East-West Rail (EWR): Oxford-Bletchley construction progress

[Bald Rick]

Railways are very beautiful things

Indeed so! Perhaps someone should build a new one in Bedford…

 

[Oxfordblues]

The sleepers for this section are already at Hinksey Yard, just awaiting the return of the laying machine which has been away for maintenance.

 

[yorkie]

Just a gentle reminder this thread is exclusively for progress updates.

If anyone wishes to discuss anything else, it should go in a new thread, or an existing alternative one, if there is one already.

 

[DarloRich]

I notice a construction barricade has gone up at the P6 end of the existing Bletchley station bridge which I assume means work has started to prepare for the installation of the passenger footbridge to the high level platforms.

 

[Gagravarr]

The Oxford Mail are reporting that there'll need to be a 14 week closure over the winter, possibly over Christmas, for preparatory work to move utilities before the bridge work next summer:

14-week closure of Botley Road could hit Christmas shopping

Oxford's Christmas shopping traffic could be disrupted by a 14-week closure of Botley Road, one of the city's busiest routes.

www.oxfordmail.co.uk

 

[swt_passenger]

The Oxford Mail are reporting that there'll need to be a 14 week closure over the winter, possibly over Christmas, for preparatory work to move utilities before the bridge work next summer:

14-week closure of Botley Road could hit Christmas shopping

Oxford's Christmas shopping traffic could be disrupted by a 14-week closure of Botley Road, one of the city's busiest routes.

www.oxfordmail.co.uk

The Oxford Mail will write whatever they think will get the most clicks, unfortunately.

By the way, there’s a separate discussion thread about Oxford Station P5 associated works, I assume it was felt it’s not formally a part of the EWR project:

Oxford Corridor Phase 2 & Platform 5 updates

Local media in Oxford is reporting it is planned to close Oxford station for 3 months next summer, so the bridge over Botley road can be replaced. Does anyone know any more details on this? I would presume this means the whole line will be closed for that time, but that seems awefully long...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Dr A.Johnston]

Not much activity on the forum recently, hopefully this link will provide some interesting reading with several presenations to look at. Here is the latest EWR2 Project Newsletter for Summer/Autumn 2022.

EWR2 Project News Letter Summer/Autumn 2022

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Not much activity on the forum recently, hopefully this link will provide some interesting reading with several presenations to look at. Here is the latest EWR2 Project Newsletter for Summer/Autumn 2022.

EWR2 Project News Letter Summer/Autumn 2022

Thanks for providing link. Very informative and not seen this software thats driving it before but good how it seamless integrates all media types in a single document.

 

[Gagravarr]

The Summer/Autumn newsletter has quite a bit about the construction progress, and when they're intending to lay track where. One summary on the overall timelines was:

With track construction works scheduled for completion by Autumn 2023, the project focus will then turn to the final phase of rail control systems implementation, with Signalling, Power and Telecoms (SP&C) equipment being installed lineside and at the control centre in Rugby. This will be the final stage of the project, before system commissioning and hand over of the finished railway to infrastructure owner and operator Network Rail.

 

[Elecman]

The Summer/Autumn newsletter has quite a bit about the construction progress, and when they're intending to lay track where. One summary on the overall timelines was:

7 Signalling & Telecoms DNO supplies have already been installed

 

[swt_passenger]

Will the existing signalling boundaries be maintained in the final setup, ie will a train from Oxford heading to Bletchley still come under control of Marylebone between south of Wolvercot tunnel and Bicester (Gavray Jn is it?) - or will there possibly be further changes of responsibility?

 

[The Planner]

Will the existing signalling boundaries be maintained in the final setup, ie will a train from Oxford heading to Bletchley still come under control of Marylebone between south of Wolvercot tunnel and Bicester (Gavray Jn is it?) - or will there possibly be further changes of responsibility?

Should stay the same I think.

 

[fishwomp]

Paid a visit to the Bicester - Steeple Claydon section today.


A lot of progress close to Bicester now. Facing East at Bicester Road, Launton, 100yards east of the Charbridge Lane (ring-road bridge). Two tracks for a bit. It then looks like they are putting a crossover in - just beyond the yellow rail vehicle - where things carry on as single track for now.



Same location, but just immediately at the bridge - if the purpose of the scaffold and sensors is to make sure vehicles are in-gauge for height, it appears to only catch the down line.


Launton Station, and crossing-cottage. Facing West - the footbridge in the distance is the same one visible in the previous long distance shot. Rail is down and resting on a tar-covered membrane.


Launton station and crossing facing East. Rail finishes about quarter of a mile beyond this point, visible in the photo.


North of Calvert where EWR meets HS2, this is facing West - in the foreground is a new road underbridge. The railway gathers height (can be seen from the gravel..) to pass over HS2.


On the road North from Calvert again, facing East over the HS2 dive-under. Hasn't changed much in 6 months since I last saw it.


Queen Catherine Lane overbridge still not open at Steeple Claydon, but the existing route and level crossing is closed until 22 Oct - expect the bridge to the new route from then. Facing West.


Queen Catherine Lane crossing, facing East, the old crossing track still in-situ (only remaining old track on the line I guess).


Sandhill Road - about half a mile West of Verney Junction. Facing West.


Sandhill Road again, facing East - the house by the pylon is Verney Jct Station House.

 

[Nottingham59]

Great pictures!

I might be completely wrong about this, but the scaffolding in the second image seems to me to be for a water supply system, rather than sensors. Do they need tankers of water for any part of the track-laying process? Dust mitigation during ballast laying, I wonder? Or is it a sort of carwash?

 

[swt_passenger]

Great pictures!

I might be completely wrong about this, but the scaffolding in the second image seems to me to be for a water supply system, rather than sensors. Do they need tankers of water for any part of the track-laying process? Dust mitigation during ballast laying, I wonder? Or is it a sort of carwash?

I think looking at all the separate nozzles it’s most likely to be for wetting ballast in delivery wagons, for washing the trains themselves you’d probably want stuff on the sides as well.

Edited to add:

Another question though, is the crossover in the first of the latest pictures likely to be permanent or just temporary, as the track layout in post #629 doesn’t show it? Or is it possible that diagram is just showing that Bicester Village is off to the right somewhere, given it’s not included Gavray Junction either…

 

[fishwomp]

Great pictures!

I might be completely wrong about this, but the scaffolding in the second image seems to me to be for a water supply system, rather than sensors. Do they need tankers of water for any part of the track-laying process? Dust mitigation during ballast laying, I wonder? Or is it a sort of carwash?

That makes perfect sense, preventing dust pollution, and this would be the arrival road.

I think looking at all the separate nozzles it’s most likely to be for wetting ballast in delivery wagons, for washing the trains themselves you’d probably want stuff on the sides as well.

Edited to add:

Another question though, is the crossover in the first of the latest pictures likely to be permanent or just temporary, as the track layout in post #629 doesn’t show it? Or is it possible that diagram is just showing that Bicester Village is off to the right somewhere, given it’s not included Gavray Junction either…

Don't know - but if the line is bidirectional when it's opened, this would be the first chance to take something over to wrong line working after leaving Bicester on the normal line. According to Traksy, the Gavray junction EWR->Oxford line is a crossover at Gavray Jct not a ladder.

 

[Andyjs247]

I think that EWR from Bicester towards Bletchley will not now be bi-directional. Since the most recent signalling changes in August 2021, Signal OB1787 at Bicester Village now only has a position 4 junction indicator for the route towards Bicester South Jn and Marylebone. This route used to be position 5 (4 previously being towards Bletchley ie down direction on the up line).

Before and after signalling changes at Bicester Village. First picture (August 2021) shows the route set towards Marylebone. The second picture is dated November 2021.

 

[The Planner]

I think that EWR from Bicester towards Bletchley will not now be bi-directional. Since the most recent signalling changes in August 2021, Signal OB1787 at Bicester Village now only has a position 4 junction indicator for the route towards Bicester South Jn and Marylebone. This route used to be position 5 (4 previously being towards Bletchley ie down direction on the up line).

Before and after signalling changes at Bicester Village. First picture (August 2021) shows the route set towards Marylebone. The second picture is dated November 2021.

If it was ever going to be it got binned off early on, I can't remember seeing a signalling plan with it on.

 

[swt_passenger]

That makes perfect sense, preventing dust pollution, and this would be the arrival road.

Don't know - but if the line is bidirectional when it's opened, this would be the first chance to take something over to wrong line working after leaving Bicester on the normal line. According to Traksy, the Gavray junction EWR->Oxford line is a crossover at Gavray Jct not a ladder.

I think traksy must have had difficulty simplifying it, because they’ve decided to draw the Marylebone route as straight ahead, but as we know on the ground it’s an almost straight route towards EWR with the down Bletchley to up Marylebone weaving over on a ladder.

 

[yorkie]

Just another reminder that this thread is purely to discuss actual updates please.

Any posts of a speculative nature are very welcome to be posted but we do ask that these are posted exclusively in our Speculative Discussion section.

Many thanks.

Some posts have been moved to the following thread:

Should East-West Rail (EWR) signalling be fully bi-directional?

Moderator note: Split from https://railforums.co.uk/threads/east-west-rail-ewr-oxford-bletchley-construction-progress.216561/ I think that EWR from Bicester towards Bletchley will not now be bi-directional. Since the most recent signalling changes in August 2021, Signal OB1787 at Bicester...

railforums.co.uk

 

[II]

A few images showing progress on East West Rail between Bicester and Launton I took today, to add to fishwomp's from earlier in the month:

1) From the new Charbridge Way footbridge in Bicester looking under the replacement Charbridge Lane road bridge and just beyond the brick arch of the Bicester Road bridge and beyond towards Launton where a Class 66 waits duties.



2 and 3) From the new Grange Farm footbridge, Launton, looking towards Bicester. One track laid waiting ballast, the other still to be laid. A temporary crossover to allow engineering train access visible in the zoom shot along with the Class 66. This bridge has replaced three former foot crossings on the route.





4) From the same footbridge looking towards Launton. Another Class 66 heads a construction train in the distance which is by the new Station Road bridge at Launton, which replaced a level crossing on the old line. This long zoom shot shows how straight the alignment is, and it's a lot less bumpy than the shortened perspective suggests!

 

[JamesT]

I'd assume it has to be, as surely you wouldn't build a new bridge that couldn't, but is that new arched bridge really high enough for electrification clearances? Or is it just a trick of perspective that makes it look like the Class 66 will barely squeeze under?

 

[swt_passenger]

I'd assume it has to be, as surely you wouldn't build a new bridge that couldn't, but is that new arched bridge really high enough for electrification clearances? Or is it just a trick of perspective that makes it look like the Class 66 will barely squeeze under?

In the first picture there’s actually two completely separate bridges visible, the flat concrete beam bridge in the foreground is the new bypass bridge, replacing Charbridge Lane level crossing, and the dark blue brick bridge is on the Bicester Road leading to Launton village, and it’s actually about 150 yards further behind it. Please note the separate shadows of two bridges on the tracks and ballast, thats 150 yards in real life!

The nearer bridge being brand new does give electrification clearance, the brick bridge doesn’t, because it wasn’t rebuilt, it just had its parapets heightened.

But in general, only the new bridges along the route are clear for electrification.

 

[Bald Rick]

I'd assume it has to be, as surely you wouldn't build a new bridge that couldn't, but is that new arched bridge really high enough for electrification clearances? Or is it just a trick of perspective that makes it look like the Class 66 will barely squeeze under?

It’s not a new arched bridge…

 

[JamesT]

In the first picture there’s actually two completely separate bridges visible, the flat concrete beam bridge in the foreground is the new bypass bridge, replacing Charbridge Lane level crossing, and the dark blue brick bridge is on the Bicester Road leading to Launton village, and it’s actually about 150 yards further behind it. The nearer bridge being brand new does give electrification clearance, the brick bridge doesn’t, because it wasn’t rebuilt, it just had its parapets heightened.

But in general, only the new bridges along the route are clear for electrification.

Ah, thank you. The description on the photo didn't make it clear to me there were two bridges there.

 

[II]

Ah, thank you. The description on the photo didn't make it clear to me there were two bridges there.

Apologies, I’ve edited the text to make it clearer.

 

[Mark24]

Great photos. Thanks for the update

Are all the foot bridges now open?

 

[swt_passenger]

Apologies, I’ve edited the text to make it clearer.

I reckon the first photo covers a huge distance, you can just see a strip of green under the second arched bridge, so that must be the next new footbridge, where you took photos 2 and 3 from. If I’ve got my bearings right it also shows one abutment of the new Launton Station Road bridge. That’s about 2.25 km from the Jarvis Lane footbridge you are standing on…

 

[BrianW]

Great pictures <fishwomp> and <II>.

I guess the ballast under the approach to crossing HS2 not changed in 6 months may benefit from settling/ compacting; and II's shots suggest more 'levelling up' to come ?

I note some pix suggest railway boundaries are a long way from the track. Is there a legal minimum- no sparks/ cinders from steam!!? Maybe the additional 'value' from the land is not worth the cost of legal transfer and moving fences?

 

[swt_passenger]

Great pictures <fishwomp> and <II>.

I guess the ballast under the approach to crossing HS2 not changed in 6 months may benefit from settling/ compacting; and II's shots suggest more 'levelling up' to come ?

I note some pix suggest railway boundaries are a long way from the track. Is there a legal minimum- no sparks/ cinders from steam!!? Maybe the additional 'value' from the land is not worth the cost of legal transfer and moving fences?

I think the NR boundary is generally positioned so that built earthworks such as embankments and cuttings are under NR control, including all the dedicated drainage. Nowadays they also ideally allow for an access route for maintenance vehicles.

I’ll attach an extract of the planning drawing applicable to the area around Charbridge Lane, AIUI the orange lines showing the original boundary are varying in distance from the tracks broadly as the earthworks change size. You’ll also see that either side of the Bicester Road brick arch bridge the NR boundary extends along the sides of the bridge. The red lines are the land allowed for access, worksites, new structures and roads and then some is land to become under permanent NR ownership on completion.