An extremely speculative new rail line

[Fermiboson]

In the western Cotswolds area, there are two closed branches (among others): Oxford - Whitney - Lechlade - Fairford, and the Highworth branch.
All the talk of Oxford - Swindon - Bristol direct services got me thinking while staring at a map: why not reopen and connect the two branches? (Apart from cost, obviously.)
Whitney, Eynsham and Carterton have all grown significantly since the Beeching days, and Carterton serves the large RAF base at Brize Norton. Whitney and Eynsham contribute significantly to the horrible North Oxford commuter traffic down Woodstock/Banbury Rd. Indeed there are several proposals for reopening the line which seem to have attracted local attention.
Highworth was never successful as a passenger service, but the town has also grown, and the connection between Lechlade-on-Thames and Highworth is not that far. It would also enable Oxford - Swindon directs bypassing the need to reverse at Didcot.

So, the idea is as follows: Reopen the Whitney branch along the old route, up until the crossing of the River Leach outside Lechlade. Have the track curve southwards, passing north of the knoll and south of Manor Farm Nursery, and cross the A417 (where the station will be) east of the cricket club. Then cross the Thames, and go in a reasonably straight line southwards crossing the River Cole somewhere northeast of Upper Inglesham. Then go in a south-southwest direction, crossing the A361 just north of the roundabout and south of the slight terrain raise. After passing by the junction of Pentylands Ln and Blackworth, curve south to enter Highworth just east of Fitzgerold Ave, cross St Michael's Ave and thread the needle between the various schools and bars, cross St Michael's Ave again to arrive at the old station site. After that reopen the old Highworth branch track to South Marston (which appears to still be in use as a freight line). The stations along the line will be Eynsham, Whitney, Brize Norton for Carterton, Lechlade-on-Thames, Highworth, South Marston & Kingsdown, and Swindon. With the push for reopening Wantage & Grove, perhaps one could run a shuttle service of Oxford - Swindon via Whitney - Didcot stopping at all stations, and also use the branch for a fast direct to Bristol, calling at Oxford, Whitney, Brize Norton, Swindon, Chippenham, Bath, Bristol.

How bad is this idea, and why?

 

[70014IronDuke]

In the western Cotswolds area, there are two closed branches (among others): Oxford - Whitney - Lechlade - Fairford, and the Highworth branch.
All the talk of Oxford - Swindon - Bristol direct services got me thinking while staring at a map: why not reopen and connect the two branches? (Apart from cost, obviously.)
Whitney, Eynsham and Carterton have all grown significantly since the Beeching days, and Carterton serves the large RAF base at Brize Norton. Whitney and Eynsham contribute significantly to the horrible North Oxford commuter traffic down Woodstock/Banbury Rd. Indeed there are several proposals for reopening the line which seem to have attracted local attention.
Highworth was never successful as a passenger service, but the town has also grown, and the connection between Lechlade-on-Thames and Highworth is not that far. It would also enable Oxford - Swindon directs bypassing the need to reverse at Didcot.

So, the idea is as follows: Reopen the Whitney branch along the old route, up until the crossing of the River Leach outside Lechlade. Have the track curve southwards, passing north of the knoll and south of Manor Farm Nursery, and cross the A417 (where the station will be) east of the cricket club. Then cross the Thames, and go in a reasonably straight line southwards crossing the River Cole somewhere northeast of Upper Inglesham. Then go in a south-southwest direction, crossing the A361 just north of the roundabout and south of the slight terrain raise. After passing by the junction of Pentylands Ln and Blackworth, curve south to enter Highworth just east of Fitzgerold Ave, cross St Michael's Ave and thread the needle between the various schools and bars, cross St Michael's Ave again to arrive at the old station site. After that reopen the old Highworth branch track to South Marston (which appears to still be in use as a freight line). The stations along the line will be Eynsham, Whitney, Brize Norton for Carterton, Lechlade-on-Thames, Highworth, South Marston & Kingsdown, and Swindon. With the push for reopening Wantage & Grove, perhaps one could run a shuttle service of Oxford - Swindon via Whitney - Didcot stopping at all stations, and also use the branch for a fast direct to Bristol, calling at Oxford, Whitney, Brize Norton, Swindon, Chippenham, Bath, Bristol.

How bad is this idea, and why?

Not as bad as reopening Aberystwyth - Carmarthen. At least, not quite.

I can see some sort of case for reopening to Brize Norton, but I think few people from the area would take the train to Swindon. Hasn't the route been built over at Highworth?

It would cost many millions to plan and build new from Lechlade to Highworth, indeed, I can imagine the Nimbies would be out in their thousands opposing this, adding to the costs.

It's also quite hilly country, as I remember. It's not going to happen, far better schemes have floundered. If they can't justify opening Aylesbury - Calvert - Bletchley, they are never going to justify this entire scheme.

 

[A0wen]

Apart from linking Witney with Oxford and Swindon, what else does it achieve ?

Oxford - Swindon can be done already - and probably more quickly - via Didcot.

The inevitable claim about it offering "diversions" will of course be shot out the sky with the observation that diversion potential doesn't make a difference to a business case.

Just because there were once railway lines in those areas doesn't mean they make sense now - such lines were usually built more with freight in mind that passenger, which is why so many of them started to succumb as soon as the motor bus took hold in the 1920s.

 

[The Planner]

No h in Witney. As for the rest, look at GoogleMaps and see what is built on, for example at Eynsham, Witney, Brize Norton and Highworth. You cannot open it on the same formation. You would need a new curve facing Swindon as well.

 

[PaulLothian]

Many years ago, before my railway modelling interests moved to the Highlands, I planned a layout based on a similar premise.
In my case it involved linking the Fairford and Cirencester branches with a major junction with the M&SWJR, and continuing the GWR west with a high level platform at Kemble through to Tetbury. Thereafter it would have run on manageable grades through the grounds of Highgrove House (bang go any chance of my being given a peerage!) to join the GWR near Badminton. It would have been great fun to incorporate aspects of each section had I won the lottery, although in fact the layout was only planned to feature Cirencester Junction.
Edit: I should add that I would have set it in the 1920s, as I could see no possibility of it being viable post-WW2.

 

[zwk500]

Wait and see how the new service does before leaping to any conclusions about new lines.

Also, I get the sense that military bases do not provide appreciable rail passenger traffic any more (road is just so much easier and more convenient for what traffic there is), so unless there's some freight the military want moving specifically by rail, you can ignore the RAF base as part of the rationale for the line.

A Witney parkway, with possible station at Eynsham, might make a case for itself at some point, but not as a through route.

 

[AlastairFraser]

In the western Cotswolds area, there are two closed branches (among others): Oxford - Whitney - Lechlade - Fairford, and the Highworth branch.
All the talk of Oxford - Swindon - Bristol direct services got me thinking while staring at a map: why not reopen and connect the two branches? (Apart from cost, obviously.)
Whitney, Eynsham and Carterton have all grown significantly since the Beeching days, and Carterton serves the large RAF base at Brize Norton. Whitney and Eynsham contribute significantly to the horrible North Oxford commuter traffic down Woodstock/Banbury Rd. Indeed there are several proposals for reopening the line which seem to have attracted local attention.
Highworth was never successful as a passenger service, but the town has also grown, and the connection between Lechlade-on-Thames and Highworth is not that far. It would also enable Oxford - Swindon directs bypassing the need to reverse at Didcot.

So, the idea is as follows: Reopen the Whitney branch along the old route, up until the crossing of the River Leach outside Lechlade. Have the track curve southwards, passing north of the knoll and south of Manor Farm Nursery, and cross the A417 (where the station will be) east of the cricket club. Then cross the Thames, and go in a reasonably straight line southwards crossing the River Cole somewhere northeast of Upper Inglesham. Then go in a south-southwest direction, crossing the A361 just north of the roundabout and south of the slight terrain raise. After passing by the junction of Pentylands Ln and Blackworth, curve south to enter Highworth just east of Fitzgerold Ave, cross St Michael's Ave and thread the needle between the various schools and bars, cross St Michael's Ave again to arrive at the old station site. After that reopen the old Highworth branch track to South Marston (which appears to still be in use as a freight line). The stations along the line will be Eynsham, Whitney, Brize Norton for Carterton, Lechlade-on-Thames, Highworth, South Marston & Kingsdown, and Swindon. With the push for reopening Wantage & Grove, perhaps one could run a shuttle service of Oxford - Swindon via Whitney - Didcot stopping at all stations, and also use the branch for a fast direct to Bristol, calling at Oxford, Whitney, Brize Norton, Swindon, Chippenham, Bath, Bristol.

How bad is this idea, and why?

I've proposed this in the past.
Your plan needs some modification due to development elsewhere on the route, but it could be a viable post 2050 plan to link East West Rail services to the South West.
As others have said, passenger demand for the whole route needs to be proven before considering this.

 

[Mark J]

I certainly agree with a reopened line to Witney.

It is quite a sizable town, relying on a ever congested toad network.

 

[Irascible]

Brize is more like a RAF-run airport, so of all sites it's probably most likely to make use of a rail link. I don't think there's remotely enough traffic for it though ( it's not like I pay attention, but I bet Exeter has more daily passenger flights & noone's proposing a rail link ) - also I don't think they'd appreciate a level crossing on the runway reappearing!

 

[AlastairFraser]

also I don't think they'd appreciate a level crossing on the runway reappearing!

Although that can be mitigated by a 350m cut and cover tunnel under the aircraft parking area (it doesn't quite intersect the runway).

 

[The Planner]

Although that can be mitigated by a 350m cut and cover tunnel under the aircraft parking area (it doesn't quite intersect the runway).

A very expensive mitigation.

 

[AlastairFraser]

A very expensive mitigation.

Indeed, but post-2050, the GWML will be even fuller and the demand for travel across the South avoiding London is quite significant.

 

[The Planner]

Indeed, but post-2050, the GWML will be even fuller and the demand for travel across the South avoiding London is quite significant.

Or save some money and move the railway so it doesnt need the tunnel. The station would have to be in the south west corner anyway.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Or save some money and move the railway so it doesnt need the tunnel. The station would have to be in the south west corner anyway.

Only issue is you'd have to build an additional mile or so of railway to avoid the fuel tank farm at Brize Norton.

 

[The Planner]

Only issue is you'd have to build an additional mile or so of railway to avoid the fuel tank farm at Brize Norton.

So what? if you are spending a billion or more on a new railway, make it fit for purpose, not following something that closed 62 years ago.

 

[AlastairFraser]

So what? if you are spending a billion or more on a new railway, make it fit for purpose, not following something that closed 62 years ago.

Your Carterton station would be even further from Carterton.
That seems silly.

 

[The Planner]

Your Carterton station would be even further from Carterton.
That seems silly.

The original station is under the industrial estate by Britannia Gate. That isn't exactly close to Carterton.

 

[lightning76]

In the event that the money for such a scheme was suddenly found hanging on a magic tree, it would be better deployed on

1. A light rail link from Oxford to Eynsham and Witney

2. Grade separation of Didcot West Junction and quadrupling from there to Swindon.

3. A decent bus service from Witney and Carterton to Swindon.

 

[zwk500]

In the event that the money for such a scheme was suddenly found hanging on a magic tree, it would be better deployed on

1. A light rail link from Oxford to Eynsham and Witney

2. Grade separation of Didcot West Junction and quadrupling from there to Swindon.

3. A decent bus service from Witney and Carterton to Swindon.

Point 2 - why would you Grade-separate Didcot West before Didcot East? The other 2 points I agree with.

 

[lightning76]

To allow trains from Oxford to Swindon without blocking the main line, in accordance with the OPs objectives. Ideally both would happen anyway.

 

[The Planner]

To allow trains from Oxford to Swindon without blocking the main line, in accordance with the OPs objectives. Ideally both would happen anyway.

Didcot East would always be the priority.

 

[lightning76]

Didcot East would always be the priority.

I look forward to it!

 

[AlastairFraser]

The original station is under the industrial estate by Britannia Gate. That isn't exactly close to Carterton.

Not really, but the further you push it away, the worse it gets.

 

[The Planner]

Not really, but the further you push it away, the worse it gets.

It would have to be a significant multi modal interchange with public transport from various parts of Carterton and surroundings or a massive car park even if you could open it on its original site.

 

[AlastairFraser]

It would have to be a significant multi modal interchange with public transport from various parts of Carterton and surroundings or a massive car park even if you could open it on its original site.

That shouldn't be a problem, there looks to be a fair amount of surplus government-owned land in the area.