Through Line Reinstated at Princes Risborough

[Chafford1]

As part of the Chiltern Mainline upgrade, the 'up' through line is being reinstated at Princes Risborough:


http://geoff-plumb.fotopic.net/p68394704.html


http://geoff-plumb.fotopic.net/p68394706.html

 

[lancastrian]

This is great news, I have always enjoyed reading about the Chiltern Line. A privatised Railway actually run by Railwaymen. They have proved how well a service can be improved if you hae the right people at the top and have a long enough francise to make it worthwhile. I just hope that the 'pillock' politicans of which ever party is in power, when the next time the Chiltern francise is let, have the sense to award it back to the same people and not give it to another francise holder. Based on some of the others that would ruin all the good work done so far.

With regard to them reinstating a fast through line at Princess Risborough, that is a good idea, but if they wished to do the same at for example Bicester North or Gerrards Cross, it would be much harder, due to the short sighted descisson to move out platforms into the space of the loops/through lines, therefore causing blockages which will need to be removed if through lines are needed at those locations.

Also I am glad to see that Chiltern are reopening the bay platforms at Birmingham Moor Street.

 

[cle]

They're excellent, I hope their franchise is extended yet again and that it isn't too negatively impacted by any HS2 plans.

I'm also quite curious what will be next - would they dare to continue doing the East/West line from Bicester east, or Aylesbury Vale north? Maybe in exchange for DfT exclusivity of services along it, or some freight access revenue? Could be quite exciting!

 

[Clip]

Glad to see it being done.. Now if only they would do Wembley too and then put in the track to the platform at Denham they created they could feasibly run the 'metro' services they badlly want to

 

[mumrar]

I'm probably going to put some noses out of joint, but what I will say is not just for this purpose.

Whilst the figures undoubtedly show the success Chiltern are having, it is a skewed point of view to think of them as the only decent TOC running to London, or anywhere else.

With the exception of Small Heath to Aynho Jcn (which eases after Dorridge) there is not a fat lot that wants to use the same route. Voyagers are interfacing once per hour each way as far as Leamington, where the services via Coventry double the figure. Freight is not running in any great quantity either. Add to that, they have a newly refurbished terminus opened especially for them to alleviate the one location of hassle they did get at Snow Hill.

Chiltern have the luxury of an almost insular and cut off network (note almost) and so they have hardly anything running to impact their services.

I'm struggling to think of a route on a par in terms of it's relative quiet, versus it's improtance of linking England's first and second cities, they really are in a very lucky set of circumstances which contributes in no small part to their success. That and the compactness of their operations. It's hard for them to fail after they've been doing it for so long.

I don't begrudge Chiltern the success and plaudits they get, but I can't help thinking that the people who salivate over them a little too much would be shocked to realise that if they tried to run even half of XC, or EC, or EMT operations, they would not make a roaring success out of it.

I hope my post makes sense and doesn't seem like just a rant, I just think that with all things being relative, their operations can be viewed in light of what they have to work with, that any TOC would dream of.

 

[cle]

You make valid points, but I think what most people salute is not the punctuality and reliability, which is admirable but as you say, their patch is more self-contained.

But their proactive attitude to improvements and investment is what is so unique. Maybe if other TOCs had longer franchise periods, they would also invest. I can't think of many who've preempted and envisaged their own investment, rather than being directed by Dft/Network Rail.

But maybe not... the only other TOC which seems to want to improve so much is Virgin actually - largely to complete for airline revenue, but why not!

They've also benefitted massively from the Bicester outlet place - who I'm sure are contributing in some way to EG3. And now I read another outlet will open at Wembley Stadium! Combining those with the Oxford route (and Reading closures), and some good marketing for the improved Birmingham route - I think they'll do ok.

 

[Clip]

I'm probably going to put some noses out of joint, but what I will say is not just for this purpose.

Whilst the figures undoubtedly show the success Chiltern are having, it is a skewed point of view to think of them as the only decent TOC running to London, or anywhere else.

With the exception of Small Heath to Aynho Jcn (which eases after Dorridge) there is not a fat lot that wants to use the same route. Voyagers are interfacing once per hour each way as far as Leamington, where the services via Coventry double the figure. Freight is not running in any great quantity either. Add to that, they have a newly refurbished terminus opened especially for them to alleviate the one location of hassle they did get at Snow Hill.

Chiltern have the luxury of an almost insular and cut off network (note almost) and so they have hardly anything running to impact their services.

I'm struggling to think of a route on a par in terms of it's relative quiet, versus it's improtance of linking England's first and second cities, they really are in a very lucky set of circumstances which contributes in no small part to their success. That and the compactness of their operations. It's hard for them to fail after they've been doing it for so long.

I don't begrudge Chiltern the success and plaudits they get, but I can't help thinking that the people who salivate over them a little too much would be shocked to realise that if they tried to run even half of XC, or EC, or EMT operations, they would not make a roaring success out of it.

I hope my post makes sense and doesn't seem like just a rant, I just think that with all things being relative, their operations can be viewed in light of what they have to work with, that any TOC would dream of.

whilst you do raise some valid points there you have to remember the money they invested themselves to get things done too. Yes they may be lucky in not having much competition aprt from really LUL and points further north but you have to remember what they started off with and look at how much work they have undertaken to get to where they are now.

 

[jopsuk]

Aye- if Chiltern had got the "Snow Hill lines" part of LM in the big shake-up when Central was disbanded, they'd be even more self-contained. Not quite on a par with c2c mind- apart from their occasional forays into Liverpool Street, they only have freight to contend with, and mainly run a fairly simple service pattern.