 

[Andyjs247]

Not a lot to report - they're plodding on with the formation of the new chord - it's all excavators and dumpers at work just now. A major hiccough seems to be a culvert which is having to be extended about half-way up the new ramp. But a new foot-bridge has appeared since my last snoop, although different in form it is certainly out of the same box as the Tubbs Lane bridge. This one carries the formerly severed footpath heading north-east from Gavray drive over the new chord - that's close to the Chiltern Main-line overbridge.

After many weeks (months even) of not very much to see, laying the foundations so to speak, the formation of the chord is now clearly visible rising up from ground level to meet the Chiltern mainline.

I've managed to upload some photos to show the progress - most taken from Gavray drive looking east. The first 4 show the view from north (left) with the chord rising to the south.

In the last week or so I've seen lorries on top of the embankment at the level with of the Chiltern line. The culvert over the Langford Brook (which seemed to take so much time to complete) now carries the embankment above. The formation would appear to be substantially complete - or at least enough to allow lorries to reach the top.

As mentioned the new footbridge is now in place on footpath FP129/3 at Gavray Drive. This footpath is still closed - the closure notice extends to 31 October 2014 implying it should be open fairly soon though. (The path has been closed for over a year - the closure notice date having been extended at least twice previously). The new bridge can be seen in the first of the photos (taken last Friday 10/10/14) The bridge is a similar design to others around the country, including the one at Tubbs Lane. It arrived in sections on 22/23 September.

At Charbridge Lane (Bicester perimeter road) site access has been constructed beside bridge 23A on the Chiltern Line. The next 2 photos were taken here this afternoon (when the weather was more overcast so not particularly clear) showing the view looking north with the new embankment diverging from Bicester South Junction. Lastly one more photo taken today from close to the new footbridge looking south.

Incidentally, there don't appear to be any trains to/from MOD Bicester this week as there is 7 day working in the vicinity with a possession in place - see notice.

 

[ironstone11]

After many weeks (months even) of not very much to see, laying the foundations so to speak, the formation of the chord is now clearly visible rising up from ground level to meet the Chiltern mainline.

I have just discovered that there are timelapse videos taken at several of the worksites, here:- http://www.bicestertooxfordcollaboration.com/media.html

 

[midlandred]

Some updates to the line taken this morning

http://cliffjones.zenfolio.com/p958027368

 

[ironstone11]

Some updates to the line taken this morning

http://cliffjones.zenfolio.com/p958027368

Great pictures.

Many thanks for taking them and making them available.