Oxford station redevelopment could be delayed

[jimm]

The Oxford Mail is reporting that the whole project could slip back well into the 2020s as a result of Network Rail's problems

THERE are fears the £75m overhaul of Oxford Railway station may not take place for almost a decade.

Project leaders said there were concerns the scheme could be sidelined after the Government announced a “pause” of billion-pound rail upgrades elsewhere in the country.

Both the electrification of the Midland mainline and the Transpennine route were among those delayed, with the chief executive of Network Rail admitting the works programme was too ambitious.

The electrification of the Great Western Mainline, including its Oxford branch, will not be affected.

But senior figures at Oxford City Council said there were now concerns other projects in the pipeline, such as the long-awaited upgrade of the city’s main station, would be pushed back.

Full story here: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/13..._be_delayed_due_to_Network_Rail___s_failings/

Previous thread about this project is at http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=103753

 

[WatcherZero]

Speculation by politicians.

 

[jimm]

Speculation by politicians.

But probably well-founded in the circumstances, not least given that there were precious few dates indicated for any of the work on this scheme, even before Network Rail's CP5 plans came apart at the seams.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It was extremely difficult to follow what NR planned to do at Oxford in CP5 even before the recent planning hiatus.
The Oxford Mail is seemingly only interested in the station rebuilding, but NR somehow has to phase the resignalling, remodelling and electrification of the area for IEP and EMU operation.
The CP5 milestones don't help much, but has any of this reached GRIP 3/4 yet?
Without that not much is likely to happen.
It's telling that the electrification mast bases currently finish at Kennington Jn.
Resignalling is the key. When is that due for completion?
How would the locals feel if NR prioritised Paddington-Swindon/Newbury?

 

[jimm]

It was extremely difficult to follow what NR planned to do at Oxford in CP5 even before the recent planning hiatus.
The Oxford Mail is seemingly only interested in the station rebuilding, but NR somehow has to phase the resignalling, remodelling and electrification of the area for IEP and EMU operation.
The CP5 milestones don't help much, but has any of this reached GRIP 3/4 yet?
Without that not much is likely to happen.
It's telling that the electrification mast bases currently finish at Kennington Jn.
Resignalling is the key. When is that due for completion?
How would the locals feel if NR prioritised Paddington-Swindon/Newbury?

An intermediate phase of resignalling to allow electrification (removing life-expired non-immunised signal kit), access to the station for Chiltern services from Marylebone using the bi-di Jericho line and to bring the extended down loop on the main line to Wolvercote into use, is due to be commissioned next February, with a nine-day closure of the line between Didcot and Aynho from the 13th to the 21st to coincide with the half-term holiday. This is also due to be preceded by many weeks (10 or 11, I think) of Sunday closures through Oxford for preparatory work.

The idea then is that the Botley Road bridge would be replaced, to be followed by a second phase of resignalling and track remodelling, in conjunction with expanding the station and paving the way for the reopening of the East West line to Bletchley.

 

[route:oxford]

The Oxford Mail is reporting that the whole project could slip back well into the 2020s as a result of Network Rail's problems.

It's not a surprise really. BBC Oxford reported this over a week ago!

The big worry is that over the last 10 years, numbers using Oxford Station have near enough doubled. If this repeats (and I wouldn't be surprised if it did) by the time the project is shovel ready 30,000 - 40,000 people will be using a station with just 2 through and 2 bay platforms every single day.

Without the Botley Bridge improvements, The Botley Road may have to be closed to all but buses and taxis from 6am to 9pm daily just to be able to cope with the sheer volume of bus and pedestrian traffic leaving the station.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

An intermediate phase of resignalling to allow electrification (removing life-expired non-immunised signal kit), access to the station for Chiltern services from Marylebone using the bi-di Jericho line and to bring the extended down loop on the main line to Wolvercote into use, is due to be commissioned next February, with a nine-day closure of the line between Didcot and Aynho from the 13th to the 21st to coincide with the half-term holiday. This is also due to be preceded by many weeks (10 or 11, I think) of Sunday closures through Oxford for preparatory work.

The idea then is that the Botley Road bridge would be replaced, to be followed by a second phase of resignalling and track remodelling, in conjunction with expanding the station and paving the way for the reopening of the East West line to Bletchley.

Thanks for that. Let's hope they can keep to the plan.
There would just be time after resignalling to get the wires up by the end of 2016 - unless they are occupied elsewhere.

 

[jimm]

Thanks for that. Let's hope they can keep to the plan.
There would just be time after resignalling to get the wires up by the end of 2016 - unless they are occupied elsewhere.

I'm pretty sure Chiltern will be holding them to the schedule for the 2016 signalling and track work, come hell or high water, but Oxford wiring may slip back, if the suggestions that they will now throw all available resources at getting Airport Junction to Swindon electrified first are at all accurate