Chiltern's plan to re-open BMW line to passenger traffic

[HarleyDavidson]

I always thought Oxford was one of the few places away from 4 track areas where freight trains actually overtake passenger trains frequently.

Have you been on the grog or sniffing something strange?

 

[D1009]

Have you been on the grog or sniffing something strange?

As it happens I am enjoying a pint while reading your post

When there is disruption, there is often a queue of passenger and freight trains approaching Oxford. If it occurs that there is a freight immediately following a Paddington - Worcester HST, then it's certainly not unheard of for the freight to overtake the HST while it is at the platform, as this will reduce overall delay.

 

[The Planner]

Does the HST stop at Diddlycot? If not then its still going to catch the freight by Didcot North.

 

[D1009]

Does the HST stop at Diddlycot? If not then its still going to catch the freight by Didcot North.

I meant in the down direction with the HST heading towards Worcester, in fact in the days of the Didcot coal traffic I'm sure one of the empties was booked to do this in the evening peak!

 

[mr_jrt]

Here's a rough diagram of what I was talking about earlier. Consider it a homage to Mark Townend's great diagrams.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

That's a rough diagram? Looks pretty professional to me.

 

[route:oxford]

Here's a rough diagram of what I was talking about earlier. Consider it a homage to Mark Townend's great diagrams.

Isn't there an aspiration for Network Rail to build a flying junction at Oxford North leading to the Bicester Line?

I'm sure I read about it somewhere recently.

 

[The Planner]

I am trying to visualise that as it doesnt make sense to me, the current down platform 2 is on the DPL (which is being extended up towards Wolvercote) and the current plan is to put a loop behind that for another down platform. You have extended the DGL/No1 reception at Hinksey up to make your recess loop which would join the new down loop platform? That would mean your up recess loop would already be there as the current D/UPL as you have slewed all the lines over, it doesnt read quite right to me, unless you have binned the new down loop platform.

 

[jimm]

The Planner is quite right about how various things line up in reality, as against a nice neat computer diagram. And trains can cross from the down loop on to the Bicester line at the junction.

There just isn't the space available on that site to have six through platforms. You might at a pinch get five, with two islands and a single face, but three islands is not going to happen. And the connections into the stabling sidings from the north end were removed a few years ago.

With the projected increases in container traffic to and from Southampton, I'm of the view that keeping freight through roads, to keep Freightliners going at full tilt well away from passengers of a nervous disposition, are a pretty good idea.

As I've said back up the thread, the draft Western Route Strategy highlights concerns about capacity between Oxford North and Didcot from 2019 anyway, with what is already expected to be running then, never mind Cowley services, with quadruple track and flyovers at Oxford North and Didcot expressly mentioned as potential solutions.

 

[MarkyT]

Seeing as this was getting bit infrastructure focused I have started a new Oxford thread here:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1965792
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Here's a rough diagram of what I was talking about earlier.

Great diagram mr_jrt. Unfortunately the layout it illustrates probably wouldn't work very well in my opinion.

 

[mr_jrt]

Cheers Mark, I've stuck my comments on that thread.

Seeing as this was getting bit infrastructure focused I have started a new Oxford thread here:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1965792