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

[Bletchleyite]

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..."

Six units does allow for one four-car diagram if we assume one maintenance spare. It's 44 minutes end to end which means one unit can operate a two-hourly service, two can operate hourly, four can operate half-hourly (as is planned), leaving two more.

 

[vuzzeho]

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.

True, it's not that convenient unless there's a footpath built, which even itself wouldn't be great. Something is being built on the other side of the line, though, I think it's a housing development?

 

[Bletchleyite]

True, it's not that convenient unless there's a footpath built, which even itself wouldn't be great. Something is being built on the other side of the line, though, I think it's a housing development?

Yes, it's Salden Chase, a large housing development.

 

[DavidGrain]

WMR have been short-forming some of their trains again this year and reverting to running Class 172s on 196 diagrams so obviously they would like the class 196s back. I was told by someone from West Midlands Rail Executive that 6 units were always designated for EWR and were tacked on to the WMR order not taken from their order.

The Marston Vale Line is now operated by 40 year old class 150s and it would make sense to consider a single fleet working both lines, especially as they work out of the same depot. However, this will have to wait until a new batch of DMUs is on order. The Chiltern 196s already have Bedford on their PIS as there was a photo on Facebook of a 196 at Oxford showing Bedford as its destination!!

 

[absolutelymilk]

Is there a separate thread for a possible add-on order of 196s?

 

[BlueLeanie]

Whilst I appreciate that it's hard to miss something you've never had, don't forget people have aspirations.

I was in Liverpool for work one day last week I got a taxi to MK in the morning, but the journey home was Liverpool-Euston-Baker St-Marylebone-Thame.

I've no idea if the journey would have been quicker Liverpool-MK-Bicester-Thame. But I'm disappointed that I didn't have the opportunity to use it. It's bound to have been cheaper than via London.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whilst I appreciate that it's hard to miss something you've never had, don't forget people have aspirations.

I was in Liverpool for work one day last week I got a taxi to MK in the morning, but the journey home was Liverpool-Euston-Baker St-Marylebone-Thame.

I've no idea if the journey would have been quicker Liverpool-MK-Bicester-Thame. But I'm disappointed that I didn't have the opportunity to use it. It's bound to have been cheaper than via London.

Haddenham and Thame-Birmingham-Liverpool would probably be cheaper than anything involving MKC or Euston in any form, aside from if the journey was at WMT Super Off Peak times.

 

[The exile]

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

Even they are not being actively inconvenienced (that requires an extra barrier to ge out in your way or something useful to be removed) as nothing has actually changed. They are merely being deprived of an extra more convenient alternative.

 

[WolvertonWorks]

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!

Is it so that the huge Salden Chase development can claim to be sustainable because one could use public transport if there was a station at Newton Longueville?

 

[zwk500]

Even they are not being actively inconvenienced (that requires an extra barrier to ge out in your way or something useful to be removed) as nothing has actually changed. They are merely being deprived of an extra more convenient alternative.

At which point does it become being actively inconvenienced in that people were told to expect something useful (a train service) by X date and it has been removed from that plan. Is it functionally that different from a service cancellation?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is it so that the huge Salden Chase development can claim to be sustainable because one could use public transport if there was a station at Newton Longueville?

It's unlikely they would use a half-hourly train service in preference to driving to be honest, not least because any station would be at one end of the estate and mean some long walks. More likely planning gain will supply a bus service for the first few years (fast to MK via Standing Way) and it will live or die based on how well it is used.

The mentality round here is that trains are for going to London (and possibly Oxford going forward, and secondarily places like Birmingham and Manchester), they aren't for local journeys. Relatively few would for instance go from Wolverton to Bletchley by train despite it being quicker than even driving, the culture is that car, bus or taxi is for that and it's unlikely to change.

It is slightly complicated by being in Buckinghamshire and not MK though - this might mean they end up doing something useless like a bus to Buckingham or Aylesbury and not MK...

 

[London Trains]

I have a sneaking suspicion that these services are going to be leaving people behind from day one, 2 coaches on nearly* all services is woefully inadequate.

*I assume one diagram will run as a double set, but I could be completely wrong.

 

[DarloRich]

Is Newton Longville a real proposal?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is Newton Longville a real proposal?

It was in very early literature but it didn't make it into anything concrete. I wouldn't rule out it potentially happening in future if MK expands more significantly out that way (planning gain might be a good way to fund it) but it isn't on the table for now.

 

[DarloRich]

It was in very early literature but it didn't make it into anything concrete. I wouldn't rule out it potentially happening in future if MK expands more significantly out that way (planning gain might be a good way to fund it) but it isn't on the table for now.

it is VERY close to Bletchley though and as you say an easy drive to that station or MKC - i cant see it frankly

 

[Nottingham59]

How big is the car park at Winslow?

 

[sqwizz]

How big is the car park at Winslow?

Somewhere between big and large

[image of the car park at Winslow]

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Somewhere between big and large

[image of the car park at Winslow]

I sat looking at that image confused at to how the image had ended up misforming the car park until I realised it's a multi-storey.

 

[sqwizz]

I sat looking at that image confused at to how the image had ended up misforming the car park until I realised it's a multi-storey.

Yep. It's just the one level, in case anyone was wondering about that.

 

[rmHawk765]

I have a sneaking suspicion that these services are going to be leaving people behind from day one, 2 coaches on nearly* all services is woefully inadequate.

*I assume one diagram will run as a double set, but I could be completely wrong.

Absolutely. Honestly I think the whole line in its current state together with its planned services is a bit of a joke for a new line.

 

[Nottingham59]

For what it's worth, I found these forecasts from 2017 for passenger usage at Winslow Station:

https://buckinghamshire.moderngov.co.uk/Data/AVDC%20Strategic%20Development%20Management%20Committee/201706281300/Agenda/1603132ADP%20-%20Land%20at%20Buckingham%20Road,%20Winslow.pdf

Does anyone know where I can find similar passenger forecasts for EWR as a whole, particularly between Bicester and Bletchley?

 

[Nicholas43]

The omni-shambles of launching a railway made it into Private Eye this week.

In a nutshell:
- DfT has written off £2.6M because opening the line has stalled but the rolling stock has arrived on time.
-- 12 carriages lease agreed in April 2022 to start December 2023 for testing.
-- Lease date adjusted to August 2024, but East West Rail Ltd liable for funding from Dec 2023 to Aug 2024 - write off £2,566,000
- DfT's annual report said service to start in August 2025, but Network Rail now say "late 2025". Chiltern say they are "confident" they will start running "this year"

Well, they should better do better than the zero training runs today. Freight companies must be enjoying the reliability.. although only two look booked for it today.

Yes. On this, the full text of the DfT's annual report 2024-5 is most dispiriting:

EWR is a new railway [Yes Minister, ahem, the Cambridge South <-> Tempsford New Town <-> Bedford project / distant dream, that is] which aims to unlock growth for Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Cambridge and beyond. It will transform connectivity for residents and businesses, supporting economic growth and local housing plans. EWR is split into three connection stages: Connection Stage 1 (CS1) will create a direct rail service from Oxford to Bletchley and Milton Keynes ...

• In December 2024, the infrastructure for Connection Stage 1 was completed.
• In March 2025 DfT announced Chiltern as the operator for the first (CS1) services between Oxford, Bletchley and Milton Keynes, due to commence later this year [2025].

East West Rail – Onerous Lease write-off
The East West Rail project, aimed at connecting communities between Oxford and Cambridge, is being introduced in three stages, with the first stage connecting Oxford to Bletchley/Milton Keynes. A sublease for 12 class 196 vehicles was signed in April 2022, with initial plans for testing and commissioning by December 2023. However, due to various delays, the service commencement was pushed to August 2025 [sic], and rolling stock testing rescheduled to summer 2024. Consequently, the rolling stock lease start date was adjusted to August 2024. Despite this, East West Rail Co. remains liable for funding the vehicles from December 2023, leading to a write-off of £2,566,000 [in financial year 2024-5].

At the time of writing, of course, there appear to be no planned paths for any passenger trains between Oxford and Milton Keynes, and no public announcement about a planned timetable.

 

[CyrusWuff]

At the time of writing, of course, there appear to be no planned paths for any passenger trains between Oxford and Milton Keynes, and no public announcement about a planned timetable.

Whilst the timetable hasn't been published (given the start date isn't known yet), the training paths that appear in RTT (e.g. here for 9th September) are indicative of the passenger service once it starts.

 

[DavidGrain]

At the time of writing, of course, there appear to be no planned paths for any passenger trains between Oxford and Milton Keynes, and no public announcement about a planned timetable.

This was the schedule for today. I am just showing trains passing Winslow. As you can see. these are all scheduled paths. They have to be scheduled because at both ends of the route, the trains have to mix in with other trains on a live railway. It is a safe assumption that this is the planned timetable for the route. As you can see all todays Chiltern trains have been cancelled.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Winslow all day on 12/08/2025

Train information at Winslow all day on 12/08/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[duffield]

This was the schedule for today. I am just showing trains passing Winslow. As you can see. these are all scheduled paths. They have to be scheduled because at both ends of the route, the trains have to mix in with other trains on a live railway. It is a safe assumption that this is the planned timetable for the route. As you can see all todays Chiltern trains have been cancelled.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Winslow all day on 12/08/2025

Train information at Winslow all day on 12/08/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

It's very impressive that the Bedford to Bletchley service is typically timed to arrive three minutes after the MK to Bletchley to Oxford train leaves Bletchley.

And yes, I realise there are good reasons for this and when Bedford to Bletchley becomes part of EWR it'll change, the through services will use the high level platforms so the arrivals from Bedford won't need a free low level platform (which presumably constrains the current arrival time).

(Going the other way it's typically going to be a reasonable 6-8 minute connection.)

 

[DavidGrain]

We keep referring to this line as East West Rail but it is only part of what was once the Varsity Line.

The Bletchly to Bedford section is known as the Marston Vale Line.

Obviously, the Oxford to MKC service is going to be a stand alone line for many years to come.

My question therefore is: Should this line have its own name? Anyone know if Network Rail/DfT/Chiltern have given any thouht to this?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Replied here:

Should East West Rail's Oxford-MK "branch" have a name?

We keep referring to this line as East West Rail but it is only part of what was once the Varsity Line. The Bletchly to Bedford section is known as the Marston Vale Line. Obviously, the Oxford to MKC service is going to be a stand alone line for many years to come. My question therefore is...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[RailWonderer]

For what it's worth, I found these forecasts from 2017 for passenger usage at Winslow Station:
View attachment 186195

https://buckinghamshire.moderngov.co.uk/Data/AVDC%20Strategic%20Development%20Management%20Committee/201706281300/Agenda/1603132ADP%20-%20Land%20at%20Buckingham%20Road,%20Winslow.pdf

Does anyone know where I can find similar passenger forecasts for EWR as a whole, particularly between Bicester and Bletchley?

Are they expecting some London commuting? A station with no direct line to London on the edge of the commuter belt for a town of 4400 people I'm not sure will reach those figures. Even Oxford flows won't be enough to reach those numbers I doubt. Still, it's an important town to connect and I'm looking forward to riding the EWR when it opens.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are they expecting some London commuting?

I doubt there will be much; driving to Bletchley is likely to be easier for most (the population of Winslow isn't massive, it's more of a Parkway station that happens to be on the edge of an existing village/small town).

A station with no direct line to London on the edge of the commuter belt for a town of 4400 people I'm not sure will reach those figures. Even Oxford flows won't be enough to reach those numbers I doubt. Still, it's an important town to connect and I'm looking forward to riding the EWR when it opens.

I think Oxford will be massive. Bicester is getting expensive, so the Oxford commuters will shift further out as they have over the years for London. Maybe not immediately, but I'd expect to see people choosing Bletchley and Winslow as places to live to commute to Oxford, even more so if in a couple one works in London and the other Oxford given that the London service from Bletchley is markedly better than that from either Oxford or Bicester, and quite a bit cheaper too.

 

[DarloRich]

It's very impressive that the Bedford to Bletchley service is typically timed to arrive three minutes after the MK to Bletchley to Oxford train leaves Bletchley.

Standard!

Should this line have its own name?

Does it matter beyond PR use?

A station with no direct line to London on the edge of the commuter belt for a town of 4400 people I'm not sure will reach those figures.

There will be some. Again, i know of people who have moved to Winslow from MKC and expect to commute to London.